What is ESSER?

  • Elementary and Secondary Emergency Education Relief (ESSER)
    ESSER III focuses on school districts reopening, operating safely, and addressing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on students. ESSER III requires that a district addresses learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions. Districts must ensure that the interventions respond to the students’ social, emotional, and academic needs. Additionally, the interventions must address the impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups such as each major racial and ethnic group, children from low-income families, children with disabilities, English learners, gender, migrant students, homeless students, and children and youth in foster care.

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  • Burleson ISD ESSER III Spending Plan
    The Burleson ISD ESSER III Spending Plan was developed in conjunction with BISD ISD stakeholders. The information in this plan was gathered via an online survey in conjunction with the Campus Educational Improvement Committees and the District Educational Improvement Committee. In addition, the BISD Board of Trustees held a Public Hearing on June 14, 2021, at 5:30 p.m.

    Addressing Academic Learning Loss: 20% = $1,707,228
    A minimum of 20% of the grant award must be set aside for learning loss mitigation. Burleson ISD has planned for $3,997,993 (46%) of the grant award to target specific learning loss activities.

    • Purchasing educational technology (software) for students that aids in regular/substantive educational interaction between students and instructors. 
    • Provide summer school/summer learning for students to address learning loss due to COVID-19.
    • Providing software and curriculum to address learning loss and social-emotional needs of students including through high-quality assessments and intervention programs. 
    • Implementation of high-intensity tutoring to address learning loss and achievement gaps in math, science, writing, reading, and language arts due to COVID-19. 
    • Employment of elementary Interventionists in order to prioritize English Language Arts and Math achievement gaps and loss of learning due to COVID-19 through high-intensity tutoring. 
    • Employment of secondary Interventionists to address achievement gaps and loss of learning due to COVID-19 through high-intensity tutoring.

    Additional Activities

    • High-quality training to allow instructional staff to meet the comprehensive needs (including academic and social/emotional needs) of all students with a focus on students at risk of failure, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness or in foster care, and students from low-income families. 
    • Payroll, staff retention, and staff fulfillment costs to ensure a high-quality staff for addressing Learning Loss, maintaining operations, and ensuring continued employment.
    • Employment of additional professional certified staff including counselors and an LVN.
    • Contracted with an outside entity to provide Social Workers at additional campuses.

    Total Anticipated Expenditures: $8,536,141

    Stakeholder Engagement
    Determinations regarding the use of funds for the ESSER III federal grant from the American Rescue Plan involved input from school community stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, parents, and students consisting of:

    • Public comment and input through a parent/community survey June 3, 2021 -June 10, 2021. Links are sent out through Campus Educational Improvement Committees and the District Educational Improvement Committee.
    • Public Notice and Public Hearing Presentation for Applying for ESSER III Federal Grant Funding during the June 14, 2021, school board meeting. 
    • Stakeholder input was developed through the ESSER III Stakeholder Survey.
    • The Burleson ISD ESSER III Spending Plan was reviewed and discussed with stakeholders during the District Educational Improvement Committee (DEIC) meetings.

    Si lo requiere, la traducción en Español estarán desponible. Llama 817-245-1000.