New Jersey’s school leaders are getting a first look this week at the details for more than $2.7 billion in federal pandemic aid heading to their public schools.
Needless to say, the amounts for many districts are dizzying, yet so are the processes and procedures for how it will all work.
Here is how money will be distributed to the three Hoboken public charter schools:
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And here is how much relief money will come to the Hoboken School District:
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The money will be used primarily in the following three ways:
1) Supporting Students Most Impacted by the Pandemic: The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) will provide guidance and technical assistance on the use of ARP ESSER funds that highlight how allowable activities may be used to advance educational equity. As part of their ARP ESSER Use of Funds application, LEAs will be required to provide information on their plans to use ARP ESSER funds to implement an equitable and inclusive return to in-person instruction.
2) Addressing the Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time: New Jersey plans to establish an “Acceleration Coach and Educator Support” formula grant for districts. New Jersey will use a weighted enrollment allocation formula that assigns additional weight to lower grade bands, Limited English Proficient Students, and students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Districts will use the grant funds to implement professional learning for staff to help better understand the needs of their students with regard to learning acceleration and interventions. Funds also will be used in developing positive school climate, implementing social and emotional learning supports, supporting culturally responsive teaching practices, increasing digital and data literacy, engaging educators and parents in the community to personalize students’ learning, identifying disproportionate impacts of COVID-19, and other services to support educators meeting the needs of their students.
3) Investing in Summer Learning and Expanded Afterschool Programs: The state plans to develop a Summer Enrichment Activities formula grant to districts to support summer learning academies and tutoring, professional learning for educators, and education and training programs for parents and caregivers. Districts must target funds to content areas most impacted by COVID-19, such as STEM, younger grade levels, or performing arts. Additionally, the state plans to establish a Comprehensive Beyond the School Day Activities formula grant which will support implementation of research-based programs such as tutoring and broader learning supports to families and educators.
