ALABAMA State Plan for the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (Issued April 21, 2021 Template)
Summary
Alabama's State Plan for the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, submitted on the U.S. Department of Education's template issued April 21, 2021 (OMB Number 1810-0754) under ARP ESSER award number S425U210001. The plan is signed by Eric G. Mackey, Ed.D., as chief state school officer, dated August 6, 2021. It describes the Alabama State Department of Education's guiding philosophy for the 740,000 children who enter its public schools every day and its earlier guidance, including Alabama's Roadmap to Reopening Schools and LEA re-opening plans reviewed against a rubric. The template sections cover the state's current status, safely reopening schools and sustaining their safe operations, and the use of ARP ESSER funds.
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“ALABAMA State Plan for the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (Issued April 21, 2021 Template).”
Original at www.ed.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/ppr-int-080f70e0af0c0360-pdf-5768076731/
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ALABAMA
State Plan for the
American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief
Fund
U.S. Department of Education
Issued: April 21, 2021
OMB Number: 1810-0754
Expiration Date: October 3 1 , 2021
Paperwork Burden Statement According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to
respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid
OMB control number for this information collection is 1810-0754. Public reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average 100 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit
under Section 2001 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP Act). If you have any comments
concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this individual collection, or if you
have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual form, application or survey, please contact
Britt Jung, Office of State and Grantee Relations, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-6450, email: SGR@ed.gov
directly.
Cover Page
Grantee and Contact Information
ARP ESSER PR Award Number (e.g., S425U2100XX): S425U210001
SEA Contact: Shanthia Washington
Telephone: (334) 694-4710
Email address: shanthia.washington@alsde.edu
By signing this document, I agree to each of the assurances listed in Appendix C and
further assure that:
To the best of my knowledge and belief, all information and data included in this plan are
true and correct.
Chief State School Officer or Authorized Representative
(Printed Name)
Eric G. Mackey, Ed.D.
Signature of Authorized SEA Representative Date:
August 6,
2021
Table of Contents
Grantee and
Contact
A. Describing the State's Current Status and
B. Safely Reopening Schools and Sustaining their Safe Operations......„..... . 10
C. Planning for the Use and Coordination of ARP ESSER Funds............,.... ...... . . 13
D. Maximizing State-Level Funds to Support
E. Supporting LEAs in Planning for and Meeting Students'
F. Supporting the Educator Workforce 31
G. Monitoring and Measuring
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Appendix............. , ..... ... 37
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A. Describing the State's Current Status and Needs
The Department recognizes the extraordinary efforts made by States, LEAS, and educators to
support students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this section, SEAs will describe the progress
they have made, the priorities and student needs guiding their ARP ESSER funding decisions,
and their current and projected operating status.
l. Progress and Promising Practices: Provide your assessment of the top 2-3
strategies that have been most effective in supporting the needs of students in
your State during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for students most
impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please include, if applicable, how your
State will submit and encourage its LEAs to submit lessons learned and best
practices to the Department's Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices
Clearinghouse so that they can be shared with other States and LEAs.
Every Child, Every Chance, Every Day is not only the Alabama
State
Department of Education's motto, but a guiding philosophy about the work
that we undertake on behalf of the 740,000 children who enter our public
schools every day. Our guiding philosophy is that every child should be
afforded every chance to succeed in school and become a productive citizen
after high school. The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges to the
depaflment and the state in carrying out this goal. However, the SEA worked
collaboratively with other governmental agencies, Local Education Agencies
(LEAs) and the community-at-large to set priorities, implement strategies, and
align resources to focus on the top priority of maintaining safety for all
students and continuing educational services.
In response to the pandemic, there are strategies/practices that have proven
successful in suppotting students throughout the state, particularly those
most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are just a few of the
strategies/practices:
• Alabama's Roadmap to Reopening Schools
This guidance document assisted LEAs with developing their plan
for reopening schools safely; and included the following sections:
o Governance o Community Spread and School Operating Status o
Wellness o Return to Campus — Wellness & Operations &
Facilities o Roadmap Resources o Alabama Teaching and Learning
Framework o Health Services o Child Nutrition
• LEA re-opening plans- LEAs submitted a comprehensive plan that
addressed their response to the pandemic to include continuing
teaching and learning and mitigating the impact of the pandemic. The
SEA used
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a rubric to review each LEA plan, posted the completed plans on the
SEA website, and required quarterly updates from LEAS regarding
mode(s) of learning based on the pandemic's impact, risk factors, and
the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Alabama Depafiment of
Public Health (ADPH) guidance.
• Food distribuüon- In an attempt to ensure all students, particularly students
most severely impacted by the pandemic received meals, the SEA and
LEAg ensured they were provided meals yia school buses and at specified
pickup locations throughout the communities.
e Virtual Teaching Platform- COVID„19 Relief Funds were targeted to address
needed supports for LEAS to continue serving students by providing a
virtual teaching platform and identification of critical teaching standards.
• SEA Support" The SEA team worked collaboratively to support LEAs
through the of continuing educaMona1 support to students during the public
health order and COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 Relief Funds were
targeted to address needed supports for LEAs to continue serving students
by providing a virtual teaching platfon•n and identification of critical
teaching standards, The Governor's GEER allocution allowed LEAs to use
funds for Wi-Fi for school buses, bridging learning gaps, and before and
after school tutoring. This allowed students to continue their learning,
although school buildings were closed due to the pandemic. LEA* were
supported in developing a plan for reopening schools. The SEA established
Office Hours, serving as work sessions, to provide specific targeted support
for LEAs. The SEA also developed and shared Roadmap to Recovery
Resources with
• The SEA will encourage LEAS to submit lessons learned and best practices
to the Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices
Clearinghouse on webinars conducted with Alabama schools and post
the link on the SEA's website.
2. Overall Priorities: Provide your assessment of the top 2-3 issues currently facing
students and schools across your State as a result of or in response to the COVID19
pandemic including, to the extent possible, dota illustrating why these are the most
critical and/or most widespread issues facing schools and students.
Based on information collected over the past year, the most recent survey of school
and community needs, discussions with stakeholders, and all data currently available
to the SEA, the following priorities havo been identified as an overall focus for the
state:
• Accelerating Learning: When comparing student progress to that of
academic progress in a typical school year, preliminary data indicate
that
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more students are not making adequate progress. Sample formative data
indicate an overall study decline in student achievement data in the areas of
reading and mathematics for school years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020.
Although a decline in reading and math scores are evident, the decrease in
achievement scores is greater in reading than in math, To this end, it
important for the state to focus on the mastery of both critical grade level
math and reading standards but with a high emphasis plåced on early literacy.
Particular concern is around students in grades K-3 due to the disruption in
learning and its impact on student retenüon due to not passing the upcoming
2022 3rd grade literacy assessment. Further identification of trends in the data
will be analyzed once 2020-21 data results become available,
• Increase Learning Opportunities: In an effort to support and accelerate all
students impacted by the pandemic, LBAs will be encouraged to identify
students who have been disengaged (those who have missed the most
instruction and/or who did not patticipate in remote instruction), missing
(students who have not returned to class or engaged in remote instructional
opportunities since March 2020), and retained students and provide them
multiple opportunities to increase instmctional time.
• Mental Health and Social Emotional Needs: To date, data from the CDC
indicates the number of deaths in Alabama from COVID-19 is 11,220 which
equates to 230 deaths per 100,000 people. This is the 8th highest death per
capita in the nation. This data suggest that students and educators in Alabama
are more likely to have experienced the loss of a loved one from COVID-19.
In addition, the CDC data indicate the second Leading cause of death in the
U.S. for students age 10-24 is suicide. In Alabama, the third leading cause of
death for students ages 15-24 is suicide. The stress of the pandemic has only
exacerbated existing concerns for students and educators in Alabama. To
support improved mental health and social emotional needs, the SEA will
further prioritize comprehensive wraparound services within a Multi-Tiered
Student Support (MTSS) system.
3, Identi in Needs of Underserved Students: Describe your State's 2-3 highest priority
academic, social, emotional, and/or mental health needs for the remainder of the 2020-
2021 school year (if applicable) and for the 2021-2022 school year related to the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on each of the following student groups:
Students from low-income families, ii. Students from each racial or
ethnic group (e.g., identifying disparities and focusing on undersewed
student groups by race or ethnicity), iii. Gender (e.g., identifying
disparities and focusing on underserved student groups by gender),
English learners,
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Children with disabilities (including infants, töddlers, children, and youth with
disabilities eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act ("IDEA")), vi. Students experiencing homelessness, vii.
Children and youth in foster care, viii. Migratory students, and ix, Other groups
disproportionately impacted by the pandemic that have been identified by the SEA
(e.g., youth involved in the criminal justice system, students who have missed the
most in-person instruction during the 20190020 and 2020-2021 school years,
students who did not consistently participate in remote instruction when offered
during school building closures, and LGBTQ+ students).
To the extent possible, this description should include data on indicators such as
estimates of the academic impact of lost insfructional time, l chronic absenteeism,
student engagement, and social-emotional well-being.
