From Nebraska to Ohio, The American Rescue Plan is Helping Educators & Students Get Back on Track

As school districts finish out the year and start preparing for the next, local news outlets across the country are full of reports about educators receiving a boost to get students back on track, thanks to President Biden and Democrats’ American Rescue Plan. The package — which passed without a single Republican vote — provides significant investments to fill the gaps created by the pandemic, makes needed technology improvements, and provides long overdue teacher pay increases. Keep reading to learn more on how aid from the American Rescue Plan is going to make a significant difference for students and educators across the country.

In Indiana: KPVI: Former Indiana GOP schools chief changes party affiliation to Democratic 

“I know there are Republican voters across Indiana who believe in the ideas to fully fund our public schools and provide our educators the quality of life they deserve, but I have some advice for them: it’ll be the Indiana Democrats — not Republican elected officials — who’ll get it done.”

She noted Indiana schools would not be receiving $2 billion in federal funds to speed their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic without Democratic President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Likewise, most of the additional money available for teacher pay hikes and other local education needs in the new state budget also would not be there absent the federal aid.

In Nebraska: KTIV: Norfolk Public Schools receiving $6.5M in COVID-19 relief from American Rescue Plan

Norfolk Public Schools is receiving $6.5 million in COVID-19 relief from the American Rescue Plan. The district will be using the money for a number of needs.

The state is requiring at least 20% of the funds must be used toward interventions for students because of learning gaps caused by difficulties during the pandemic. The rest will go items such as technology replacement and improvements, facility issues, capital improvements, and staff.

In Iowa: Iowa Capital Dispatch: Iowa schools to use $774.5M in federal aid to improve literacy, achievement gaps 

Iowa state education officials laid out plans for spending $774.5 million in federal aid from the American Rescue Plan, including efforts to address a drop in student literacy. 

The pandemic-related aid is aimed at elementary and secondary schools, part of a $122 billion effort nationwide. 

In Ohio: Ohio Capital Journal: Ohio to use Rescue Plan education dollars for crisis preparation, combatting student drop-off

The U.S. Office of Elementary & Secondary Education awarded states funding as part of the American Rescue Plan’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER). Ohio was allotted $4.4 billion under the plan, two-thirds of which it received on March 24 of this year.

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