With Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds that have been essential to local educational agencies’ efforts to support students’ mental health and academic needs running dry, a report by EdTrust calls on state leaders to take stock of what worked and prioritize using other funds for programs that will most equitably benefit students.
The report, How to Prioritize Funding for Students’ Social, Emotional, and Academic Development, notes that while mental health was a concern for LEAs prior to the pandemic, nearly all students experienced worsened mental health and well-being — with documented disparities based on race and ethnicity, LGBTQ identity and other factors.
“Some students, including students of color, students from low-income households, or of LGBTQ+ identity, faced greater mental health challenges during the pandemic, and it’s essential that school leaders, when dealing with budget constraints, recognize those needs,” said Nancy Duchesneau, senior P-12 research manager at EdTrust and the report’s co-author. “Evidence-based investments in students’ social, emotional, and academic development are vital to support not only individual students’ growth but boost the performance of schools overall.”
ESSER funds have already been spent in a variety of ways, according to the report. Common themes among states included funding to overhaul disciplinary practices, provide wraparound services and professional development, and improve student, family and community engagement.
California was lauded as an example of improving access to rigorous and culturally sustaining curricula for setting aside funding for accelerated learning opportunities including summer classes and high-dosage tutoring aligned to state standards.
“Targeted interventions include programs that provide specific support and services for multilingual learners, students with disabilities, homeless students, foster youth, and other at-risk learners,” according to the report. “The state has enrichment opportunities that include programs designed to give students the opportunity to try new things and explore and develop interests outside of the classroom. The state has ensured there are professional learning opportunities for teachers to review data to identify specific gaps in knowledge and skills.”
The California Department of Education was also cited positively for increasing teacher training and resources in subjects such as anti-bias strategies, environmental literacy, ethnic studies and LGBTQ cultural competency, and for creating a guide with resources for effectively using American Rescue Plans (ARP) to support homeless youth — with an emphasis on outreach strategies for staff support, engagement and re-engagement with students and families, and coordination with community partners.
The report calls on state leaders to consider other funding sources, like Title I aid as they seek ways to continue providing mental health support to students, and to make sure that all decisions on whether to continue or cut programs are made equitably.
States should prioritize funding programs and opportunities that holistically support students’ needs, according to the report. Recommendations include:
- Implementing evidence-based strategies and structures for school safety and discipline
- Ensuring teachers have skills to continue supporting students through professional development
- Investing in wraparound supports to meet students’ needs
- Building and strengthening family and community engagement
- Adopting curricula that is both rigorous and reflective of students’ diverse backgrounds, experiences and interests