Based on information collected over the past year, the most recent survey of school
and community needs, discussions with stakeholders, and all data currently available
to the SEA, the primary priorities of accelerating learning, increasing learning
opportunities, and mental health support (see question 2) affect all of Alabama
student youps, even though the pandemic may have had a disproportionate effect on
some of Alabama's most vulnerable populations, the issues identified in question 2
may apply with differing intensity for groups of students,
Alabama's largest most persistent achievement gaps prior to the pandemic
were for students with disabilities, black students, and students who are
English learners. At this time, more up-to-date estimates of the academic
impact of lost insåuctional time on each group of students are not possible due
to a recent Change in state assessments (first administration of the assessment
was given spring of 2021) and the waiver approved by the USDOE to forgo
spring 2020 testing. The SEA will interpret and analyze the spring assessment
data when it becomes available and target resources and efforts to students
that need the most assistance, There is formative data that LBAs administered
and is available to the LEA but not at the state level. As part ofthe ESSER 11
and the LEA ARP ESSER plan development process, a needs assessment is
required. LEAs are asked to include subpopulation data to identify student
needs.
As a resource to support LEAs as they determine needs, the SBA developed a
.Road to Recoverp Resource Guide that encompasses strategies for
assessing Learning loss, evaluating high-quality insåuctional material,
unfinished learning supports and design strategies fbr subpopulations.
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For the purposes of the plan, "academic impact of lost instructional time" refers to "learning loss" experienced
by students as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as referenced in the ARP Aet and the CRRSA Act.
The SEA is committed to increasing academic outcomes and removing the
nonacademic barriers to learning for all students in Alabama, Academic and
accountability data are available ut the subgroup level. Reports can be generated by
the state, district, or schools, however the information currently in the Report Card
system is not updated information due to the receipt of waivers for testing last
spring. LEAs and schools administer a variety of formative assessments and
screeners to provide real-time information to address the academic needs of all
students. Improvement plans are developed and processed in an electronic platform
to create plans designed to identify and close gaps. Student health and perception
surveys will be used to provide districts with a way to identify nonacademic barriers
to learning.
It is a concern of the state that for the student groups listed above existing gaps in
both reading and math will become larger. This is due to mitigating factors negatively
impacting attendance and loss of instructional time due to the impact of COVID. In
addition to increased academic outcomes, the SEA has focused on increasing
opportunities for all but palticularly for the most vulnerable subgroups by expanding
CTE programs, dual enrollment, gifted, AP, 1B, health and physical education,
STEM, computer science industry credentials/certified programs, expanding Wi„Fi
access and infrastructure, expansion of early post-secondary expansion programs,
expanding Science of Reading training for educators, and transition services across
state.
4, Understanding the Impact of the COVI.D-19 Pandemic: Describe how the SEA will
support its LEAs in identifying the extent of the impact of the COVED-19 pandemic
on student learning and student well-being, including identifying the groups of
students most impacted by the pandemic. Where possible, please idenüfy the data
sources the SEA will suggest its LEAs use in thoughtfully diagnosing areas of need,
including data on the academic, social, emotional, and mental health impacts of lost
instructional time.
The SEA will analyze the most recent academic data from state standardized
assessments against previous year's results to diagnose the areas of need for
academic achievement and academic growth, as well as progress in English
language acquisition of our English Learners (EL) population. The SEA currently
can display up to four (4) years of comparative data through the Alabama Education
Report Card. The SEA also has, for LEA use, secure data portals that contain both
raw assessment and accountability data for previous years. These portals offer the
option of on-demand filtering or the ability to export for further analysis within the
local LEA environment.
The academic data used will include the following: K-8 Literacy and Math
Assessments, ACT w/Writing, WorkKeys, College & Career Readiness
Indicators, CTE course progression data, and failure rates. Beginning with the
2021-22 school year, the SBA will begin collecting Alabama Comprehensive
Assessment Program (ACAP) and Pre- and post" assessment data for summer
learning progams.
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Non-academic data will include attendance, rate, paMicipation Tate,
student discipline, student surveys, and referrals for health and counseling services,
These data points will be used to identify the groups of students most impacted by
the pandemic in need of mental health support. In an effort to provide suppott to staff
concerning mental health needs of students, the legislature recently passed a law
requiring annual mental health training for employees of each public K-12 school.
The training will assist school personnel in supporting students with social,
emotional, and mental needs.
5. School Operating Status: It is essential to have data on how students are learning in
order to support the goals of access and equity, especially for student groups that have
been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Describe the current
status of data collection on operational status and mode of instruc60n of all schools
in your State. This description must include:
i. A description of to what extent, and how frequently, the State collects
now and will collect in the future data for all schools in your State on:
a. Mode of instruction: The number of schools in your State that are
offering fully remote or online-only instruction; both
remote/online and in-person instruction (hybrid model); and/or
full*time in-person instruction.
b. Enrollment: Student enrollment for all students and disaggregated
for each of the student groups described in A.3 .iviii for each
mode of instruction; and
c. Attendance: Student attendance for all students and disaggregated
for each of the student groups described in A.3.iviii for each mode
of instruction.
ii. The data described in A.5.i.a. and b. using the template in
Appendix A (and to the extent available, the data described in
A.5.i.c.) for the most recent time period available. Please note
that this data can be submitted separately within 14 calendar days
after a State submits this plan, The SEA must also make this data
publicly available on its website as soon as possible but no later
than June 21, 2021, and regularly provide updated available
inforrnation on its website. The Deparånent will periodically
review data listed in A.5.i on SEA websites,
iii. To the extent available, a description of the planned operational
status and mode of instruction for the State and its LEAs for
Summer 2021 and for,the 2021-2022 school year,
The SEA currently collects mode of instruction data for each LEA. The State is
currently working to revise its collection process by collecting student-level
instructional mode data to generate subpopulation data. Current instructional mode
data may be found on the state website at the Instructional Delivery Mode link. The
subpopulation data for mode of instruction will be available this fall. The generated
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reports will be updated on a regular basis and made available on the SEAs public
website.
LEAs collect enrollment and attendance data for all students through the Student
Information System (SIS) daily. This collection of data is available to the SEA nightly
through an upload from the SIS to the SEA's servers. This process will continue,
however the planned enhancement to the system will afford the SEA the capacity to
collect enrollment and attendance data by subpopulation for each instructional mode
offered and generate reports that can help support the goals of access and equity
especially for student subgroups.
Because the state of emergency and Governor's Health Order both expired in
May, along with the decreasing coronavirus numbers and availability of
vaccines, the expectation is for summer leaming programs and the 2021-22
school year to be 100% in person for all schools in the state of Alabama.
B. Safely Reopening Schools and Sustaining their Safe Operations
The Department recognizes that safely reopening schools and sustaining their safe
operations to maximize in-person instruction is essential for student leaming and student
well-being, and especially for being able to address the educational inequities that have
been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this section, SEAs will describe how they
will support their LEAs in this vital area.
1. Support for LEAs: Describe how the SEA will support its LEAs in safely
returning to in-person instruction and sustaining the safe operation of
schools. This description must include:
i. How the SEA will support its LEAs implementing, to the
greatest extent practicable, prevention and mitigation policies in
line with the most up-to-date guidance from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") for the reopening and
operation of school facilities to effectively maintain the health
and safety of students, educators, and other staff;
ii. Any Statewide plans, policies, estimated timelines, and specific
milestones related to reopening and operation of school
facilities, including any mechanisms the SEA will use to track,
monitor, or enforce their implementation;
iii. To what extent the SEA and its LEAs consult with Federal,
State, and local health officials. This description should include,
if available, whether the SEA and its LEAs have received
support for
screening testing from their State or local health department based on
funding awarded by the CDC; and
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Any guidance, professional learning, and technical assistance
oppoltunities the SEA will make available to its LBAs.
Beginning Spring 2021, all LEAs in the state offered in-person insu•uction. The
expectation is that 100% of schools will return to in-person learning in the fall of
2021. The SEA is supporting LEAS in their development of Return to In-Person
Instruction Plans through technical assistance, webinars, Office Hours, and work
sessions. LEAs are also provided a plethora of resources to support their plan
including the Roadmap to Recovery Resources , These resources were made
available to LEAs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the SEA
provided and will continue to provide support to LEAs through resources to address
prevention and mitigation strategies recommended by the CDC for reopening and
operating of school facilities. This information is provided quarterly, or as CDC
guidelines are revised.
The SEA superintendent will continue Midweek Matters newsletter as a method to
communicate up-to-date guidance from the Alabama Department of Public Health
(ADPH) and CDC, for the safe reopening and operating of school facilities. To
ensure schools are able to safely remain open, the ADPH and the SBA have
parmered to provide updated COVID„T9 case information for each county and
school dish'ict in the state, through the use of the Alabama K-12 COVID-19
Dashboard. With real time data, school and health officials are able to react and
respond to situations quickly in an effort to decrease the likelihood of an
outbreak. In addition, the ADPH has continued to support the department and LEAs
by producing a Back to School Toolkit that is updated as new information is
obtained. In an effort to mitigate the spread of coronavirus in school facilities and on
buses, the SEA delivered facemasks, hand sanitizer, and gloves to LBAs. In
addition, a portion of GEER funds were reserved for equipping buses with WI„FI so
that communities across the state will conEnue to have access to the internet.
The ADPH and the SEA's health staff have partnered to provide trainings to
the appropriate LEA staff on facts about COVID-19, mitigation strategies,
facts about vaccinations, and safety protocols. In addition, partnonhips with
the LEAs and county health department officials have coordinated efforts to
provide screenings and vaccinations to eligible community members. The SEA
used the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) to flind salary or wages for healthcare
professionals or aides to provide COVID*19 response and mitigation services
at the schools.
The SEA has been collecting data, on a quarterly basis, on the Mode of
Instruction (in-person, hybrid, or remote) offered by every district. The data are
published on the department's website and is regularly updated. New methods
for collecting mode of instruction data at the student-level will be implemented
beginning this fall.
