ESSER

Longview ISD Plan for the use of ESSER III Funds 

American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act

The purpose of the American Rescue Plan: Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER III) funding is for school districts to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools.  The ARP Act statute requires that local education agencies (LEAs) develop and make publicly available their plans for the use of funds after having engaged in meaningful consultation with stakeholders.  This plan must be reviewed and revised every six months.  A summary of the Longview ISD plan for ESSER III funding, aligned to four required components, is below.

Public Comment and Stakeholder Input

Longview ISD conducted a needs assessment at the campus, in-district charter partners, and district level with input from students, parents, staff, and the community through direct communication, surveys, board meetings, and prior needs assessments to determine how its portion of ESSER III funds should be used.  Per that assessment, Longview ISD has written a plan and posted to our website here. Should revisions to the plan become necessary, the plan will be updated and a revised version posted on the website.

Required Components of Use of Funds Plan

Statute requires that LEAs describe its use of funds according to four components:

1. Prevention and mitigation strategies consistent to the latest CDC guidance on reopening schools in order to continuously and safely open and operate schools for in-person learning. (LEA is not required to use ESSER III funds for this activity.)
2. How the LEA will use funds to address the academic impact of lost instructional time through evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year.
3. How the LEA will spend its remaining funds to meet the intent and purpose of ESSER III.
4. How the LEA will ensure the interventions address the academic impact of lost instructional time, will respond to the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students, and particularly those students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including students from low-income families, students of color, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, and migratory students.

Statute requires that a minimum of 20% of ESSER III funding be directed toward activities that address learning loss.  This requirement is separated among the following components:

• Component #2: Evidence-based interventions;
• Component #4: Interventions that ensure the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students are met.