Over the last few years, the Dayton Public School District has received COVID-relief funds from the federal government. These funds, often referred to as “ESSER” funds (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) or “ARP” funds (American Rescue Plan), have been used to keep students and staff safe during the pandemic, and to help students catch up academically after a period of disrupted learning in 2020 and 2021. There were several rounds of funding for K12 schools, denoted by ESSER I, II or III below.

To keep the community informed about the district’s ongoing use of COVID-relief funds, regular reports will be shared on the district’s website throughout the lifetime of the funds. ESSER I funds expire in September of 2022, ESSER II funds expire in September of 2023, and ESSER III funds expire in September of 2024. 

In August 2022, the district expended the following: 

*Please note: salaries and benefits for double teachers, SROs and paraprofessionals are listed twice because ESSER II funded the first payroll of the month and ESSER III funded the second payroll of the month. 

 

ESSER I – $5,646.96

These funds were spent on Catapult Learning (non-public) and classroom supplies.

Non-public schools received an allocation of ESSER I funding, which is why non-public purchases appear in this report.

More information about Catapult Learning

Catapult Learning is a tutoring service that many non-public schools are choosing to spend their ESSER funds on. This particular expenditure is for St. Charles School.

More information about classroom supplies

This classroom supplies purchase included books for the Wogaman library and various supplies for Holy Angels School.

 

 

ESSER II – $778,127.72

These funds were spent on salaries and benefits for Double Teachers, Security Resource Officers and Paraprofessionals. Funds also went toward the Perfection Group and First Student Transportation (final invoice).

More information about the Perfection Group

The Perfection Group was hired to upgrade the BAS (Building Automation Systems) at Wright Brothers Middle School and Ruskin Elementary School. These upgrades will bring the system controls up to modern standards. These BAS upgrades are part of a larger, three-phase HVAC upgrade. At this time, the Ruskin system upgrade is approximately 75% complete and the Wright Brothers system upgrade is approximately 95% complete. 

More information about First Student Transportation

The district used First Student to provide yellow bus transportation to all eligible charter and parochial students during the 2021-2022 school year. 

More information about Double Teachers

An important part of the district’s recovery plan includes a double teaching model in 1st-3rd grade. Under this model, there are two teachers in each classroom, with one specializing in math and one specializing in literacy. The class is divided and the teachers teach to one half of the class simultaneously. At the end of the lesson, the teachers switch places and teach to the other group of students. 

A major benefit of this model is reduced class size, which allows for more individualized attention. Teachers can spend more time working one-on-one with students, which helps close learning gaps. 

Double teachers also collaborate more frequently and can coordinate their lesson plans to make the day more engaging for students. The smaller class sizes also increase student engagement overall because students are working in smaller groups with fewer distractions. 

The district hired 96 additional teachers for double teaching classrooms. At this time, preliminary data shows that double teachers are having an impact and are helping to close learning gaps. If this model proves to be successful, the district will consider continued funding after the federal COVID-relief funds are gone.

 

 

ESSER III – $1,197,009.64

These funds went toward the final First Student invoice (see more information above), RTA bus passes, and salaries and benefits for double teachers, Security Resource Officers and paraprofessionals. 

More information about RTA bus passes

High schools are providing monthly RTA bus passes to students who need them during the 2022-2023 school year. More information about RTA busing for 9th-12th grade students can be found here.

Another COVID-relief spending update will be published next month. Read more about the district’s Recovery Plan here.