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Dear Colleagues:
On Friday, July 9, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools.
The updated guidance reiterates the importance of safe, in-person schooling in the fall of 2021. The CDC is encouraging schools and districts to develop safe re-opening plans that include masking and social distancing for unvaccinated individuals, regular COVID-19 testing and the promotion of widespread vaccination.
At this time, local decisions related to COVID-19 prevention strategies during the 2021-2022 school year remain with your districts. The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) you and your school leaders to review the updated CDC guidance and use it to inform your decision making.
DPH will provide additional guidance in the coming days and we will be sharing it with you.
Kind regards,
Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.
Commissioner & Chief Learner
Update on ARP ESSER Plans (Repeat of Information from the Tuesday Email on July 6)
In accordance with new expectations from the U.S. Department of Education (USED), districts are required to complete three application components before receiving ARP ESSER Funds. The three components are:
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Safe Return to In-person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan: This plan outlines how the district will seek to promote the health and safety of students and continue to provide high-quality services to students should there be a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan can be a continuation of existing reopening plans created during the 2020-21 school year. The plan must be posted to the district website by July 31, 2021.
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ARP ESSER LEA Plan: The ARP ESSER LEA Plan outlines how the district will use its ARP ESSER funds. ARP ESSER plans must include a description of:
- The extent to which and how funds will be used to implement prevention and mitigation strategies consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on reopening schools;
- How the local education agency (LEA) will use funds to address the academic impact of lost instructional time through the implementation of evidence-based interventions;
- How the LEA will spend the remainder of its funds; and
- How the LEA will ensure that interventions address the academic impact of lost instructional time and respond to the academic, social, emotional and mental health needs of all students. Additionally, plans must include relevant citations for each evidence-based practice listed in the plan, a description of how the district conducted meaningful consultation with the required stakeholders and how they took stakeholder feedback into account when crafting the plan. In accordance with new requirements for the USED, districts must submit this plan to KDE by July 31, 2021. Plans may be submitted via email to: kdearpesser@education.ky.gov. Plans will be reviewed by Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) staff for completion and compliance. Plans that do not include each of the aforementioned components will be returned to the district for revision.
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GMAP Spending Plan and Assurances: The GMAP Spending Plan and Assurances are a KDE requirement that districts must complete to properly access and track their ARP ESSER funds. The assurances include a listing of the required actions a district must implement throughout the life of the grant. The spending plan includes a detailed budget. The spending plan and assurances must be completed in GMAP by Aug. 31, 2021.
Questions related to the Safe Return to In-person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan and ARP ESSER LEA Plan can be directed to Matthew Courtney. Questions related to the GMAP Spending Plan and Assurances can be directed to Thelma Hawkins.
FCC Funding for Wi-Fi on School Buses
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a funding opportunity through the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) to cover broadband connections for off campus use by school students and staff, among others. In May the FCC expanded this funding to include Wi-Fi hotspots on school buses.
Schools may apply for funding for purchases made between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Applicants must certify the support is for eligible equipment or services for students and/or staff who would otherwise lack access to connected devices and/or broadband sufficient to engage in remote learning.
The opportunity includes a maximum of $250 per Wi-Fi hotspot and $400 per connected device. Applicants should be prepared to explain their selections, eligibility and costs, as needed.
The current application period will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 13, 2021. There is a total of $7.17 billion in available funding under this program, which was created by the American Rescue Plan of 2021. If there are remaining funds after this round, the FCC will hold a second round during which applicants can seek funding for eligible purchases made between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021.
Schools must have an active FCC registration number and a SAM.gov registration account or apply for those before submitting the application. For more information, including FAQs and a link to the application portal, go to www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org.
Please consult with the districts CIOs/technology leaders for guidance and considerations.
FY22 Consolidated GMAP Application
The FY22 Consolidated GMAP Application is now open and due Aug. 31. Allocations in GMAP are preliminary for the 2021-2022 school year. The FY22 allocations are available on the Federal Grants webpage. Final allocations will be released in the fall upon receipt of final notification from the U.S. Department of Education.
For more information, contact the following:
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