ARP-ESSER State Reserve – Consultation

An LEA must engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders and give the public an opportunity to provide input in the development of its plan. Specifically, an LEA must engage in meaningful consultation with students; families; school and district administrators (including special education administrators); teachers; principals; school leaders; other educators; school staff; and their unions. Additionally, an LEA must engage in meaningful consultation with each of the following, to the extent present in or served by the LEA: 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, students involved with the juvenile justice system, and other underserved students. 

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA has meaningfully engaged a diverse and representative set of stakeholders to receive feedback in developing its plans to address the impacts of lost instructional time, provide summer learning and enrichment, and support comprehensive after school activities using State-Level Reserve Funds.

The Arlington Central School District initiated a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process to assist in the development of the ARP-ESSER plan.  Various teams were assembled with key stakeholders including parents, community members, teachers, support staff and administrators to examine district data, solicit stakeholder feedback and determine the best way to support our students.  The Superintendent and his cabinet reported to the Board of Education the findings and recommendations of these committees. 

In addition to stakeholder team involvement, Arlington Central Schools conducted a board presentation with details of the ARP-ESSER plan recommendations and provided an opportunity for public comment. Public comments were recorded by the District Clerk in the Board of Education minutes.  Public feedback was considered and incorporated into the ARP-ESSER plan. Community members and stakeholders may review the plan recommendations under the "American Rescue Plan" section on the district website.  

The district communication office will regularly update the American Rescue Plan tab with pertinent information regarding the ARP-ESSER Plan.  Public Presentations during Board Meetings will be scheduled at the start and end of each school year to provide the community with updates regarding programs funded through the ARP-ESSER plan, as well as data on student progress being made as a result of the implementation of said programs. During the September 28th, Board of Education Meeting, the district provided a community update regarding the evidence-based summer enrichment programs offered in 2021. On the December 14th, 2021 Board of Education meeting, the district will provide the community an update on the ARP-ESSER grant category "Safely returning students to in person instruction & Maximizing in person instruction time" by sharing 1st quarter literacy data indicating student progress as well as outlining the professional learning and academic support interventions provided to support student progress. At the end of this school year in June 2022, additional public presentations will be held to provide further updates regarding the programs and resources funded through the ARP-ESSER grant.  All public board of education meetings provide opportunities for public comment. 

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA will support ongoing engagement with parents and families, including engagement related to identified student needs, areas of student gains, and available assistance to families that will support student success.

The Arlington Central School District plans to provide community updates via email and during board of education meetings at least three times per school year regarding the status of funded programs, gains made by students and available resources for families to support student success. Every board of education meeting has opportunity for public comment and minutes are made available and posted after each meeting. Information shared during board of education meetings are available on the district website Board of Education BoardDocs page.

ARP-ESSER State Reserve – Comprehensive Needs Assessment

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA will determine the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students, 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.

Arlington Central School District has implemented a districtwide social emotional learning program that includes data gathered from the Panorama platform. All students completed an SEL survey in June 2021 that was based on the social emotional learning competencies outlined in CASEL (Self-Management, Social Awareness, Self-Efficacy, and Emotion Regulation). Students also participated in a "Belonging" survey in December 2021 that measured student levels in the critical attributes of Belonging (Feeling Valued, Appreciated, Treated Fairly and Validated). The data is dissagrated and analyzed at both the district level and building levels to identify areas of need for our students that were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Action plans are being developed at both the district and building level through our Wellness and Belonging committees to address student needs.  Student SEL and Belonging surveys will be administered again at the end of the school year to assess student growth. The data revealed the following: 

Student SEL Survey:

• The highest area of need for all students was found to be in "Emotional Regulation" with only 53% of students answering favorably and Self-Efficacy with only 60% of students responding favorably. When reviewing the disaggrated SEL data the following trends emerged:
  • Students eligible for Free or Reduced lunch reported lower levels of Self-Efficacy and Emotional Regulation than compared to the districtwide average (50% and 49% respectively)
  • Students with Disabilities reported lower levels in all SEL areas measured than compared to the districtwide averages. SWD reported: Self-Efficacy (44%), Emotional Regulation (44%), Self-Management (63%), and Social Awareness (65%)
  • Student Race and Ethnicity also revealed patterns in SEL data. Black and Hispanic students reported significantly lower levels of SEL in all areas when compared to White and Asian students. 
    
    

Student Belonging Survey:

• The highest area of need for all students was found to be in students feeling "Validated" with only 56% of students answering favorably and "Appreciation with only 60% of students responding favorably. When reviewing the disaggrated Belonging data the following trends emerged: 
  • Students eligible for Free or Reduced lunch reported lower levels of in all four indicators of belonging when compared to all students. On average, students participating in the FRPL reported levels of belonging that were 5% lower than their peers.  
  • Students with Disabilities reported lower levels in all areas of Belonging measured when compared to the districtwide averages. SWD reported Belonging levels that were 4% lower than their peers. 
  • Student Race and Ethnicity also revealed patterns in Belonging data. Black and Hispanic students reported significantly lower levels of Belonging in all areas when compared to White and Asian students (8% lower and 6% lower respectively on average). 
    
    

5% State-Level Reserve – Addressing the Impact of Lost Instructional Time: Program Design

The interventions implemented through the 5% State-Level Reserve to address the impacts of lost instructional time must be evidence-based and may include innovative approaches to providing instruction to accelerate learning. In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA selected evidence-based interventions that will address identified student needs. Include details about how the planned use of state reserve funds for addressing the impacts of lost instructional time will be coordinated with and aligned to other initiatives, including other state reserve funds, interventions detailed in the LEA's ARP-ESSER Plan: Part 2, or other LEA initiatives, including those supported by CARES, CRRSA, Title I Part A, IDEA or other fund sources.

