COVID-19 Emergency Relief Funds for Cabot School District

This past year has truly been unprecedented and challenging. Unlike a majority of states, Arkansas provided in-person instruction during the pandemic for the entire 2020-2021 school year.

To help with financial strains, school districts across the nation are receiving help from the federal government through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds or ESSER Funds.

It is important to note that the funds are a federal fund and come in the form of reimbursements. They are not immediately available. Unlike other revenue sources, districts do not actually receive any federal fund as a direct deposit.

The expenditure must be submitted and if approved, the district is reimbursed. Also, all funds must be directly related to COVID-19 and are subject to federal audit. The Cabot School District’s portion includes $16.9 million dollars.

Currently, Cabot has received four separate allocations tracked by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

*ESSER I:  $918,403.88 

1. Must be spent by December 30, 2022 
2. Focus was to prepare for returning to in-person instruction in August 2020

*ESSER II & ESSER II Supplemental: $6,199,748.86

1. Must be spent by December 30, 2023
2. Focus was to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19

*ARP (American Rescue Plan) ESSER: $9,819,100.70

1. The State has NOT received approval from the General Assembly to obligate this money.
2. Must be spent by December 30, 2024
3. Focus is to address learning loss and the social/emotional needs of students and staff

Purchases the district has made to date:

1. Sanitization and cleaning supplies for all buildings and classrooms as well as custodial, food service, health service/nursing departments
2. Districtwide disinfecting equipment
3. Food, supplies, and cafeteria equipment to feed students while we were closed from March-May of 2020 and continued for virtual students 2020-2021 school year
4. Cafeteria supplies to support feeding students in classrooms
5. Chromebooks for every student
6. Personal Protective Equipment for all students
7. Personal Protective Equipment for all staff
8. Personal Protective Equipment for all nurses
9. Technology equipment upgrades
10. Technology to support our Career & Technical Education courses
11. Bus upgrades to address better air quality/contact tracing
12. Curriculum support for virtual teaching
13. HVAC upgrades to address air quality
14. Transportation upgrades to address air quality
15. Summer School for K-4 students

*Currently, out of ESSER I, ESSER II, and ESSER II Supplemental, the district has $1,830,888.83 left to designate for COVID-19 expenditures.

The district will consult with our school board and stakeholders to determine upcoming expenditures utilizing ESSER funds. Since funds are available through September 2024, we intend to be thoughtful and strategic in how we proceed. 

We cannot appropriately anticipate what our spending priorities may be until after students return in August and we are able to adequately gauge the social, emotional, and academic impact the last 18 months has had on our students and staff.

Therefore, we are asking for input from our patrons in deciding possible future purchases utilizing ARP ESSER funds. Please take the time to fill out this survey:  https://forms.gle/4WCr1mw7Z3VNBDVq6

*Allocations to each district were determined based on funds received under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.