PUSD Board to Discuss Draft Plan on Use of $40 Million in Federal Relief Funds, Vaccination and COVID-19 Testing Programs

At a Special Meeting Thursday, the Pasadena School Board is scheduled to review District plans on spending the third round of federal funding it received under the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) program.

According to staff report, of the $40.1 million, $23,998,934 will be allocated for strategies for continuous and safe in-person learning such as health services, support for continued independent study models, personal protective equipment, air filters and purifiers, tent leasing and increased cost of transportation, custodial and support staff, among others.

A total of $15,478,367 will be used to address lost instructional time, according to the report.

Specifically, the funding will go to arts programming enrichment and integration, pivot labs, Edulastic Assessment Platform, credit recovery programs, K-5 summer supports, and tutoring, among others.

A total of $717,879 will be used for recruitment efforts, increased cost in arts programming for CIS Academy and professional development to support integration of technology platforms into lesson planning, among others.

School districts, county offices of education or charter schools (LEAs) that receive ESSER funds, under the American Rescue Plan Act, are required to develop detailed plan on their use.

The plan must be adopted by the school board on or before October 29.

Meanwhile, the school board will also discuss updates regarding the COVID-19 testing and vaccination of PUSD students and staff.

The plans were previously approved in late August, when the board last voted unanimously to require staff and students eligible for vaccination, or those 12 years old and above to show proof of their vaccination or take weekly tests. The school board also approved the weekly testing of students under 12 years old who are not eligible yet for a vaccine.