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2. Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plans: Describe how
the SEA will ensure that its LEAs that receive ARP ESSER funds meet the
requirements in section 2001 (i) of the ARP Act and the requirements relating to the
ARP ESSER fttnds published in the Federal Register and available at
https://oese.ed.gov/offices/american-rescue-plan/american-rescue-planelementacy-
and-secondary-school-emergency-relief/ (ARP ESSER requirements) to either: (a)
within 30 days of receipt of the funds, develop and make publicly available on the
LEA's website a plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of
services, or (b) have developed and made publicly available on the LEA's website
such a plan that meets statutory requirements before the enactment of the ARP Act,
including:
i. How the SEA will ensure that each LEA plan includes, or will be
modified to include, the extent to which it has adopted policies and a
description of any such policies on each of the strategies listed in table B l;
ii. How the SEA will ensure that each LEA plan describes how it will ensure
continuity of services including but not limited to services to address the
students' academic needs, and students' and staff social, emotional, mental
health, and other needs, which may include student health and food services;
iii. How the SEA will ensure that the LEA periodically reviews, no less
frequently than every six months for the duration of the ARP ESSER grant
period (i.e., through September 30, 2023), 1 and revises as appropriate, its
plan, and how the SEA will ensure that the LEA seeks public input, and takes
such input into account on (l) whether revisions are necessary and, if so, (2)
the revisions to the plan; and Describe, to the extent the SEA collects it,
infomation about LEA implementation, to the greatest extent practicable, of
each element of the most up-to-date CDC guidance listed in table Bl and its
LEAs' needs for support and technical assistance to implement strategies
consistent, to the greatest extent practicable, with relevant CDC guidance.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SEA's superintendent
assembled a Superintendent's Extending Access to Learning (SEAL)
Taskforce comprised of educators and other state partners from across the
state to assist LEAs with operations, both functionally and instructionally.
Sub-committees were developed to include a reopening committee. The
group developed the Roadmap_ to Reopening Schools Resource Guide to
assist districts with reopening schools and providing continuity of serves.
Prior to ARP ESSER, LEAs completed and submitted reopening plans to the
SEA. Reopening plans are publicly available on the SEA's website (District
Reopening Plans). In addition, LEAs are required to modify the previously
submitted plan to address the recommended mitigation strategies, as outlined in the
assurances in the ARP ESSER plan. LEAs are also required to publicly post plans
1
ARP ESSER funds are subject to the Tydings amendment in section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions
Act, 20 U.S.C. 1225(b), and are therefore available to SEAs and LEAs for obligation through September 30,
2024. Review and revisions of these plans, if necessary, are not required during the Tydings period.
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on their district's website. This will allow the SEA quick access to monitor and
ensure the plans have the requirement elements and are updated as required.
In the plan, LEAs must describe how they will ensure continuity of services
addressing the student's academic, social, and emotional needs. The SEA
created a rubric to ensure all areas are addressed. LEAs must assess students
to determine existing gaps and have a plan to address the needs of the
students. The SEA required that LEAs certify assurances that included
reviewing their plan every 6 months and engaging public input. The SEA
will review LEA plans periodically to ensure they are revised every 6
months, with public input, for the duration of the grant period. LEAs must
address each of the elements of the CDC guidelines, and the extent to which
they are implemented in its Return to In-Person Instruction Plan.
The SEA will monitor plans as part of desk audits and the compliance
monitoring process. In addition, LEAs will submit a 6-month
implementation check-up form to the department on implementation
status. ARP ESSER funding will be used to secure additional support
needed to monitor ARP ESSER activities and impact data.
C. Planning for the Use and Coordination of ARP ESSER Funds
The Department recognizes that seeking input from diverse stakeholders is essential to
developing plans for the use of ARP ESSER funds that are responsive to the needs of
students, families, and educators. In this section, SEAs will describe their plans for
consultation and for coordinating the use of ARP ESSER funds with other resources to
meet the needs of students.
l. SEA Consultation: Consistent with the ARP ESSER requirements, describe
how the SEA engaged in meaningful consultation with stakeholders, and
incorporated input into its plan, including, but not limited to:
i. students; ii. families; iii. Tribes (if applicable); civil rights
organizations (including disability rights organizations); school and
district administrators (including special education administrators); vi.
superintendents; vii. charter school leaders (if applicable);
teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, and their
unions; and ix. stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities,
English learners, children experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster
care, migratory students, children who are incarcerated, and other underserved
students.
The description must include how the SEA provided the public the
opportunity to provide input in the development of the plan, a summary of the
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input (including any letters of support), and how fre SEA took such input into
account.
The SEA engaged in the public distribution of a survey to students, educators,
parents, community members, and the general public at large, including advocacy
groups representing vulnerable populations. The survey was sent to stakeholder
groups through email and was available on social media platforms. Over 2,700
responses were submitted.
A questionnaire was conducted with the following stakeholders regarding topics
aligned to Alabama's ARP ESSER state plan (e.g., the current and promising
practices, highest priorities, state needs and teacher shortages, extent of support
needed for various areas): students; families; tribes; civil rights organizations
(including disability rights organizafions); school and district administrators
(including special education administrators); superintendents; charter school leaders;
teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, their unions;
stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities, English learners,
children experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, migratory
students, children who are incarcerated, other underserved students; and members of
the general public.
After gathering initial data from stakeholders, viltual oppoltunities were held to
further engage participants in the development of the plan. In developing the state
plan, the SEA reviewed survey responses, stakeholder questionnaires, and
stakeholder responses and wrote the plan to incorporate the supports and priorities
indicated by respondents to best address the needs identified. A draft was created
and posted to the SEA's website and a virtual meeting held for questions and public
comment: After receiving comments, the plan was finalized.
2. Coordinating Funds: Describe to what extent the SEA has and will coordinate
Federal COVID-19 pandemic frnding and other Federal funding, This
description must include:
i. How the SEA and its LEAs 1) are using 01' have used prior to the
submission of this plan and 2) plan to use following submission
of this plan, Federal COVID„19 funding under the Coronavirus
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ("CARES") Act and the
CRRSA Act to support a safe return to and safely maximize in-
person instruction, sustain these operations safely, and address the
disproportionate impact of the COVIDN19 pandemic on
individual student groups
(including students from low-income families, children with
disabilities, English learners, racial or ethnic minorities, students
experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and
migratory students);
14
Table Cl.
Funding source Prior/current SEA and manned SEA and
LEA uses (including LEA uses (including
funding amounts, if 8 funding amounts, if
licable n licoble
ESSER SEA Uses: Total award amount:
(CARES Act) Grants to LEAs
-Virtual Instructional Awmrded to LEAN
Platform
-Electronic Textbooks Reserved by SRA:
Enhancement of the $8,114,236
SEA Data Reporting
system LEA Uses:
-Sanitation Supplies
-PPB
-Salaries/benefits for staff
-Technology
-Professional
Development
-Mental Health Services
-Summer Learning &
Enrichment programs
-After School ro rams
r
GEER 1 LEA Uses: rotal award amount;
(CARES Act) Grants to LEAs
-Equip school buses with Awarded to LEAs:
$48,581,495
-Bridge learning and
achievement gaps of
students -Before and
after school tutoring
-Family engagement
resoull)es
ESSER 11 SEA Uses: Total award amount:
(CRRSA Act) Grants to LEAs $899,464,932
-Summer Reading Camps Awarded to LEAs:
Grades 1<-3 $809,518,439
-Professional Reserved by SEA:
Development for $89,946,493
Language Arts and Math
Course of Stud
15
Funding source Prior/current SEA and Planned SEA and
LEA uses (including INA uses (including
funding amounts, if a funding amounts, if
licable) a licnble)
-reading and math
formative assessments
in grades 4-8 LEA
Uses:
-Instructional Materials
-Professional
Development
-Assessments
-Remediation &
Enrichment Programs
*Family Support
Resources
-Salary/benefits for staff
-Facility Improvements &
Re airs
GEER 11 Kindergarten
(CRRSA Act) readiness
assessments,
screeners, and kits for
reading
To what extent BSSBR I and ESSER Il funds have been awarded
to LEAs and, if funds have not yet been made available to LEAS,
when they will be. In addition, please provide any available
information on the total dollar amounts of ESSER I and ESSBR
Il tunds that have been obligated but not expended by the SEA
and its LEAS, including whether the SEA is able to track LEA
obligations.
iii. In supporting LEAs as they plan for the safe return to and continuity of in-
person instruction and for meeting the academic, social, emotional, and mental
health needs of students resulting from the COVIDw19 pandemic, the extent to
which the SEA is also using other Federal funding sources including but not
limited to under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ("ESEA"),
IDEA, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ("WIOA"), funding for child
nutrition setvices, and McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and the funds
to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness provided by section
2001 (b)(l) of the ARP Act.2
2
Please note that the needs cf students experiencing homelessness must be addregsed (along with the other groups
disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic) dn•ough the use of the ARP ESSER SEA reservations and
the required LEA reservation for the academic impact of lost instructional time; the funding provided to support
The SEA has been intentional from the initial release of funding to ensure strategies
were meeting immediate and evolving needs identifled in the field and leveraging
the state's capacity to support LEAs. Stakeholder engagement sessions emphasized
what was already identified in Alabama's strategic plan, Alabama Achieves, which
was completed March of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the
plan, five strategic priorities were identified- Academic Growth and Achievement,
College, Career, and Workforce Ready, Safe and
Supportive Learning Environments, Highly Effective Educators, Customer„ Friendly
Services. Given Alabama Achieves was developed through a similarly robust
engagement strategy, the identified needs in the strategic plan, the survey, and district
feedback were all aligned, often highlighting more severe needs on the same subjects
as the pandemic exacerbated needs for additional academic supports, especially in
early grades, the educator supports and preparedness, and student readiness and
supports. Based on these results, the state prioritized initial funding supports from the
CARES Act, including leveraging the CRF to immediate widespread issues of
technology device and connectivity access. With the release of the CRRSA åunds
with an emphasis on leaming loss and school facilities, the SEA encouraged districts
to continue to build out their funding plans strategically to meet both immediate and
long-term needs. The SEA comilemented these strategies by developing plans for
summer and tutoring programming. With the release of ARP ESSER funding, the
SEA supported alignment to existing strategies with an emphasis on deepening their
scope and reach. As a result, the state's intent with the latest round of funding is to
further support strategies previously identified, allowing for more sffategic use of
ålnds across sources and across rounds.
