VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A survey on how Virginia Beach City Public Schools should spend millions in federal funds is drawing near an end.
The online survey is intended for VBCPS families, staff, and school partners. It is open through Friday, December 2 at 5 pm.
The district says that it received more than $82 million through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III fund. It’s part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). It says the funds are to be spent by the end of the 2023-2024 school year. The district says it has about $64 million remaining of those funds and that they've spent millions on upgrading school HVAC systems, purchasing personal protective equipment, and offering recruitment and retention incentives. In fact, Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence says there's an upcoming vote on December 13 on whether to offer an additional retention incentive of $1,000 to staff.
VB Schools already developed a plan in 2020, and they are now seeking additional input to determine if any changes should be made.
VBCPS say they must reserve at least 20% of funds to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions. They say those interventions will respond to students’ social, emotional, and academic needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups.
VBCPS sought input from stakeholders in the development of spending priorities in the following areas as it relates to the impacts of COVID-19 on schools:
- Learning Loss
- Prevention and Mitigation Strategies for Safe School Operation
- Academic, Social, Emotional and Mental Health
- Other areas necessary to address the impacts of COVID-19 and recovery efforts
To take the survey, click here. It will end at 5pm on December 2.
