Kenosha Public Schools has received a total of $72.5 million in state and federal stimulus funding. The money consists of four sources: the Governor‘s Emergency Education Relief, federal Elementary, the state’s Emergency Education Relief, and Secondary School Emergency Relief.
The very first two national tranches, as well as state funds, have already been allocated to Unified. The final payment, worth around $45 million, has yet to be distributed. The town’s congressional committees met last month saying how to spend the money from the final federal tranche. “ESSER III is the one who needs us to seek some community input, and that’s when the response process began,” she explained.
The Collaboration
The district collaborates with neighborhood non-profits like Building Our Tomorrow to organize city hall meetings to get more public input. The strategy for ESSER III financial expenditures, she said, would be reported to the board in May, reports Kenosha News.
The area has until September 2024 to spend probably the rest of federal funds from the final allocation. Hamdan confirmed that he is aware of stories circulating in the public that the area is receiving a $45 million cheque.
The Learning Loss
“No, that isn’t it. The ($44.8 million) has been given to us. He stated, “We haven’t even begun spending some money yet.” “That will begin the following fiscal year.” In fact, the region would be the one to spend first, with the grant covering the rest.
ESSER III includes a requirement that 20% of the funds be spent on “learning loss,” as determined by research, and that is relevant to the epidemic.
Ormseth regarded the stimulus money as a “bridge” to redefining the district’s magnitude and future expansion. Kenosha Unified is soliciting community input about how to best use stimulus funding.