The SEA has awarded all LEAs the available funds for the CARES Act, CRSSA, and
ARP. There have been multiple grants provided that supported LEA and state
activities through the CARES Act. The breakdown below provides a brief narrative
regarding the intent of each grant allocated from the CARES Act. Each grant had an
explicit purpose to support LEAs with the impact of COVID-19.
The SEA has supported LEAs to offset expenditures related to the impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic and support with maintaining safety procedures for
students who selected options, to participate in full-time instruction. At the
beginning of the COVID„19 pandemic, the SEA used ESSBR I funds to
provide a virtual platform for schools to darryout virtual instruction and to
provide access to digital textbooks. Formula grants were provided to LEAS to
use for COVID-19 impact activities. The funds were used to safely return to
in-person instruction, maximize in-person instruction, sustain operations, and
to address disproportionate impact of COVID- 19 on individual student groups
including responding to students' academic, social, emotional, and mental
health needs.
GEER 1 Funds
the needs of students experiencing homelessness by section of the ARP Act is in addition to the supports and
services provided with ARP ESSBR funds.
17
GEER I funds were provided as grants to LEAS to equip buses with Wi-Fi to
students access to virtual learning, bridge learning and achievement gaps of
students, and provide before and after school tutoring.
ESSER 11 Funds
ESSER Il funds were provided as grants to LEAs for the following:
• Course of Study ELA PD: This allocation was granted to each LEA to
be used for course of study PD directly aligned to 2021 Course of
Study: English Language Ms. To be considered high quality, the PD
must include training on the specific-grade and course-level standards,
as well as provide pedagogical connections for instruction, Base
allocations were provided for:
• A) Elementary Teachers (1<-5) - $400 for registration, materials,
substitutes for follow-up trainings or PLCs. o B) Secondary Teachers
(6-12) - $1,050 for registration, materials, substitutes for follow-up
trainings or PLCs.
• Course of Study Math PD: This allocation was granted to each LEA to
be used for course of study PD directly aligned to 2019 Course of
Study: Mathelnatics. To be considered high-quality, the PD must
include training on the specific-grade and-course level standards,
learning progressions, as well as provide pedagogical connections for
instruction.
• A) Elementary Teachers (K-5) - $400 for registration, materials,
substitutes for follow-up trainings or Professional Learning Committees
(PLCs).
• B) Secondary Teachers (6-12) - $1,050 for registration, materials,
substitutes for follow-up trainings or PLCs
• Assessment Award for Grades 4-8: This allocation was granted to
extend each school's early reading and math assessment system
through Grade 8. The allocation will be $12 per student based on
each school's 2020-2021 ADM.
Upon receiving funds, LEAs were required to conduct a needs assessment and prioritize the
needs of the in efforts to return to in-person instruction, to maximize inmctional time,
and have the necessary supports in place to sustain safe operations. Additionally, LEAs used
ESSER Il funds for resources and instructional supports. The funds were used for
instructional materials, professional development, assessments, accelerating leaning,
enrichment programs, salaries and benefits for staff, family supports for instruction, and
facilities and improvements for students and staffin efforts to address CDC
recommendations.
18
GEER 11 Funds
GEBR Il funds were used to provide LEAs with kindetgarten readiness,
screeners, assessments, and aligned reading kits.
Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF)
The SBA used CRF to fund salary or wages for healthcare professionals or aides to
provide COVID-19 response and mitigation services at the schools.
ARP ESSER Funds
Funds from ARP ESSER will be used to continue efforts in ftnding activities for
safely returning to in-person instruction, maximizing in-person insbuction, sustaining
operations, and to address disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on individual
student groups including responding to students' academic, social, emotional, and
mental health needs. As requested by stakeholders, the majority of the 10% SEA state
reserve will be granted to LEAS to support these efforts. The SEA state resei•ve
specifically identified for instructional loss, summer enrichment, and afterschool
programs will be granted to the LEAS through formula grants. The remaining ARP
ESSBR Funds will be coordinated with other federal funds to address the identified
priorities. To date, the following activities/programs will be targeted: SRCs for the
upcoming three summers for grades K-3 , professional development in the areas of
reading and math, increase English Learner supports across the state, provide math
support across the state with Teachers in Residence, provide state-wide Eaining and
supports on implemenüng extended services to ensure equitable access to integrated
learning
loss programs by providing necessary supports and accommodations for all students,
and extend the current ACCESS distance learning program to gades 68.
The SEA will keep track of ESSER ARP LEA allocations through
the Electronic Grant Application Program (eGAP) and the state's
financial management system.
The SEA will continue to provide guidance on how federal funds, including
funds under ESEA, IDEA, McKinney-Vento, and Perkins, can be used
during the COVID-19 pandemic on specific student and educator needs
related to reopening schools and sustaining safe operations. One example of
how these funds are coordinated at the state level is by purchasing a online
training module with McKinney-Vento ftnds to assist LEAS in identifying
and assisting homeless students. In addition, through a collaboration with 2-
1-1 Connect Alabama, a phone service will be provided to LEAs to get help
for homeless students and support for families (clothes, housing, etc.) by
connecting families with homeless liaisons within the community.
D. Maximizing State-Level Funds to Support Students
The Department recognizes that States have an extraordinary opportunity to address the
disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on underserved students through the ARP
Act's required State set-asides to address the academic impact of lost instructional time, provide
19
summer learning and enrichment programs, and provide comprehensive afterschool programs. In
this section, SEAs will describe their evidence-based strategies for these resources.
l. Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time: Describe how the SEA will use the funds
it reserves under section 2001 (0(1) of the ARP Act (totaling not less than 5 percent
of the State's total allocation of ARP ESSER funds) on evidence-based interventions
to address the academic impact of lost instructional time by supporting 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, emotional, and mental health needs. The description must include:
i. A description of the evidence-based interventions (e.g., providing
intensive or high-dosage tutoring, accelerating learning) the SEA has
selected, and the extent to which the SEA will evaluate the impact of
those interventions on an ongoing basis to understand if they are
working;
ii. How the evidence-based interventions will specifically address
the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of
students, including each of the student groups listed in question
A.3 .i.-viii. When possible, please indicate which data sources the
SEA will use to determine the impact of lost instructional time;
and
iii. The extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify
and engage l) students who have missed the most in-person
instruction during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years;
and 2) students who did not consistently participate in remote
instruction when offered during school building closures.
The SEA will use its 5% set aside under section to provide opportunities for
students to accelerate learning by supporting LEAs to address the needs of
students most impacted by COVID-19 by awarding the entire state reserve
amount through grants to LEAs using a weighted formula to address the most
vulnerable student groups. Weighting included factors such as special
education, poverty, EL, and student proficiency results. All LEAS will receive
state reservation funds through an application process.LEAs will use funds to
focus on those students who have missed the most in-person instruction during
the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, students who did not consistently
participate in remote instruction when offered during school building closures,
and students retained in the area of reading. In their application, LEAs must describe
how they will identify and serve students who missed the most in person instruction
during the 2019-2020 and 2020- 2021 school years and students who did not
20
consistently participate in remote instrucHon when offered during school building
closures and how they will be served in the program(s).
LEAS at a minimum must describe the following in their application:
A description of the evidence-based proy•ams that address the academic,
social, emotional, and mental health needs 'of students (e.g., providing
intensive or high-dosage tutoring, accelerating learning) the LEA has
selected, and the extent to which the LEA will evaluate the impact of
those programs;
How the evidenc&based programs will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID- 19 on certain groups of students, including
each of the vulnerable student populations; indicating the data sources;
The extent to which the LEA will use funds to identify and engage
1) students who have missed the most in-person instruction during
the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years; 2) students who did
not consistently participate in remote instruction when offffed
during school building closures and 3) retained students.
The SEA will provide supports, resources, and training to LEAs on effective
summer enrichment program implementation including evidence-based practices
and assessments, materials, program timeframe, hours, and student-teacher ratio
requirements. In addition, LEAs will be provided the Road to Recovery Resource
Guide to assist with unfinished learning supports design strategies that include
strategies for student subpopulations. LEAs must align designed programs with
those that are evidence-based. The LEA will use the criteria outlined in the Every
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for evidence-based interventions listed below:
• Has research from studies using a well-implemented experimental or quasi-
experimental design (meets Tier 1 or 2 evidence)
• Has research showing promising evidence from a well-implemented,
correlations study that statistically controls for selection bias (meets
ESSA Tier 3 evidence)
' Has rationale demonstrating the intervention is likely to improve student
outcomes, and an effort to study the effects of the intervention is
underway (meets ESSA Tier 4 evidence).
