Pottsboro ESSER Plan 

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Background on ESSER 

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The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) signed into law on March 11, 2021 provided nearly $122 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER).  ARP ESSER funds are provided to State educational agencies in the same proportion as each State received under Title 1-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in fascial year (FY) 2020.  An SEA must allocate at least 90 percent of its ARP ESSER grand funds to its local education agencies. 

(LEA’s) in the same proportion that the LEAs received under Title 1-A of ESEA in FY 2020.  LEAs must reserve at least 20 percent of their total ARP ESSER allocation to address the academic impact of lost instructional time on all students, through the implementation of evidence-based interventions. 

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) published Interim Final Requirements (IFR) on April 22, 2021 requiring LEAs receiving ARP ESSER funds to submit an LEA ARP ESSER Plan and an LEA Plan for the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services.  If an LEA had already developed a plan for safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services prior to the enactment of ARP that meets the statutory requirements of section 2001(i) but did not address all of the requirements in the IFR, the LEA must revise and post its plan no later than six months after receiving its ARP ESSER funds.  This applies even if an LEA has been operating full-time in-person instruction but does not apply to virtual schools and LEAs.  

April 2021 Interim Final Requirements:  

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021- 04-22/pdf/2021-08359.pdf 

 •     ED Fact Sheet American Result Plan Act:  

https://oese.ed.gov/files/2021/03/FINAL_ARP-ESSER-FACT-SHEET.pdf  

•      The American Rescue Plan Act:  https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr1319/BILLS117hr1319enr.pdf   

CDC COVID-19 School Operation Guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html#anchor_1616080023247  

•      ED COVID-19 Handbook Volume I:  

https://www2.ed.gov/documents/coronavirus/reopening.pdf  

•      ED COVID-19 Handbook Volume II: 

 https://www2.ed.gov/documents/coronavirus/reopening-2.pdf  

•     ESEA Evidence-Based Guidance: 

 https://oese.ed.gov/files/2020/07/guidanceuseseinvestment.pdf 

•     TEA ARP ESSER III Guidance: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=f4b5d82938764f1f81573845021e58ed 

 

The IFR issued by ED outlines several requirements for all Districts to ensure that funds under ARP (ESSER III), specifically, are spent in a manner consistent with the new statutory set-aside and that key stakeholders have been consulted in this process. The ARP also requires that LEAs have in place a plan for ensuring safety during in-person instruction (either in-progress or planned) as well as ensuring continuity of services should the LEA or one or more of its schools be required to close temporarily for COVID-19-related public health reasons in the future.  

 

This template has been created to assist LEAs in the creation of these plans and to ensure all required elements are met. The following requirements and assurances pertain to both the statutory requirements and the IFR published by ED. Plans are required for all districts, regardless of operating status, unless a district is fully virtual with no physical location.  

 

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) may create a single plan that includes all the required elements or may add in additional requirements, as it deems appropriate. Districts may provide any additional information they believe are helpful in assessing their plan. LEAs are required to make these plans publicly available on the LEA’s website. 

 

According to TEA’s guidance, local boards are not required to approve these plans; however, the local board is required discuss the uses of funds. The District plan includes all schools, including campus charter schools without separate boards. Any in-district charter schools that have their own boards will need to develop their own separate plans and those plans must meet the requirements for stakeholder input and will be posted on the website. 

 

LEA ESSER Use of Funds Plan Guide - Part I   

The Pottsboro ISD will ensure that its ARP Funds meet all the required elements and are spent in an allowable manner.   

1. ARP ESSER funds will be used to implement prevention and mitigation strategies that are, to the greatest extent practicable, consistent with the most recent CDC guidance on reopening schools, in order to continuously and safely open and operate schools for in person learning.  

 

1. Pottsboro ISD is offering testing to identify individuals with a SARS-CoV-2 infection to limit transmission and outbreaks. 

1. Vaccination for teachers and staff as soon as possible 

1. We will continue to use hand sanitizing stations and sprayers to help mitigate and prevent COVID 19. 

  

2. The District will address the academic impact of lost instructional time through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year.  

Pottsboro ISD plans to hire three additional Aides, 2 part time Reading Interventionist and continue to provide Summer School for students that are struggling.  This will give students small group settings with professionally trained aides and certified teachers.   

3. The District will spend its remaining ARP ESSER funds consistent with section 2001(e)(2) of the ARP Act.  

Pottsboro ISD will use the remaining funds for technology devices for students and teachers.  Additional Cable and hardware will be installed to provide better bandwidth for all students and teachers using the devices.   

Research based universal screen will be provided at all grade levels for BOY, MOY and EOY to monitor progress and intervention where needed.   

CTE students will benefit from the use of new materials for the culinary, agriculture and health science classes.  This will give students different avenues to pursue.   

Teachers will receive a retention stipend to compensate for all of the extra time and effort that has been required due to school closures and long-term absences due to COVID.  

Pottsboro ISD will also focus monies on mental Health of all students by implementing and continuing to implement mental health programs at all campuses.  

4. The District will ensure that any implemented interventions, including those implemented under ARP section 2002(e)(1) to 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 the COVID-19 pandemic, including students from low-income families, students of color, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, and, migratory students. 

