In response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Stockton Unified School District has been actively utilizing the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds it received from the federal government since March 2020. The interim Chief Business Official, Joann Juarez, recently presented an overview of how the district has allocated the $242 million in relief money during a study session this week.
The ESSER funds were intended to aid schools in addressing the impacts of the pandemic, with over $190 billion distributed to school districts and educational institutions nationwide in three rounds during 2020 and 2021. Stockton Unified received $15 million from ESSER I in March 2020, $70 million from ESSER II in December 2020, and a substantial sum of $156.7 million from ESSER III in March 2021.
According to Juarez, the funds were mandated to be spent on various aspects of students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. The final round of funding required 80% of the money to be allocated for "strategies for continuous and safe in-person learning" and 20% for "addressing the impact of lost instructional time."
The first two rounds of ESSER funds have already been fully utilized, with nearly $85 million spent on enrichment learning, cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment, student nutrition, instructional materials, technology, paid sick leave, and staffing. However, the district faced criticism from the San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury and the San Joaquin County Office of Education for using one-time grant money to support vital staff positions. In response, the board of trustees approved layoffs for some classified and certificated employees, totaling 19 full-time positions, and cut five director-level positions.
Despite these challenges, Susana Ramirez, Stockton Unified's Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, stated that there are still 148 positions funded with one-time grant money, impacting eight of the nine unions in the district. The district plans to address this issue by moving these positions, including campus safety assistants, campus safety monitors, food service assistants, and maintenance custodians, to the general fund in the 2024-2025 school year once the grant money expires.
One contentious issue that garnered scrutiny was the allocation of $6.6 million in ESSER funds for disinfectant air filter technology. The California Department of Education deemed this expenditure unallowable, but Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez managed to negotiate with department officials to move the contract cost from COVID-19 relief funding to the district's general fund, saving the district from losing more than $12 million.
Currently, Stockton Unified still has $32 million in COVID-19 relief funds that must be spent by September 30, 2024, or returned to the federal government. Tiffany Ashworth, the administrator of state and federal programs, revealed that the remaining funds will be allocated to various projects and school sites across the district. Notably, ESSER III funds will be used to revamp student athletic programs at the district's comprehensive high schools and invest in performing arts programs at multiple school sites.
All big-ticket expenditures planned for the remaining funds require approval from both the school board and the Department of Education before being funded by ESSER money.
As the deadline for utilizing the relief funds approaches, Stockton Unified is committed to addressing student needs while ensuring transparency and accountability in the allocation of these critical resources. The district is determined to make the most of the available funds to support the academic, social, and emotional well-being of its students during these unprecedented times.
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