Marion County Schools Community:
The American Rescue Plan (Round 3 of federal funding) is providing $20,444,030.34 to Marion County Schools to support Learning Recovery and Innovation, Health and Safety, and Infrastructure needs for students and staff. The period of availability of funds is March 13, 2020 through September 30, 2024 with the required set asides for Learning Loss, Summer Enrichment, After-School Programs, and additional needs associated with the reduction of virus transmission (i.e. HVAC, updates and supports tied to reduction of transmission of the virus).
The process to budget for these areas and the 3 previous rounds of funding began with a series of meetings with stakeholders for Marion County Schools at the Board Offices including input from Local School Improvement Committee reports, report outs from round table discussions with school leadership team representation, principals from all schools, union leaders, and other stakeholder groups to determine their needs to address the impacts COVID had on our students over the past 14 months. In addition, data from a variety of sources was reviewed and a survey was distributed to parents through our social media platform and website in July 2021.
A plan was put together and shared with our local board on July 9 and July 19, 2021. A presentation was shared with the WVDE on July 19, 2021, where Marion County Schools was given permission to begin the process of expenditures of these funds. See this presentation here.
One requirement of the American Rescue Plan is to receive feedback from the public during a 30-day comment period. We are opening that period on July 22, 2021 at 4 PM. It will close on August 21, 2021 at 4 PM. We would greatly appreciate your feedback.
Dr. Donna Hage, Superintendent
Marion County Schools