The academic impact for lost instructional time allocation will be used to
address the early literacy priority in the state. funds will be used to support
the Summer Reading Camps (SRCs) for grades K-3. SRC programs are
designed to
21
provide students with additional opportunities for learning and growing during the
summer months. LEAs should strive to create opportunities for all students to have access to
the camp, however, according to the Alabama Literacy Act, "Each local education agency
shall provide summer reading camps to all 1<-3 students identified with a reading
deficiency. ,. The Alabama Summer Achievement Program is established and shall be
available to all K—3 students in public elementary schools that are among the
lowestperformingfive percent of elementary schools (full support schools). " (Alabama
Literacy Actpages 1647) LEAS are not limited to this number of students and can always
exceed the minimum expectation outlined in the Alabama Literacy Act.
The SRCs will be staffed by highly effective teachers of reading. The program
shall provide direct, explicit, and systematic reading intervention services and
supports to improve any identified area of reading deficiency
includingphonological awareness, The Alphabetic Principle: decoding &
accuracy, encoding & accuracy, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and oral
Language. At a minimum, 70 hours of scientifically based reading instruction and
intervention must take place. LEAS are to adhere to research suggested effective
teacher-student ratio sizes for providing insfruction. The LEAs are required to
report preeand post-reading assessment data. Assessments used must come from
the approved list of reading assessments that was reviewed by the Alabama
Literacy Act Taskforce. Reading camp data including participation and
assessment data will be submitted in the reading portal and used to measure
program impact.
The SEA will support the LEA' with the SRCs by providing Early
Literacy of Science in Reading training throughout the state. The SEA
will provide supports, resources, embedded coaching, and training to
LEAs on effective summer program implementation and practices.
2. Evidence-Based Summer Learning and Enrichlnent Programs: Describe how the SBA
will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(f)(2) of the ARP Act (totaling not
less than 1 percent of the State's total allocation of ARP ESSBR funds) for evidence-
based summer learning and enrichment programs, including those that begin in
Summer 2021, and ensure such programs respond to students' academic, social,
emotional, and mental health needs. The description must include:
i. A description of the evidence-based programs that address the
academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students
(e.g., providing intensive or high-dosage tutoring, accelerating
learning) the SBA has selected, and the extent to which the SEA
will evaluate the impact of those progralns;
ii. How the evidence-based programs will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of
students,
including each of the student groups listed in question A,3. i.--viii.
When possible, please indicate which data sources the SEA will use to
22
identify students most in need of summer learning and enrichment
programs; and
iii, The extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify and engage
1) students who have missed the most in-person instruction during the
2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years; and 2) students who did not
consistently participate in remote instruction when offered school
building closures.
The SEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001 (f)(2) of the ARP
Act (1 %) to focus on providing intensive support through summer learning
and enrichment programs by supporting LEAs and awarding grants from the
state set-aside funds to address the needs of students most impacted by
COVID-19, particularly those students who have missed the most in-person
instruction during the 20190020 and 2020-2021 school years, students who
did not consistently participate in remote instruction when offered during
school building closures and retained students. The SEA will allocate the
entire state reserve amount to LEAs using a weighted formula to address the
most vulnerable student groups. Weighting included factors such as special
education, poverty, EL, and student proficiency results. All LEAs will
receive state reserve funds through an application process.
In their application, LBAs must describe how they will identify and serve
students who missed the most in person insfruction during the 2019-2020
and 2020* 2021 school years and students who did not consistently
participate in remote instruction when offered during school building
closures and how they will be served in the program(s).
LBAs at a minimum must describe the following in their application:
A description of the evidence-based programs that address the
academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students
(e.g., providing intensive or high-dosage tutoring, accelerating
learning) the LEA has selected, and the extent to which the LEA
will evaluate the impact of those programs;
How the evidence-based programs will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of
students, including each of the vulnerable student populations;
indicating the data sources;
The extent to which the LEA will use funds to identify and engage
1) students who have missed the most in-person instruction during the
23
20190020 and 2020-2021 school years; 2) students who did not
consistently paflicipate in remote instruction when offered during
school building closures and 3) retained students.
The SEA will provide supports, resources, and training to LEAs on effective
summer enrichment program implementation including evidence-based practices
and assessments, materials, progarn timeframe, hours, and student-teacher ratio
requirements. In addition, LEAs will be provided the Road to Recovery Resource
Guide to assist with unfinished learning supports design strategies that include
strategies for student subpopulations. LEAs must align designed programs with
those that are evidence-based. The LEA will use the criteria outlined in the Every
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for evidence-based interventions listed below: Has
research from studies using a well„implemented experimental or quasi-
experimental design (meets Tier 1 or 2 evidence)
Has research showing promising evidence from a well-implemented,
correlations study that statistically controls for selection bias (meets ESSA
Tier 3 evidence)
Has rationale demonstrating the intervention is likely to improve student
outcomes, and an effort to study the effects of the intervention is underway
(meets ESSA Tier 4 evidence).
3. Evidence-Based Com rehensive Afterschool Pro s: Describe how the SBA will use
the funds it reserves under section 2001 (f)(3) of the ARP Act (totaling not less than
1 percent of the State's total allocation ofARP ESSER funds) for evidence-based
comprehensive afterschool programs (including, for example, before-school
programming), and ensure such programs respond to students' academic, social,
emotional, and mental health needs. The description must include:
i. A description of the evidence-based programs (e.g., including
partnerships with community-based organizations) the SEA has
selected, and the extent to which the SEA will evaluate the impact of
those programs;
ii. How the evidence-based programs will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of
students, including each of the student gli)tups listed in question
A.3.i.-viii. When possible, please indicate which data sources the
SBA will use to identify students most in need of comprehensive
afterschool programming; and
iii. The extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify and
engage 1) students who have missed the most in-person instruction
during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years; and 2) students who
did not consistently participate in remote insåuetion when offered
during school building closures.
The SEA will use the finds it reserves under section of the ARP Act (1 %) by
providing evidence-based comprehensive afterschool programs (including, for
24
example, before-school programming and out-of-school-time programs) to LEAs
through the awarding of grants from the state set»aside frnds to address the needs
of students most impacted by COVID-19, particularly those students who have
missed the most in-person instruction during the 20190020 and 2020-2021 school
years, students who did not consistently participate in remote insfruction when
offered during school building closures and retained students. The SEA will allocate
the entire state reserve amount to LEAs using a weighted formula to address the
most vulnerable student groups. Weighting included factors such as special
education, poverty, EL, and student proficiency results. All LEAs will receive state
reserve funds through an application process.
LEAs at a minimum must describe the following in their application:
A description of the evidence-based programs (e.g., including partnerships with
community-based organizations) LEA has selected, and the extent to which
the LEA will evaluate the impact of those programs;
How the evidence-based prog•ams will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of students,
including the most vulnerable student groups listed. When possible, please
indicate which data sources the LEA will use to identify students most in
need of comprehensive afterschool prog•amming; and
The extent to which the LEA will use funds to identify and engage
I) students who have missed the most in-person insuuction during the 2019-
2020 and 2020-2021 school years; 2) students who did not consistently
participate in remote instruction when offered during school building
closures and 3) retained students.
The SEA will provide supports, resources, and training to LEAs on effective
afterschool/out-of-school program implementation including evidence-based
practices and assessments, materials, program timeframe, hours, and
studentteacher ratio requirements. In addition, LEAS will be provided the Road
to Recovery Resource Guide to assist with unfinished learning supports design
sti'ategies that include strategies for student subpopulations. LEAs must align
designed programs with those that are evidence-based. The LEA will use the
criteria outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for evidence-based
interventions listed below:
• Has research from studies using a well-implemented experimental or quasi-
experimental design (meets Tier 1 01' 2 evidence)
• Has research showing promising evidence from a well-implemented,
correlations study that statistically controls for selection bias (meets
ESSA
Tier 3 evidence)
25
• Has rationale demonstrating the intervention is likely to improve student
outcomes, and an effort to study the effects of the intervention is underway
(meets ESSA Tier 4 evidence).
4. Emergency Needs: If the SEA plans to reserve funds for emergency needs under
section 2001 (0(4) of the ARP Act to address issues responding to the COVID-19
pandemic, describe the anticipated use of those funds, including the extent to which
these funds will build SEA and LEA capacity to ensure students' and staffs health
and safety; to meet students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs;
and to use ARP ESSER funds to implement evidence-based interventions.
At this time, the SEA has not identified other needs, not previously addressed
by other funding categories.
E. Supporting LEAs in Planning for and Meeting Students' Needs
The Department recognizes that the safe return to in-person instruction must be
accompanied by a focus on meeting students' academic, social, emotional, and mental
health needs, and by addressing the opportunity gaps that existed before — and were
exacerbated by — the pandemic. In this section, SEAs will describe how they will
support their LEAs in developing high-quality plans for LEAs' use of ARP ESSER
funds to achieve these objectives.
