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MSDE SEEKS INPUT FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS EMERGENCY RELIEF PLAN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

CONTACT:  lora.rakowski@maryland.gov

 

MSDE SEEKS INPUT FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS EMERGENCY RELIEF PLAN

Draft Plan Posted for Review; Survey Now Open Through July 9, 2021
to Solicit Public Comment

BALTIMORE, MD (June 29, 2021) – The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) seeks public input for its draft of the State plan for American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. The draft, along with a public comment survey, can be found at: http://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/ARP-ESSER/index.aspx.  The survey will be open for input through July 9, and MSDE will consider all feedback when finalizing the plan.

Through the ARP, the U.S. Department of Education will allocate approximately $1.95 billion to Maryland and local school systems to meet the urgent needs of schools and students in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, MSDE hosted a stakeholder meeting to renew and provide input on the plan, which addresses:

  • Accelerating student re-engagement: speeding up the return to in-person instruction for all students in the 2021-2022 school year, while also providing the necessary supports, especially in the areas of technology/broadband access and outreach, to ensure that students and parents/families remain engaged;
  • Supporting mental and social-emotional health: addressing the mental health and social-emotional learning (SEL) needs of students, particularly among underserved students most affected by the switch to remote learning, and parents/families and educators; and
  • Addressing the impact of disrupted instruction: using evidence-based strategies to lessen the impact of disrupted instruction on student learning that has occurred over the past 15 months, and supporting local school systems as they do the same.

The final plan will be presented to the Maryland State Board of Education for approval on July 27, before submission to the U.S. Department of Education on July 30.

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ARP ESSER Plan Survey Press Release 6 29 2021

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