Results of Covid Recovery Discussion

During my School Committee training, it was recommended to go into a vote with an open mind and to make the decision in the meeting. So surprise - even to me ... I voted yes on the COVID Recovery Memo. (7-0-0 passage). 

I asked questions and I heard the things that I needed to hear the administration say about the use of the funds. Link to Pegasus - June 14th video.

Current COVID Recovery Plan - includes monies rolled over from FY21 and ESSERS

(see tab 2 on this sheet.)   

Full disclosure, I apologized to Mr. Luff, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, after the meeting for observing that it was difficult to know what the actual positions suggested were... in real time, I learned that they were both in a 2nd tab put into the spreadsheet (above) and in a memo he created and was imbedded in the slides. I missed the link!

Also, parents/families requested in this meeting, and in letters to our committee, that the district develop a thorough and timely funding strategy to respond to the needs that our literacy audit illuminates and that the Department of Ed's guidelines around dyslexia have set forth. At this point, the administration has determined that one time funds are not the place to address the long term solutions that are needed in this area. Thus, the work begins to integrate the necessary changes within literacy into the Natick Public Schools budget in the future. 

I heard these things during the meeting: 

1) The positions (see above) are temporary - for one year.

2) The Administration is going to produce a document to indicate any positions that are recommended to remain beyond this funding source so that our committee and community can understand the impact on the FY23 budget or any future budgets when the grant has expired or been fully spent. (We have until 2024 to spend the ESSERS III money (about $1.1mm). 

3) The administration expects that these plans may shift in the coming months and even years. When there is a change, the School's leadership team will bring it back to the committee.

4) Natick's ESSERS III implementation plan will be posted and public comment about the proposed spending will be collected. Stakeholders, like families within the district, will have a chance to give feedback.

5) If that feedback shows public desires for different prioritizations of these funds, adjustments will be made. Further, the Superintendent is confident that we are following the grant's guidelines by seeking public comment at that point in the process. (Before I heard this, I was hesitant to vote something that happened without "robust stakeholder engagement as is described in the grant.) 

6) As a town, we are slatted to receive an additional $10mm in federal funds. The School Administration is working with the Town Administration to understand if some of those funds will come to the schools.

 (Click here to open the slide.)

Happy Last Week of School!  As always, reach out if you have any thoughts to share!