1. LEA Plans for the Use of ARP ESSER Funds: what the SEA will
require its LEAs to include in LEA plans consistent with the ARP ESSER
requirements for the use of ARP ESSER funds, how the SEA will require
such plans to be made available to the public, and the deadline by which the
LEA must submit its ARP ESSER plan (which must be a reasonable timeline
and should be within no later than 90 days after receiving its ARP ESSER
allocation). The LEA plans must include, at a minimum:
i. The extent to which and how the funds will be used to implement
prevention and mitigation strategies that are, to the greatest extent
practicable, in line with the most recent CDC guidance, in order to
continuously and safely operate schools for in-person learning; ii. How the
LEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001 (e)(l) of the ARP Act
(totaling not less than 20 percent of the LEA's total allocation of ARP
ESSER funds) to address the academic impact of lost instructional time
through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as
summer learning or summer emichment, extended day, comprehensive
afterschool programs, or extended school year programs; iii. How the LEA
will spend its remaining ARP ESSER funds consistent with section 2001
(e)(2) of the ARP Act; and
26
How the LEA will ensure that the interventions it implements, including but
not limited to the interventions under section 2001 of the ARP Act 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 children with disabilities,
students experiencing homelessness, children and youth in fbster
care, and migratory students.
The SEA will ensure all necessary components of the ARP ESSER
requirements are part ofthe LEA ARP ESSER Plan. The LEA will be
required to submit its plan for the use of the ARP ESSER Funds via eGAP
no later than August 23, 2021. To ensure that each plan meets the minimum
requirements, a guidance document will be provided.
Ihe SEA will require districts to submit a two-part LEA plan. Part I of the
plan required the ARP ESSER assurances to be signed verifying receipt of
LEA allocations, adherence to federal guidelines and regulations, and
acknowledgement of Part Il requirements. Part Il of the plan (due August
233 2021) will require LEAS to describe at a minimum:
• The extent to which and how the funds will be used to implement
prevention and mitigation strategies that are, to the greatest extent
practicable, in line with the most recent CDC guidance, in order to
continuously and safely operate schools for inwperson learning;
• How the LEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001 (e)(l) of
the ARP Act (totaling not less than 20 percent of the LEA's total
allocation of ARP ESSER funds) to address the academic impact of lost
instluctional time through the implementation of evidence-based
interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment,
extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school
year programs;
• How the LEA will spend its remaining ARP ESSER funds consistent
with section 2001(e)(2) of the ARP Act; and
• How the LEA will ensure that the interventions it implements,
including but not limited to the interventions under section 2001 (e)(l)
of the ARP Act 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
27
disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and youth in
foster care, and migratory students.
• How the LEA will measure impact of ARP ESSER funded activities.
In the eGAP system, LEAS will be required to respond to the following:
I-low the
LEA will ensure that the ARP ESSDRfunded interventions, including but not limited
to the 20% setpaside, will respond to the academic, social, emotional, and mental
health needs ofall students, andparticularly those students disproportionately
impacted by the COVID-19pandemic, including students from low-incomefamilies,
students ofcolor, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing
homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students.
Each LEA application will undergo a multi-level state review to ensure the program
requirements are met and appropriately documented. In the ARP ESSER application,
LEAS will be required to provide additional insight into how the remaining 80% of
ESSER funds will be spent. In the ARP ESSER application, LEAg are required to
complete the applicable focus areas, verify the amount, and explain how each focus
area addresses the prioritized needs. The amount will auto-populate based on the
input from the LEA's proposed budget. In the e-GAP system, LEAS are required to
respond to the following: How will the LEA use the remaining ARP ESSERfimds
consistent with statutory requirements? Each LEA application will undergo a multi-
level state review to ensure the program requirements are met and appropriately
documented.
2, LEA Consultation: Describe how the SEA will, in planning for the use of ARP
ESSER funds, ensure that, consistent with the ARP BSSBR requirements], its
LEAs engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders, including, but not
limited to:
i. students; ii. families; iii. school and district administrators
(including special education administrators); and teachers, principals, school
leaders, other educators, school staff, and their unions.
The LEA must also engage in meaningful consultation with each of the
following to the extent present in or served by the LEA:
i . Tribes; ii. civil rights organizations (including disability rights
organizations); and iii. stakeholders representing the interests of
children with disabilities, English learners, children experiencing
homelessness, children and youth in foster care, migratory students,
children who are incarcerated, and other underserved students.
The description must also include how the SEA wilL ensure that LEAs
provide the public the opportunity to provide input in the development of the
LEA's plan for the use of ARP ESSER funds and take such input into account,
28
As part of its LEA ARP ESSER application, the SBA will require meaningful
consultation with the listed stakeholders. The LEA application for ARP ESSER
specifically addresses stakeholder consultation and engagement. Further, LEAS
will be asked to provide specific information on this consultation, as well as the
URL where the LEA plan will be posted and made available to the public. The
stakeholder consultation and engagement and supporting documentation will be
integrated into the SEA's compliance monitoring process, All LEAS will be
monitored annually in one of the three tiers (self, desktop, onsite) based on the
department's risk assessment. Stakeholder consultation and engagement is an
indicator in the insfrument across all tiers of monitoring. This component will also
be made part of compliance monitoring.
3. Desclibe how the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in using ARP ESSER funds.
The description must include:
i. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs' implementation of
evidence-based interventions that respond to students' academic,
social, emotional, and mental health needs, such as through summer
learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive
afterschool programs, or extended school year programs — including
the extent to which the SEA will collect evidence of the effectiveness
of interventions employed;
ii. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in specifically
addressing the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on certain groups of students, including each of the
student groups listed in question A.3.i.-viii; and
iii. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in using ARP
ESSER funds to identi$', reengage, and support students most
likely to have experienced the impact of lost insåuctional time on
student learning, such as:
a. Students who have missed the most in-person instruction
during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years;
b. Students who did not consistently participate in remote
instruction when offered during school building closures;
and c, Students most at-risk of dropping out of school.
The SBA's multi-tiered monitoring framework includes three distinct levels: onsite,
desktop, and self-monitoring. A risk analysis comprised of multiple indicators
identifies the level of potential risk. Results from the analysis designate each LEA's
risk level. Each LEA in the state must participate in one level ofmonitoring annually;
however, SBA has also developed business rules to this process to ensure that all
LEAS are monitored (desktop or on-site) at least once every five years.
The SBA will support and monitor its LEAs in using funds to identify,
reengage, and support students most likely to have experienced the impact of
29
lost instructional time. The SBA will develop a checklist to assist LEAS with
selfmonitoring of federal relief funds to ensure compliance with regulations.
The process will include data collection and monitoring for implementation
as well as impact.
The programmaMc and financial aspects of monitoring will reside in eGAP.
Specific regulations will be observed during regularly scheduled desk audits and
compliance monitoring visits. In an effort to build capacity with the LEAS,
temporary part-time personnel will work in collaboration with the LEAs on pro.
monitoring activities. The eGAP platform will be used to approve the use of federal
funds and ensure compliance with federal regulations. In efforts to build capacity
and safeguard funds for their intended purposes, there is a 3-step approval process
at the LEA level, and a 3-step approval process at the SEA level,
The SEA will issue guidance for evidence-based strategies that includes a list of
SEA-reviewed resources for evidence-based interventions and strategies that
respond to students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. Lists will
include summer learning, extended day or year programs, and additional strategies
that provide effect sizes necessary to result in improvement. The SEA will collect
information on the effectiveness of interventions.
The SEA's guidance for evidence-based strategies will include strategies that are
specifically meant to respond to the needs of students disproportionately impacted
by the COVID-19 pandemic, including each of the student gt•oups listed in Question
A.3.i.„viii. The SEA and LEAs will monitor district implementation of evidence-
based su•ategies used to address the needs of student groups disproportionately
impacted by COVID-19 in the same manner other supports and implementation will
be delivered and monitored. Data obtained to measure implementation and progress
will be disaggregated by subpopulations.
The SEA will assist districts in determining activities to identify, reengage, and
support students most likely to have experienced the impact of lost insfructional
time by incorporating these activities into technical assistance resources provided
to all districts for the 2021-22 school year.
'Ihe SEA will monitor district implementation of strategies for reengagement and
support by periodically reviewing available data regarding student progress or
requesting data when not available. The SEA will also require districts to repott on
implementation of evideneeybased strategies to enable the evaluation of
effectiveness of such strategies. As additional information regarding federal
monitoring requirements becomes available, the SBA will review its current
monitoring protocols and make revisions as necessaty to align with the federal
requirements.
30
4. Describe the extent to which the SEA will support its LEAS in implementing
additional strategies for taldng educational equity into account in expending
ARP ESSER funds, including but not limited to:
i. Allocating funding both to schools and for districtwide activities based on
student need, and ii. Implementing an equitable and inclusive return to in-
person instruction. An inclusive return to in-person instruction includes, but is
not limited to, establishing policies and practices that avoid the over-use of
exclusionary discipline measures (including in- and outof-school suspensions)
and creating a positive and supportive learning environment for all students.
The SEA will provide guidance and technical assistance on the use of ESSER
funds that highlights how allowable activities may be used to advance
educational equity. As part of their application, LEAs will be required to
provide information on their plans to use ARP ESSER funds to implement an
equitable and inclusive return to in-person instruction.
In addition, as part of the school improvement process, the LEA/schools
administer teacher, student, and community climate surveys, with the mission
to create and sustain safe and supportive leaming environments, thereby,
increasing academic success for all students. These resources are intended to
provide LEAs with data to inform decisions on school culture, including
discipline, student perception, and teacher working conditions.
