American Rescue Plan
Stay tuned here for stories about the various ways Michigan districts are spending federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) money – including the largest amount allocated by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in the American Rescue Plan to address challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ARP News
Three months remain to spend federal school rescue funds
Michigan schools face a critical deadline with only three months remaining to use $650 million in remaining ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds to address the evolving educational challenges brought on by the pandemic. The deadline for spending these funds is September 30, 2024. A total of $5.63 billion was received by Michigan schools, with the largest allocation…
Portage Public Schools and Air Zoo: Fueling Student Curiosity in Science
Students created a human circuit with electrosticks by holding hands. When Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding became available in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Portage Public Schools educators embraced the opportunity to bolster student interest in the wonders of flight, science and technology. The Portage educators planned to apply the federal funding, made possible by President…
ARP funds help Northview students reconnect, reengage post-pandemic
Northview students participate in the BASE rock-climbing club. Educators in West Michigan’s Northview Public Schools realized students required more than tutoring and other academic supports to reintegrate into school life following months of isolation during the pandemic. To help students reconnect with friends and re-engage with school activities, the Northview educators designated American Rescue Plan funds to launch the Belonging…
Huron students benefit from COVID relief funding for trauma, mental health
Krystal Lewis, Huron School District social worker. Amid the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Huron School District educators recognized the rise in student trauma and behavioral health concerns and immediately took steps to address both pressing issues. Specialized training was initiated for district social workers and counselors, fueled by federal funding from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. The…
Expiration of federal school stimulus stresses the need for lasting investments
By MEA President Chandra Madafferi Federal school rescue funds provided by the Biden administration to help Michigan students recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will run out later this year, and it’s critical that our leaders identify revenue streams to maintain the progress our schools have been making. Michigan received a total of $5.63 billion in federal school…
Traverse City Area Public Schools health clinic open to students
Ribbon-Cutting for the Health Center: TCAPS Superintendent Dr. John R. VanWagoner prepares to cut the ribbon with help from Heidi Britton, CEO of NMHSI Traverse City Area Public Schools educators recently tapped into federal American Rescue Plan Relief funds to launch the TCAPS Student Health Center, a medical and behavioral health services clinic serving local students and their families. Through…
Federal funds aid both Wyoming educators and students
Jeremy Schnotala- Wyoming Education-Association President In Wyoming Public Schools, union leaders and district officials found a way to spend federal COVID-relief dollars that altogether honors the expertise of local educators, promises dynamic instruction for students, and offers a foothold in the profession to early career educators for years to come. The Kent County district used a portion of its federal…
Eastern UP internet connectivity supported by ARP funding
In the best of times, Michigan’s rural public-school districts face major hurdles in accessing reliable internet service to provide instructional technology that helps students succeed in remote parts of the state. This is particularly true in the Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District (EUPISD), where educators realized early on during the COVID-19 pandemic that a community-wide plan of action was…
Six months until spending deadline for more than $1 billion in federal funds
With only six months left to spend ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds, Michigan schools have just over one billion dollars remaining to address the changing educational landscape and unique needs brought about by the pandemic. The spending deadline for ESSER funds is September 30, 2024. Michigan schools received $5.62 billion in school rescue funds, with the biggest…
Midland Public Schools invests COVID-19 School Rescue Funds in classroom libraries
The Biden administration’s school rescue funds have benefited classrooms like those of Becca Budka, a fourth-grade teacher in Midland Public Schools. Thanks to federal stimulus funds, she and other Midland educators have been able to upgrade their classroom libraries. In total, Michigan schools have received $5.62 billion in school rescue funds. In the heart of Michigan’s landscape, a recent decision…