1. During 2023, Burbio will be adding a number of elements to our ESSER III data collection:
- Our detailed spending plan dataset will increase from 6,000 plans to 7,000 plans. With roughly 70% of ESSER III funding unspent and districts spending funds at only 3% a month we are responding to partner requests to provide more information.
- In addition to ongoing collection of "percent-spent" reporting from districts, we will be breaking down details of what elements the districts have actually spent the money on where it is disclosed.
- We will be checking all district plans in our dataset for changes that have been made since original approval and will begin publishing updates to partners in January.
2. We have begun sweeping district ESSER III plans for changes. It is too early in our process to put a figure on what percent of plans have had material changes, other than to say the majority have not. That said, given the dollars involved, when changes do occur there is a substantial amount of money moving around. We did want to highlight a handful of examples:
- Freeport School District 145, IL indicated plans for increased spending in the MTSS category from $170,000 to over $2.4MM, introduced a $400,000 budget for early childhood classroom renovation, and increased Chromebook purchases from $111,000 to $350,000, among other smaller adjustments. Expenses associated with summer and afterschool programs were decreased, and a $2MM plan to bring a swimming pool "back online" in the original plan became a $500,000 plan to convert the swimming pool and locker room areas into an activity room for PE classes and other school activities.
- Central Islip USFD, NY's ESSER III plan amendment is summarized as follows: "Additional funding was requested to be used to include salaries for aides, clerical staff, and a nurse to provide service to the Elementary After-School learning loss program. The actual cost of Naviance and Smart Boards increased . . . An increase was requested to purchase a student health portal to electronically maintain health records, for security cameras to increase surveillance of unmonitored areas, and to purchase technology. Employee benefits were increased. Funding was added to purchase and install an outdoor refrigeration unit. A decrease was requested as the district will no longer contract with a social emotional support agency using ARP-ESSER funding . . . "
- Leake County, MS revised their plan to more specifically indicate what was in the $762,000 of After School spending. Funding was taken out of After School and assigned to Elementary Programs ($277,000), Middle School Programs ($46,500) and High School Programs ($235,500) with the balance being allocated to tutoring programs.
- Niagara Falls City School District, NY reduced planned spending of almost $8MM for teaching and administrative staff by using expiring funds from other sources, in addition to other reductions. With the freed up money they are "expanding . . . summer credit recovery, elementary Extended Learning Program (ELP), and Extended School Year (ESY) for the Special needs population . . . adding 1 new Psychologist, 4 new Math AIS teachers, 4 new Math AIS teaching assistants, 2 additional social workers, 1 new assistant principal, and 4 new secondary teachers in areas of music, art, business and health . . . ," adding support staff in afterschool and summer programs, and spending an additional $6MM+ in HVAC and air quality-related infrastructure.
- Cartwright Elementary District, AZ and Perry County, KY are both increasing budgets for salaries and decreasing spending on substitutes and consultants, while CTECS, CT is doing the opposite, reducing projected spending on salaries and increasing spending on purchased services. CTECS is also increasing spending on supplies.
3. Three new states announced 2022/23 enrollments. A map can be found on our enrollment tracker page which will be kept up to date as the year progresses.
Virginia enrollment increased by 0.9% in 2022/23 versus year ago, after declining by 0.1% the previous year. Below are grade and locale breakdown comparisons. Yellow is the current year comparison, red the previous year.
For the grade level breakdown, note the trend of Pre-K enrollment increasing out of proportion to other grades, a common occurrence nationwide. In addition, Virginia is one of the states that saw a ninth grade spike last year (which has now moved to 10th grade) due to students having to repeat the 9th grade the previous year.
Virginia's City, Suburb, and Rural Districts all grew versus year ago, while Town declined.
Rhode Island's enrollment dropped by 0.8%, after declining by 0.4% the previous year. There are no "Town" locales in Rhode Island, presumably due to the size of the state. (The Town locale sits between suburban and rural districts in terms of distance from a city.)
Wyoming's enrollment declined 0.1% after increasing 0.4% the previous year. Increases in Wyoming are occurring in the upper grades.
Below is the locale comparisons. Wyoming doesn't have any Suburb locales, again due to geography: