Cori Bush Announces Distribution of American Rescue Plan Funding for Missouri Schools and Students
ST. LOUIS, MO — Today, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) announced the United States Department of Education’s approval of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s plan for usage of American Rescue Plan funding. With the approval, the remaining $654 million of $1.96 billion in funding for K-12 schools and students that Congresswoman Bush helped secure in the American Rescue Plan Act will now be released to the state.
“For over a year St. Louis area schools have grappled with a devastating pandemic that has disrupted critical learning opportunities for our students. We must work to ensure the needs of students, teachers, support staff, and parents are met for the duration of this public health emergency and long after it ends,” said Congresswoman Cori Bush. “The American Rescue Plan has delivered billions of dollars in investments to aid our district’s recovery. The Department of Education’s approval of Missouri’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief plan is a welcomed endeavor as Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration work to address the harms of this ongoing crisis. This $1.96 billion in essential resources will undoubtedly help our schools invest in strong mitigation efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, assist in new hiring opportunities for educators, and allow us to better meet the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of our students.”
“I am excited to announce approval of Missouri’s plan,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “It is heartening to see, reflected in these state plans, the ways in which states are thinking deeply about how to use American Rescue Plan funds to continue to provide critical support to schools and communities, particularly as we enter the upcoming academic year. The approval of these plans enables states to receive vital, additional American Rescue Plan funds to quickly and safely reopen schools for full-time, in-person learning; meet students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs; and address disparities in access to educational opportunity that were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The state plans that have been submitted to the Department lay the groundwork for the ways in which an unprecedented infusion of federal resources will be used to address the urgent needs of America’s children and build back better.”
“As students, parents, and teachers across the country were faced with the unprecedented challenge of conducting school during a global pandemic, President Biden and Democrats in Congress came together this year to pass the American Rescue Plan with historic relief for our nation’s public schools,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. “With the Department of Education’s approval of Missouri’s plan, our state will now have federal resources needed to not only address the learning loss and emotional turbulence students have been burdened with since March of 2020, but to build back better than before by making substantial investments to reduce the digital divide and shore up our educator workforce. This is a critical step in helping our students, teachers, and communities recover from the pandemic, and I couldn’t be prouder to have supported the American Rescue Plan, which made these opportunities possible.”
“We’re pleased to have our state plan approved so we can continue the work of supporting schools, educators, families, and students throughout the pandemic,” said Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “Missouri teachers and leaders have worked hard throughout the last 18 months to provide students and families both the academic and personal supports they need. These additional funds mean local education agencies can continue that important, timely work.”
In March 2021, Congresswoman Bush helped secure $1.96 billion for Missouri schools and students in the American Rescue Plan — in addition to $700 million in relief for local governments in the St. Louis region.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s plan features the following priorities:
- Returning to In-Person Learning in 2021: All local education agencies (LEAs) are providing onsite instruction in the 2021-2022 school year. Students may request virtual instruction through the Missouri Online Course Access Program or other locally provided virtual education offerings.
- Safely Reopening Schools and Sustaining Safe Operations: The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MO DESE) has promoted statewide vaccination events and has collaborated with the state health agency to offer school districts a wide variety of options for COVID-19 screening testing for the 2021-2022 school year. MO DESE continues to share vaccine-related information with stakeholders and encourage local school leaders to consider vaccination of eligible students and staff as a key mitigation strategy. MO DESE continues to work with state health officials to update school reopening and operating guidance as needed.
- Addressing the Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time: Pending General Assembly spending authority, MO DESE will implement its intervention plans to leverage ARP ESSER funds. DESE intends to launch the state’s literacy initiative to ensure all children can read by the end of second grade. MO DESE will also invest in a competency-based learning pilot to reach students who have fallen behind. These efforts will be further supported by content experts who will provide added professional development opportunities to educators through the state’s nine Regional Professional Development Centers. In addition, MO DESE plans to use funds to expand access to broadband.
- Supporting the Educator Workforce: MO DESE will offer both teacher recruitment retention grants to all LEAs. The application process will include a review of local data on teacher turnover as well as strategies the LEA will implement to address their shortage areas. The grant allocation process provides additional funds to those LEAs with harder to fill positions, such as LEAs serving higher numbers of students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. ARP ESSER funds will be used to support research based strategies, including, but not limited to: strengthening the mentor program for early career teachers, utilizing culture and climate surveys to determine and address working condition issues, and providing services that address the social-emotional needs of teachers.
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Congresswoman Cori Bush sits on the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, serves as the Progressive Caucus Deputy Whip, and proudly represents St. Louis as a politivist in the halls of the United States Congress.