F. Supporting the Educator Workforce
The Department recognizes the toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on the
Nation's educators as well as students. In this section, SEAs will describe strategies for
supporting and stabilizing the educator workforce and for making staffing decisions that
will support students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs.
l . Supporting and Stabilizing the Educator Workforce:
i. Describe the extent to which the State is facing shortages of
educators, education administration personnel, and other school
personnel involved in safely reopening schools, and the extent to
which they vary by region/type of school district and/or groups
of educators (e.g., special educators and related services
personnel and paraprofessionals; bilingual or English as a second
language educators; science, technology, engineering, and math
("STEM") educators; career and technical education ("CTE")
educators; early childhood educators). Cite specific data on
shortages and needs where available.
ii. Describe how the SEA will assist its LEAs in identifying the
most urgent areas of shortages or potential shortages, with
particular plans for individual LEAs facing the most significant
needs (e.g., by avoiding layoffs, providing high-quality
31
professional leaming opportunities, and addressing the impact of
stress or trauma on educators). Include a description of how other
Federal COVID-19 funding (e.g., ESSER and GEER funds under
the CARES Act and
CRRSA Act) have already been used to avoid layoffs during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
iii. Describe the actions the SEA will take to fill anticipated gaps in
certified teachers for the start of the 2021-2022 school year and to what
extent the SBA will further support its LEAs in expanding the educator
pipeline and educator diversity while addressing the immediate needs
of students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic (e.g.,
recruiting teaching candidates to provide highdosage tutoring or
implementing residencies for teacher candidates).
Alabama has experienced teacher shortages in the subject areas of mathematics,
science, special education, and English over the last several years. Pmcedures have
been implanented to address teacher shortage concerns. Some local districts offer
signing bonuses; other school disfricts rely on state incentives to fill shortage areas.
Provisional and emergency certificaffon routes are utilized by some local school
systems to fill vacancies.
Lnterest in the teaching profession nationally has decreased, because the teaching
profession has become less attractive to young professionals. It is the goal ofthe SEA
to ensure students are being taught by educators with proper credentials.
Bach academic year teacher shortage data are collected and reported to the United
States Department of Education, and Alabama data are listed in the national Teacher
Shortage Areas (TSA) database. This system is designed to collect data from states
and jurisdictions and generate Teacher Shortage Areas Reports intended to be a
reference document that shows where state and schools are looking to potentially
hire properly credenfialed teachers, academic administrators, and other educators
as needed. Information is shared with LEAs and educator preparation programs.
Interest in the teaching profession nationally has decreased, because the teaching
profession has become less attractive to young professionals. The current teacher
shortage report reflects mathematics as the number one hard-to-fill area. As of 2018,
58 of Alabama's 139 city and county school districts listed difficulty in hiring
properly certified mathematics teachers.
As part of its efforts to fill anticipated gaps in certified teachers for the
20210022 school, the SEA has implemented the following strategies:
• A statewide electronic application and job posting system available to
any applicant in need of a job.
Several LEAs have used BSSER I and/or ESSER Il funds for at least a
portion of their staff salaries and benefits. LEAS continued to pay their
staff during periods of closure, as was emphasized by tile CARES Act.
32
• Teacher Excellence and Accountability for Mathematics and Science
(TEAMS) program that aims to fill each and every school with credentialed
math and science teachers in gl'ades 6-12.
• Alabama Math & Science Teacher Education Program (AMSTEP), a
repayment incentive that pays back a significant portion of the tuition
costs that teachers (and prospective teachers) incur while pursuing their
teacher degrees from any of the 26 Alabama in-state colleges and
universities. This program targets schools in the Black Belt (low
socioeconomic) area of Alabama.
• Awareness campaign of alternative, emergency, and provisional certificates.
The SEA used Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRP) to fund salary or wages for
healthcare professionals or aides to provide COVID-19 response and
mitigation services at the schools.
• Alternative teaching certificate for certain retired members of the United
States Armed Forces to assist with teacher shortages.
• Assisting LEAs with sample recruitment and retention plans.
Communication campaign designed to increase the number of certified
personnel to fill vacancy gaps and recruit individuals to the profession.
Continue to implement Alabama's two-year mentoring program for new
teachers, pilot additional supports for mentor teachers with national
organizations, and review/update the new teacher manual.
2. Staffing to Support Student Needs: Describe the extent to which the SEA has
developed or will develop strategies and will support its LEAs in increasing student
access to key support staff within school buildings, including school counselors,
special education personnel, nurses, social workers, and psychologists (e.g. hiring
additional personnel or freeing up these staff to focus on providing services to
students).
In addition to already state- and federally frnded LEA/school level positions
suppolting counselors, school nurses, and special education personnel, the SEA has
approved the use of ESSER Il funds to hire additional school support personnel, The
SEA has established and will continue to develop a number of strategies to support
increasing access to support staff at the distlict level. Recently, the state received
funding through the legislature to support mental health coordinators for LEAs.
'[the SBA will continue to provide detailed guidance to districts for utilizing various
federal funding sources to increase student access to key support staff and will
explore expanding granted funds to LEAS beyond school nurses to support the hiring
and supplies for key support staff such as school counselors, school social workers,
school psychologists, and other support professionals. The SEA will continue to
provide technical support to our LEAS to leverage both state and federal resources
in efforts to provide increased student access to key specialized student support
personnel within school buildings, including school counselors, nurses, social
workers, and school psychologists as well as special education personnel. This will
33
be accomplished by hiring additional personnel or freeing up these staff to focus on
providing services to students.
34
G. Monitoring and Measuring Progress
The Department recognizes that transparency on how ARP ESSER funds are used and their
impact on the Nation's education system is a fundamental responsibility of Federal, State, and
local government. In this section, SEAs will describe how they are building capacity at the SEA
and LEA levels to ensure high-quality data collection and reporting and to safeguard funds for
their intended purposes.
1. CapagitY-fQLDa@CoJlggtign-and-RgpeÜiug: It is important for an SEA to
continuously monitor progress and make adjustments to its strategies, as well as to
support its LEAs in making adjustments to LEA strategies, based on impact. Describe
how the SEA will ensure its capacity and the capacity of its LEAs to collect data on
reporting requirements, including but not limited to the examples of reporting
requirements desclibed in the SEA's Grant Award Notification (listed in Appendix B).
Describe the SEA's capacity and strategy to collect data from its LEAs (disaggregated
by student group, where applicable), to the greatest extent practicable, including any
steps the SEA will take to build its capacity in the future (which may include the use
of ARP ESSER and other Federal COVID-19 pandemic funds at the SEA and LEA
levels), on issues that may include the following:
i. Student leaming, including the academic impact of lost instructional
time during the COVID-19 pandemic; ii. Opportunity to learn measures
(e.g., chronic absenteeism; student engagement; use of exclusionary
discipline; access to and participation in advanced coursework; access to
technology, including educator access to professional development on the
effective use of technology; access to high-quality educators; access to
school counselors, social workers, nurses, and school psychologists; and
results from student, parent, and/or educator surveys); iii. Fiscal data that is
comparable across the State (e.g., per-pupil expenditures at the LEA and
school levels); iv. Jobs created and retained (by position type);
Participation in programs funded by ARP ESSER resources (e.g.,
summer and afterschool programs); and
Other reporting requirements reasonably required by the Secretary
(please refer to Appendix B of this template; final requirements
will be issued separately).
The SEA primarily relies upon the summative assessments to gather
information on student learning at the state level. The grades 2-8 assessment
was not administered in school year 2019- 2020 but was administered in
school year 2020-2021. Once available, the data will be used to determine
student performance. The SEA currently has a data dashboard that houses the
department's academic and non-academic data. This system allows for both
the SEA and LEA to monitor status and progress on student outcomes. LEAs
have capabilities to monitor student level information by viewing information
at the student-level through the SIS.
The SEA houses student- and staff-level data for LEAS to view and verify in the
ALSDE Identity Management (AIM) portal. The data must be reviewed and certified
via the data governance process. Additionally, representatives on the governance
committee gives the agency insight into the capacity at the local level to expand data
collection requirements. Once new data collections have been approved by the
governance committee, the collection requirements are published in the data
governance manual. Through this process the SEA already collects many of the items
listed in G. 1 .i-vi. Our current processes and technical capabilities allow us to expand
and collect what we do not currently collect.
The fiscal management system will be used to collect fiscal data that is comparable across
the State (e.g., per-pupil expenditures at the LEA and school levels). The SEA will
develop a uniform expenditure reporting system to collect detailed infonnation on
ARP ESSBR expenditures across LEAs. Comparable data will be collected and
reported for all LEAs, The SEA will collect jobs created and retained with ARP
ESSER funds on an annual basis as part of the LEA's compliance reporting. LEAs
will report all FTEs that 1) are ftLnded from ESSER funds, and/or 2) received a
stipend or bonus for added responsibilities caused by the pandemic.
The SEA will build capacity of LBAs for participation in summer programs,
afterschool proyams, and extended year programs through g•ants to the LEAs.
These y•ants will be supported through technical assistance to guide LEAs through
the planning processes. SEA will collect data from LEAs to monitor participation in
ARP ESSER funded prognams, including summer programs, after-school programs,
and extended year progrmns, funded by LEA grants.
The SEA will use the current governance process and systems that are easily
expandable to collect the data required based on the program needs once the
final requirements are determined.
2. Monitoring and Internal Controls: Describe how the SEA will implement
appropriate fiscal monitoring of and internal controls for the ARP ESSER
funds (e.g.,-by updating the SEA's plan for monitoring funds and internal
controls under the CARES and CRRSA Acts; addressing potential sources of
waste, fraud, and abuse; conducting random audits; or other tools). In this
response, please describe the SEA's current capacity to monitor ARP ESSER;
steps, if needed, to increase capacity; and any foreseeable gaps in capacity,
including how the SEA will provide its LEAs with technical assistance in the
anticipated areas of greatest need.
