• AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Grant

     

    On Thursday, March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act was signed into law. It is an unprecedented $1.9 trillion package of assistance measures, including $122 billion for the ARP Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund. Funds are provided to State educational agencies and school districts to help safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Nation’s students.

     

    The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will provide Pennsylvania with $5 billion in emergency funding to support the long-term work of education recovery. Career and Technology Centers (CTCs), in addition to Intermediate Units (IUs), APSs, PRRIs, A-TSI-designated schools, Chartered Schools for the Deaf and Blind, and Educational Programs for Neglected, Delinquent, and At-Risk Youth are eligible to receive a share of part of the 10% Pennsylvania state set-aside ($135 Million) ARP ESSER funds.

     

    Visit American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund for more information on the state of Pennsylvania’s ARP ESSER Plan.

     

    Summary of the STC PROPOSED Plan for the Use of ARP ESSER Funds  STC ARP ESSER Funding Plan Input

     

    ARP ESSER requires that LEAs (Local Education Agencies) develop, approve, and make public an LEA Plan for the Use of ARP ESSER funds. LEAs will be able to satisfy the LEA Plan requirement through the PDE eGrants submission. Below is a summary of STC’s proposed plan (The CTC Plan for the Use of ARP ESSER Funds must be made publicly available on the CTC website and submitted to PDE within 90 days of LEA receipt of ARP ESSER funding):

     

    Continuity of Services

    STC proposes to use ARP ESSER funds to sustain services to address students’ academic needsÍž students’ and staff social, emotional, and mental health needsÍž and student nutrition and food services in the following ways:

    • Purchase and installation of new UPS Battery Backup Devices for our wireless network to sustain services to address students' academic needs and support the continuity of education

     

    Access to Instruction

    STC proposes to use ARP ESSER funds to support the goals of increasing opportunity to learn and equity in instructional delivery in the following ways:

    • Purchase and incorporation of a new Pull Behind Trailer for outdoor Carpentry Program instructional use at the STC North Campus
    • Purchase and incorporate the Allen Bradley PLC Electrical Training System Device and Software for self-paced student use in the Electro-Mechanical program
    • Purchase and incorporate the Allen Bradley Electrical Training System Device and Software for self-paced student use in the Electro-Mechanical program
    • Purchase and incorporate the Tool and You Curriculum Software License for Welding and Precision Machining Programs self-paced student learning

     

    Mitigation Strategies

    STC proposes to use ARP ESSER funds to support prevention and mitigation policies in line with the most up-to-date guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the reopening and operation of school facilities and transportation services to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff in the following ways:

    • Purchase and installation of new touchless soap dispensers
    • Purchase and installation of new touchless paper towel dispensers
    • Purchase and installation of new touchless faucets
    • Purchase and installation of new food services dishwasher
    • Purchase and installation of new milk coolers

     

    Facilities Improvements

    STC proposes to use ARP ESSER funds to repair and improve school facilities to reduce risk of virus transmission, address environmental health hazards, and/or improve ventilation

    • Abatement of asbestos and replacing the flooring in the Residential Industrial Electricity learning Classroom at the South Campus
    • Abatement of asbestos and replacing the flooring in the South Campus Carpentry learning classroom
    • Installation of a new hallway ceiling
    • Installation of a new HVAC system at the STC North and South Theory Labs
    • Installation of a new HVAC system Automated Controllers at the STC North and South Theory Labs

     

    Other,

    • STC proposes to use ARP ESSER funds to stabilize and support the educator workforce and to support the conditions that will allow schools to return to in-person instruction through the use funds to pay Source for Teachers for school building substitutes at the STC Campuses.

     

    Our Planning Team

    STC has a core leadership team that includes the Intermediate Unit Executive Director, Director of CTE & Assistant Executive Director, Assistant Directors of CTE, Grant Writer, Maintenance Supervisor, IT Coordinator, Social Worker, School Counselor, and the Assistant Director of Special Education.

     

    Engaging Stakeholders in Plan Development

    STC has developed a plan to engage stakeholders in meaningful consultation regarding the use of ARP ESSER funds. In order to identify stakeholders, STC considered the individuals and organizations that STC already engages through the Perkins V Comprehensive Needs Assessment and Comprehensive Planning processes. STC currently works with individuals through occupational advisory boards, sector partnerships, community groups, student organizations and other structures. Stakeholders participating in the STC Perkins V Local Needs Assessment and Comprehensive Plan participated in the ARP ESSER funding plan. The STC Perkins Stakeholder Committee includes a diverse group including: CTE program representatives at the secondary and postsecondary levels, teachers, faculty, administrators, career guidance and advisement professionals, and other staff, state or local workforce development board representatives, representatives from a range of local businesses and industries, parents and students, representatives of special populations, agencies serving at-risk, homeless and out-of-school youth.

     

    Planning Timeline

    Project Period: 3/13/20 – 9/30/24

    Planning Period 7/1/2021-11/30/2021

    Step 1: Discovery Phase, including Stakeholder Input and Review of Plan

    Step 2: Budget Allocation Planning

    Step 3: Program Planning and Implementation

    Step 4: Measure for Success (ongoing)