For the high school level, the district identified that approximately 10% of students were not graduating on time with their 4-year graduation cohort due to lack of lack of credit accumulation or unsuccessful completion of summer school.  A need for additional credit recovery options for high school students was identified to allow under credited youth an opportunity to graduate on time.  Student grades and credit accumulation will be monitored after each marking period in order to assess progress. 

Extended Day Program: In order to address unmet student needs in staying on track to graduate, an extended day program will be offered to provide academic intervention services to students in classes required for graduation. This will be a proactive approach to ensure that students are able to receive assistance, address instructional gaps that may exists from previous years' interrupted education and learn academic skills necessary to pass existing classes on the students' schedule. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to complete Credit Recovery options for courses that they have failed in the prior year due to interrupted education or lack of engagement during remote learning. School Counselors will identify students that are deficient credits required for graduation and provide them the opportunity to complete credit recovery via the extended day program with certified teachers. 

Summer High School Academies: Students that are not successful during the school year in classes required for graduation, will have the opportunity to participate in a Summer Academy to either recover credits needed or gain skills needed to be successful in upcoming courses. Additionally, a Freshman Bridge program will be offered to provide incoming 9th graders the opportunity to meet HS staff, understand expectations and begin to form relationships with teachers, administrators, support staff and each other prior to entering the high school. 

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of selected strategies to ensure that the interventions implemented respond to students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs. Provide details about how changes to the program plan (such as changes in identified areas of need or supports provided to students) will be communicated to stakeholders.

Assessing success of high school extended day program and summer academies

1% State-Level Reserve – Comprehensive After School: Program Design

The interventions implemented through the 1% State-Level Reserve for comprehensive after school programming must be evidence-based and may include innovative approaches to providing instruction to accelerate learning. In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA selected evidence-based interventions that will address identified student needs.  Include details about how the planned use of state reserve funds for comprehensive after school programming will be coordinated with and aligned to other initiatives, including other state reserve funds, interventions detailed in the LEA's ARP-ESSER Plan: Part 2, or other LEA initiatives, including those supported by CARES, CRRSA, Title I Part A, IDEA or other fund sources.

Arlington Central School District will utilize iReady ELA and Math diagnostic data to identify student academic needs. A review of the iReady ELA and Math fall diagnostic data, revealed that the following trends:

• Mathematics (Grades 6-8):  22% of Students were 2+ below grade level; 15% were performing 1 grade level below
• Reading (Grades 6-8): 22% were 2+ grade levels below; 16% were performing 1 grade level below.

Union Vale Middle School will offer an extended day program to provide academic intervention services to students that have gaps in learning as revealed on the iReady Math or Reading assessment and by needs identified by teacher observation in the classroom. Students will be identified and recommended to attend he academic intervention program afterschool; during the extended day program teachers will utilize the "My Learning Path" feature on the iReady Platform that provides students with specific lessons based on their individual diagnostic results. Teachers will also work with students in small groups and utilize the strategies of Re-teaching or Pre-Teaching lessons that they are engaging in during the regular school day. Student attendance will be taken and iReady Diagnostic results will be analyzed to assess student progress. 

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of selected comprehensive after school programming/strategies to ensure that the interventions implemented respond to students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs. Provide details about how changes to the program plan (such as changes in identified areas of need or supports provided to students) will be communicated to stakeholders.

iReady Diagnostic results and Marking Period grades

1% State-Level Reserve – Summer Learning & Enrichment: Program Design

The interventions implemented through the 1% State-Level Reserve for summer learning and enrichment must be evidence-based and may include innovative approaches to providing instruction to accelerate learning. In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA selected evidence-based interventions that will address identified student needs. Include details about how the planned use of state reserve funds for summer learning and enrichment will be coordinated with and aligned to other initiatives, including other state reserve funds, interventions detailed in the LEA's ARP-ESSER Plan: Part 2, or other LEA initiatives, including those supported by CARES, CRRSA, Title I Part A, IDEA or other fund sources.

Arlington Central School District will utilize iReady ELA and Math diagnostic data to identify student academic needs. A review of the iReady ELA and Math fall diagnostic data, revealed that the following trends:

• Mathematics (Grades 6-8):  22% of Students were 2+ below grade level; 15% were performing 1 grade level below
• Reading (Grades 6-8): 22% were 2+ grade levels below; 16% were performing 1 grade level below.

Students performing below grade level in Math and/or Reading will be invited to attend the Middle School Summer Institute to receive personalized support. A total of 18 teachers, 5 Teaching Assistants and 4 Coordinators will lead the 4 week long summer institute for a total of 64 hours of summer learning instruction. 

ELA/Reading

• Daily instruction in ELA that support the Reading competencies idenfified in the iReady Diagnostic
• Personalized learning path assignments via the iReady platform
• Reading novels such as Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary, Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea, or Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick
• Exploring different book genres and utilizing helpful reminders of rules of writing
• Identifying text details and developing text evidence for writing

Math

• Daily instruction in Math that support the Reading competencies idenfified in the iReady Diagnostic
• Personalized learning path assignments via the iReady platform
• Strengthening number sense and place value concepts through activities, games and scavenger hunts
• Reviewing decimals, divisibility rules, multiplying and simplifying fractions, while making real world connections to these topics
• Sharpening math fluency skills such as multiplication facts using a variety of math games