36
The SEA will use the eGAP platfbrm to approve the use of federal funds
and
ensure compliance to federal regulations. Internal controls within the eGAP system
prevent LEAs from submitting applications if the requirements are not followed,
This includes resavation requirements of at least 20% of frnds used to address
learning loss, the appropriate amount of indirect costs, and other business rules, as
appropriate.
In efforts to build capacity and safeguard funds for their intended purposes, there is
a 3-step approval process at the LEA level, and a 3-step approval process at the
SEA level.
The proyammatic and financial aspects of monitoring will reside in eGAP. Specific
regulations will be observed during regularly scheduled desk audits and compliance
monitoring visits. In an effort to build capacity with the LEAS, temporary part-time
personnel will work in collaboration with the LEAs on premonitoring activities. The
SEA process will consist of developing a template to assist LEAS with self-
monitoring of federal relief fitnds to ensure compliance with regulations. The
process will include data collection and monitoring for implementation as well as
impact,
37
Appendix A: School Operating Status and Instructional Mode Data Template
Indicate the date or time period represented by the following data.
The data in Table 1 and 2 is reflected as of June 1, 2021.
Table 1
In the most recent time period available, how many schoolg in your State offered each
mode of instruction or learning model described below? Each row should account for all
schools in your State, so that, for each row, the sum of the numbers in the "offered to all
students," "offered to some students," and "not offered" columns is equal to the number in
the "all schools" column.
Number of All schools Offered to all Offered to Not offered
schools students some students
Remote or 1387
online only
School 1387
buildings open
with both
remote/online
and in-person
instruction
(hybrid)
School 0
buildings
open with
ålll„time
inuperson
instruction
To the extent data are available, please complete the above table for 1) all schoolg in the
State, and 2) separately for each instructional level (e.g., pre-kindergarten/elementuy
schools, middle schools, high schools).
As of the 4th Nine Weeks (the final attendance period), 100% of all distlicts and
schools in the state offered in-person instruction. The SBA does not currently collect
student level data concerning remote/online, hybrid or in-person instruction at the
student level. LEAS submit to the SEA the percentage of students per LEA involved
in the various forms of instluction delivery and that information is eurently posted and
available on the SEA's website at the Insåuctional Delivegy Mode link.
The data currently collected is in the aggregate and cannot be disaggregated by
subpopulation. The SEA is working within the new SIS that will be frilly operational
in August of 2021 to include such information so an LEA can see in real-time student
level data pertaining to the instructional delivery mode. That data will lead to greater
38
analysis of assessment data, both formative within the LEA and summative at the
SEA level to
drive focused improvements among our subpopulations in gap closing. Once the new data
set is available in the fall, the SEA will post the data by subpopulation,
Table 2
In the most recent time period ava.ilable, what was the enrollment and mode of instruction for the
schools in your State?
Number of Total Remote or Both Full-time
students enrolhnent online only remote/online inperson
and in-person instruction
instruction h
brid
Students from 379,518 Data Not Data Not Data Not
low-income Available* Avallab'e* Ava llable*
families
White, not 430,473 # Data Not Data Not Data Not
Hispanic Available* Available* Available*
Black or 243,498 Date Not Data Not Data Not
African Avallable* Available* Available*
American, not
Hispanic
Hispanic, of 69,471 Data Not Data Not Data Not
any race Available* Available* Available*
Asian, not Data Not Data Not Data Not
Hispanic Avallable* Available* Available*
American 26,462 Data Not Data Not Data Not
Indian or Available* Available* Available*
Alaskan
Native, not
Hispanic
Native Data Not Date Not Data Not
Hawaiian or Available* Available* Available*
Pacific
Islander, not
Hispanic
Two or 25,815 Data Not Data Not Data Not
more races, Available* Available* Available*
not Hispanic
Race/Ethnicity 128 Data Not Data Not Data Not
information Available* Available* Available*
not available
39
English 33,655 Data Not Data Not Data Not
learners Available* Available* Available*
Children with 99,266 Data Not Data Not Data Not
disabilities Available* Available* Available*
Students 8,658 Data Not Data Not Data Not
experiencing Available* Available* Available*
homelessness
Children and 2,797 #Data Not Data Not Data Not
youth in Avallable* Available* Available*
foster care
Migratory Data Not Data Not Data Not
students Available* Available* Available*
As of the 4th Nine Weeks (the final attendance period), 100% of all districts and schools in
the state offered in-person instruction. The SEA does not currently collect student level
data concerning remote/online, hybrid or in-person instruction at the student level. LEAs
submit to the SEA the percentage of students per LEA involved in the various forms of
inså•uction delivery and that information is currently posted and. available at the
Instructional Delivery Method link.
The data currently collected is in the agyegate and cannot be disaggregated by
subpopulation, SBA is working within the new SIS that will be fully operaüonal in August of
2021 to include such information so an LEA can see in real-time student level data
pertaining to the instructional delivery mode. That data will lead to yeater analysis of
assessment data, both formative within the LEA and summative at the SEA level to drive
focused improvements among our subpopulations in gap closing, Once the new data set
available in the fall, the SBA will post the data by subpopulation.
Appendix B: Reporting Language Included in the Grant Award Notification (GGGAN")
As described in the Grant Award Notification ("GAN"), the SEA will comply with, and
ensure that its LEAs comply with, all reporting requirements at such time and in such
manner and containing such infonnation ag the Secretmy may reasonably require,
including on matters such as:
How the State is developing strategies and implementing public health protocols
including, to tho greatest extent practicable, policies and plans in line with the
CDC guidance related to mitigating COVTD„19 in schools;
Overall plans and policies related to State support for return to in-person
instruction and maximizing in-person insu•uction time, including how funds will
support a return to and maximize in-person instruction time, and advance equity
and inclusivity in participation in in-person instruction;
Data on each school's mode of instruction (fully in-person, hybrid, and fully
remote) and conditions;
40
SBA and LEA uses of funds to meet students' social, emotional, and academic
needs, including through summer enrichment programming and other evidence-
based interventions, and how they advance equity for underserved students;
SEA and LEA uses of funds to sustain and support access to early childhood education
programs;
e Impacts and outcomes (disaggegated by student subgroup) flirough use of ARP ESSER
ftnding (e.g., quantitative and qualitative results of ARP ESSER funding, including on
personnel, student learning, and budgeting at the school and district level); Student data
(disaggregated by student subgroup) related to how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected
insfruction and learning;
Requirements under the Federal Financial Accountability Transparency Act ("FFATA"); and
Additional reporting requirements as may be necessary to ensure accountability and
transparency of ARP ESSER funds.
41
Appendix C: Assurances
By signing this document, the SEA assures all of the following:
The SEA will conduct all its operations so that no person shall be excluded from participation
in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under the ARP ESSER program
or activity based on race, color, national origin, which includes a person's limited English
proficiency or English learner status and a person's actual or perceived shared ancestry or
ethnic characteristics; sex; age; or disability. These nondiscrimination obligations arise under
Federal civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. In addition, the SEA must comply with all
regulations, guidelines, and standards issued by the Department under any of these statutes;
SEA will comply with all ARP Act and other ARP ESSER requirements and all
requirements of its Grant Award Notification, including but not limited to:
Complying with the maintenance of effort provision in section 2004(a)(1) of the
ARP Act, absent a waiver by the Secretary pursuant to section 2004(a)(2) of the
ARP Act; and o Complying with the maintenance of equity provisions in section
2004(b) of the ARP Act, and ensuring its LEAs comply with the maintenance of equity
provision in section 2004(c) of the ARP Act (please note that the Department will provide
addiüonal guidance on maintenance of equity shortly);
The SEA will allocate ARP ESSER fimds to LEAs in an expedited and timely
manner and, to the extent practicable, not later than 60 days after the SEA receives
ARP ESSER funds (i.e., 60 days from the date the SEA receives each poltion of its
ARP ESSER fluids). An SEA that is not able to allocate such funds within 60 days
because it is not practicable (e.g., because of pre-existing State board approval
requirements) will provide an explanation to the Department within 30 days of
receiving each portion of its ARP ESSER ftnds (submitted via email to your Progam
Officer at
(e.g., Alabama.OESE@ed.gov)), including a description of specific actions the SEA
is taking to provide ARP ESSER funds to LEAs in an expedited and timely manner
and the SEA's expected timeline for doing so;
The SEA will implement evidence-based interventions as required under section 2001 (f) of
the ARP Act and ensure its LEAS implement evidence-based interventions, as required by
section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act; e The SEA will address the disproportionate impact of
the COVID-19 pandemic on underserved students (i.e., students from low-income families,
students from racial or ethnic groups identifying disparities and focusing on cmderserved
student groups by race or ethnicity), gender (e.g., identiMng disparities and focusing on
underserved student groups by gender), English learners, children with disabilities, students
experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students), as
required under section 2001 (f) of the ARP Act, and ensure its LEAs address the
disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on underserved students (i.e., students
from low-income families, students from racial or ethnic groups, gender, English learners,
children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and
youth in foster care, and migratory students), as required by section 2001 (e)(l) of the ARP
Act; and
42
The SEA will provide to the Department: (1) the URL(s) where the public can readily find
data on school operating status and (2) the URL(s) for the SEA and/or LEA websites where
the public can find the LEA plans for a) the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity
of services required under section 2001 (i) of the ARP Act, and b) use of ARP BSSER funds.
SEAs should consider ensuring a standardized URL format in all cases (e.g.,
xxx.gov/COVIDplan).
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