 

All students will be given a research based universal screen at the beginning of the school year.  Data will be taken from the screener and broken down by all student types to determine the needs of all students.  RTI will be provided daily for students needing Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention.   

Weekly monitoring and running records will be provided to all students to determine needs.   

Each campus will continue to use 7 habits as well as many of our teachers are trained with Capturing Kids Hearts which is a research-based process that works to improve the five key indicators of school performance.  

 

5.  The District made its plan available to the public and provided an opportunity for feedback that was collected and incorporated into the plan.  

Pottsboro ISD conducted a survey that was posted on our website as a pop-up for 7 days.  The survey consisted of 5 multiple choice questions and one open response question.   

After reviewing the survey the plan was put conducted to represent the results from the survey.  

6. The District engaged in timely and meaningful consultation with students, families, school and district administrators (including special education administrators), teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff and their unions, tribes, civil rights organizations (including disability rights organizations); and stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities, English learners, children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, migratory students, children who are incarcerated, and other underserved students.  

Pottsboro ISD informed the community and staff in a timely manner by placing the survey on the Pottsboro ISD website.  

In addition, the Pottsboro ISD provides the following assurances:  

The District engaged in meaningful consultation with the following groups:  

a. Students, families, school and district administrators (including special education administrators), teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, and their unions.  

The District engaged in meaningful consultation with each of the following groups, to the extent present in or served by the LEA:  

b. Tribes, civil rights organizations (including disability rights organizations); and stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities, English 

learners, children experiencing homelessness, children in foster care, migratory  students, children who are incarcerated, and other underserved students.  

The District has created its plan in an understandable and uniform format.  

The District’s plan is, to the extent practicable, written in a language that parents can understand, or if not practicable, orally translated.  

The District will, upon request by a parent who is an individual with a disability, provide the plan in an alternative format accessible to that parent.  

The District provided the public an opportunity to provide input on its plan and took such input into account.  

The District has made its plan publicly available on its website.  

o The link to the plan is here: www.pottsboroisd.org/esserplan 

 

 

 

LEA Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services  

  

The Pottsboro ISD has developed a plan for ensuring safe in-person instruction and continuity of services.  

 

1. The District had a plan that is already compliant and will review it every six months, or the District will amend/create a plan and post it within 30 days of receiving funds.   

 

Pottsboro ISD has developed a compliant plan for safe return to in-person instruction and     continuity of service posted at Pottsboro ISD Safe Return to School 2021-2022.  The updated plan titled Safe Return to School includes guidance for the 2021-2022 school year.  Pottsboro ISD will revise the plan at least every six months.  The plan can be found at  www.Pottsboroisd.org titled Safe Return to School 2021-2022.  

  

1. The LEA will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other school and LEA staff, and the extent to which it has adopted policies, and a description of any such policies, on each of the CDC’s safety recommendations, including: universal and correct wearing of masks; modifying facilities to allow for physical distancing; handwashing and respiratory etiquette; cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities, including improving ventilation; contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine, in collaboration with the State, local, territorial, or Tribal health departments; diagnostic and screening testing; efforts to provide vaccinations to school communities; appropriate accommodations for children with disabilities with respect to health and safety policies; and coordination with State and local health officials.   

 

Pottsboro has a compliant plan for safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of service posted at www.Pottsboroisd.org  titled Safe Return to School 2021-2022. The plan includes the district’s procedures and protocols for physical distancing, handwashing and cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities.  The District will review and revise the plan at least every six months.  

  

1. The LEA will ensure continuity of services, including but not limited to services to address students’ academic needs and students’ and staff social, emotional, mental health and other needs, which may include student health and food services.   

 

Technology will provide to all students in need, laptops and internet capabilities.  Students will be able to contact their teachers through zoom, phone or email with any questions or concerns.  Counselors will be available for students who need assistance with mental needs. 

 

Administrators and other staff members will provide meals to students in need.  SPED teachers and ESL director will continue to monitor students needing special assistance and prove needs.   

  

1. The District sought public comments in the development of its plan and too those comments into account in the development of its plan.   

 

A survey was provided to all staff, students and community members through the Pottsboro ISD website.  Stakeholders' comments and suggestions from the survey was used to determine the content of the ESSER plan.    

  

In addition, the Pottsboro ISD provides the following assurances:  

  

 The District made its plan publicly available no later than 30 days after receiving its ARP ESSER allocation.  

 

• The link to the plan is here:  www.pottsboroisd.org/esserplan 

 

 

The District sought public comment in the development of its plan and took those public comments into account in the development of its plan.  

 

The District will periodically review and revise its plan, at least every six months.  

 

The District will seek public comment in determining whether to revise its plan and, if it determines revisions are necessary, on the revisions it makes to the plan. 

   

If the District revises its plan, it will ensure its revised plan addresses each of the aspects of safety currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), or if the CDC has revised its guidance, the updated safety recommendations at the time the LEA is revising its plan.   

 

The District has created its plan in an understandable and uniform format.   

 

The District’s plan is, to the extent practicable, written in a language that parents can understand, or if not practicable, orally translated.  

 

The District will, upon request by a parent who is an individual with a disability, provide the plan in an alternative format accessible to that parent.