What is the American Rescue Plan (ARP)?

On March 11, 2021, the President signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP). ARP makes available $122.8 billion nationally in a third round of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. New York State has been allocated nearly $9 billion under the ARP Act’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. 

The ARP Act requires LEAs to reserve at least 10% of their ARP-ESSER allocation to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs, and ensure that such interventions respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs.  

Feedback

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. At the December 14th, 2021 Board of Education meeting, the district provided the community with 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.

The Plan

ARP-ESSER LEA Base 90% Allocation – Program Information

In the space provided below, please describe the extent to which and how the 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. 

• Hiring of 10 additional Custodians to clean high touch areas and regularly sanitize classrooms
• Purchase of sanitation and cleaning supplies for all schools
• Purchase of student and staff masks, including specially designed masks for music classes

In the space provided below, please describe the data that the LEA will use to identify student needs and monitor student progress as a result of planned interventions and supports.

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

• Mathematics (Grades 1-5): 9% of students were 2+ grade levels below; 21% were performing 1 grade level below
• Mathematics (Grades 6-8): 22% of Students were 2+ below grade level; 15% were performing 1 grade level below
• Reading (Grades 1-5): 7% of students were performing 2+ grade levels below; 17% were performing 1 grade level below
• Reading (Grades 6-8): 22% were 2+ grade levels below; 16% were performing 1 grade level below.

The iReady diagnostic exam will be administered in the fall, winter and spring in order to measure and assess student progress. 

2. For the high school level, the district identified that approximately 10% of students were not graduating on time with their 4-year graduation cohortdue 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 in order to assess progress.

3. The Arlington Central Schools has previously not provided Prekindergarten to students in the district. Early childhood instruction is a research based practice to help support early literacy development for our students. Students in the district that are 4 years old and not yet eligible for Kindergarten will be identified to provide early access to Prekindergarten instruction.

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(e)(1) -the required reserve of 20% of funds - to 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.

Arlington Central School District is planning on utilizing the ARP-ESSER funds for a number of interventions to address the academic impact of lost instructional time. The district has identified evidence based interventions to address the needs outlined below.

 1. Addressing academic needs in Mathematics and Reading as identified in the iReady Diagnostic:

• Extended Day Programs to provide academic support in Reading and Mathematics
• Academic Intervention Teachers to provide math and ELA intervention services during the school day
• Summer Enrichment opportunities for students to continue their learning during the summer months

 2. To Address credit recovery opportunities for students and increase the 4-year graduation rate, the district will be implementing the following interventions:

• Afterschool Program with credit recovery options for students
• Afterschool Program with academic intervention and support to assist students in earning high school credits
• Summer School Program to provide credit recovery options for students as well as continued learning during the summer months.

 3. To Address increased access to Prekindergarten instruction, the district is implementing a state funded Universal Prekindergarten Program for the first time during the 2021-22 School Year. ARP-ESSER funds will be used to support the purchase of curriculum resources, classroom resources and family involvement materials.

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA will spend its remaining ARP ESSER funds consistent with section 2001(e)(2) - the allowable uses of funds - of the ARP Act.

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA will ensure that the interventions it implements, including but not limited to the interventions implemented under section 2001(e)(1) - the required reserve of 20% of funds - 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.

We will utilize diagnostic data from iReady, Fountas & Pinnell, Panorama Surveys and WE Surveys to identify the specific needs of students.  Principals and Building Leadership teams are analyzing this data with the support of central office administrators to identify areas of greatest need to develop short term and long term goals.  Academic services, Emotional services and Professional development resources will be allocated to the identified areas of greatest need. 

ARP-ESSER Return to In-Person Instruction

In the space provided below, please provide the URL for the website(s) where the district's most current re-opening/return to in-person learning plan is/will be located.

Arlington Central School District conducted a public presentation during the August 2021 Board of Education meeting with details of the district re-entry plan.  The 2021-2022 (Updated 2/11/22) District Re-Entry Plan is posted on the district website. Any changes to the district re-entry plan will be posted on our school website, sent via email to families and discussed during public Board of Education Meetings. 

An LEA must periodically, but no less frequently than every six months (through September 30, 2023), review and, as appropriate, revise its plan. Consistent with section 2001(i)(2) of the ARP Act, which requires an LEA to seek public comment on the development of its plan, an LEA must seek public input and take such input into account in determining whether to revise its plan and, if it determines revisions are necessary, on the revisions it makes to its plan, i.e., the LEA must seek public input on whether to revise its plan and on any revisions to its plan no less frequently than every six months (taking into consideration the timing of significant changes to CDC guidance on reopening schools). If the LEA revises its plan, the revised plan must address each of the aspects of safety currently recommended by the CDC or, if the CDC has updated its safety recommendations at the time the LEA is revising its plan, each of the updated safety recommendations. 

In the space provided below, please describe how the LEA will review and regularly update (at least every six months through September 30, 2023) it's plan for in-person instruction, including a description of how public comment will be collected.

• Monthly discussion during District Cabinet meetings
• Presentations during Board of Education Meetings every six months with an opportunity for open for public comment
• Minutes from BOE Public comments will be reviewed by administrative team and revisions made to the plan as appropriate