District seeks input on spending federal stimulus funds/additional foundation aid

The Herkimer CSD is seeking public input regarding how to use federal stimulus money connected with the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The district expects to receive $3,240,052 as part of the ARP plan, which was implemented earlier this year to help schools safely reopen during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the stimulus funds must be used to address the many impacts of COVID-19 on education. These grant-based funds are not permanent and carry specific requirements.

School districts must publish how they plan to use those funds in regard to restoring in-person instruction, addressing the impact of COVID-19 on students, meeting students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs, offering after-school and extended learning programs, and more.

When developing the plan, schools must also seek public comments from parents, teachers, and other stakeholders. So, as we prepare and plan for the next school year in the Herkimer CSD, we need your input.

Please follow this link to provide your input.

Herkimer seeking input on additional foundation aid

The 2021-22 enacted New York state budget included language stating that for the 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, each school district receiving a foundation aid increase of more than 10% or $10,000,000 must post to its district website prior to July 1 of each school year a plan by school year of how the funds will be used to address student performance and need.

Herkimer received a foundation aid increase of 11.7 percent.

The budget language states that prior to posting the plan, each district must seek public comment from parents and guardians, teachers and other stakeholders on the plan and take such comments into account in the development of the plan.

We’re looking to answer the question(s) of, how can we best utilize our funding to:

1.     address achievement gaps and student social-emotional health;
2.     provide academic supports for students in danger of not meeting state standards;
3.     provide resources to English language learners, students with disabilities, and students experiencing homelessness;
4.     reduce class sizes; and
5.     to increase our graduation rate

Please click here to respond to this short survey to help us gather information about students’ needs and priorities for the 2021–2022 school year.

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