Words from the Director

Dr. Pam Deering, CCOSA/OASA Executive Director

deering@ccosa.org

The transition from 2020 to 2021 sure brightened my spirits! Yes, we have the same issues and challenges now that we had last year. But we’ve gained some powerful new advantages, too.

First, we have developed a solid system for swiftly getting vaccines into the arms of Oklahomans. We’re currently in the throes of Phase 2, working to vaccinate about 600,000 folks age 65 and older. We’re catching some education personnel in that group – teachers, administrators and support staff ages 65+. We all want to see more vaccines in the state so we can make sure those already vaccinated get their booster dose on time, add vulnerable folks under 65 to the mix of those getting their prime vaccine and then move on to school personnel at the end of Phase 2. We are truly thankful for the hope the vaccine represents. Second, after much waiting and debating, we’re getting a second, larger round of federal stimulus dollars. Those federal dollars help a lot as school districts received a $200 per weighted student loss in State Aid this year. With those federal dollars our districts can better address the many long-term student needs arising from the pandemic. The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) provided this second round of stimulus funds to Oklahoma public schools in the amount of $665,038,753. Both the first and second rounds of COVID-related stimulus funds are provided through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, known now as ESSER 1 and ESSER 2. Districts can use the new ESSER 2 funds for all the same purposes defined in ESSER 1, along with these three additional areas:

1. Addressing learning loss among students of the local education agency, including low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care, including by...

■ Administering and using high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable, to accurately assess students’ academic progress and assist educators in meeting students’ academic needs, including through differentiating instruction.

■ Implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students.

■ Providing information and assistance to parents and families on how they can effectively support students, including in a distance learning environment.

■ Tracking student attendance and improving student engagement in distance education.

2. School facility repairs and improvements to enable operation of schools to reduce risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards, and to support student health needs.

3. Inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, replacement, and upgrade projects to improve the indoor air quality in school facilities, including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, filtering, purification and other air cleaning, fans, control systems, and window and door repair and replacement.

CCOSA has developed a guidance document about “Maximizing ESSER Funds” to help clarify some of the questions you may have about allowable expenses under the new ESSER funding. You can find that document here. Please contact your federal legislators to express your gratitude for the ESSER 2 funding. Share your longrange budget plan and explain how your district will use these funds over the next two and a half years. We may be asking the same legislators to consider a third round of funding before too long. Your district’s experience, personalized with individual student stories, will be compelling listening for our federal delegation.

Finally, I know you’re thinking ahead to the summer, the 2021-22 school year and beyond, pondering and planning how to rebuild, reenergize and heal. This is where one more advantage will help us get through - that we always have each other, and we’ll do this together. We are also planning about how we can better serve you. We’re here to help you, now and with whatever the future holds.

With love and support from all of us at CCOSA,

Dr. Pam Deering and the CCOSA Team