There have been a lot of changes and adjustments when the Coronavirus pandemic hits the whole world. The education sector is one of the biggest divisions that was affected and the government did whatever they could to support this sector.
ESSER Funds
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) is a funding included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of the US Government which was passed in March of 2020. But in December 2020, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act added over 53 billion dollars to a second ESSER fund with an application deadline of September 20, 2022. Following this, the American Rescue Plan became law in March of 2021, providing an additional $126 billion in ESSER III funding which has a deadline until 30th of September 2023.
Utilizing the ESSER Funds
The ESSER funds can be used for a lot of educational needs. As stated from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, educational demands such as technology hardware, software, assessment and instructional materials, professional development, and a whole lot more. With this statement, ESSER funds can be requested for robotic kits for students as well as professional development for teachers. ESSER II and III specifically identify the need to remediate learning loss amongst learners as well as educators.
STEM learning is critical for students of all ages and great companies such as Robolink Inc. can provide a great line of educational robotics and standards-aligned curriculum to meet the needs of all students. With its mission to make STEM education accessible, engaging and fun for all, Robolink Inc. can make fun and approachable robotics kits that bring computer science to life and teach real industry competency which is a skill needed for the 21st century.
Needs to know about ESSER Funding Application
In order to receive ESSER funding, the Local Education Agencies (LEAs) must apply for funding from their State Educational Agencies (SEAs). Keep in mind that each SEA has a different policy to follow so make sure that you refer to the right state’s SEA for specific rules and procedures in order to qualify for the funding.
First thing you need to do is to identify your needs. Have a meeting with the teachers and educators who want to enhance their STEM learning and use robotics kits. Start by asking the number of students and teachers who will be using the kits and what will be the ratio of each robotic kit per student.
Secondly, you can go to the website https://www.robolink.com/pages/our-products to view some of the products you can use for STEM learning. For more information on the products and services, you can navigate through the site and see a wide array of products, lessons and even meet the community where you can learn and interact with. A quote for schools can also be requested and a Purchase Order can be used to place the order here. See the full information here: https://www.robolink.com/pages/purchase-order
You may also want to get the support of the school’s administration. The school’s LEA will need to request from the SEA. In short, seek support from the school and district head for this smart move and endeavor. Once you have received support from LEA administration and settled all your needs, your LEA will send your ESSER funding request to the SEA and they will be the one to take it from there. You should also be aware of the deadlines they will have because ESSER funds will only be available until the date they’ve set for the deadline.
Review and begin with these steps as early as possible so that you’ll get to enjoy, learn and bridge the learning gaps for students and even for teachers alike.
References:
https://www.robolink.com/pages/our-products
https://connect.org/company/robolink/
https://oese.ed.gov/files/2020/05/ESSER-Fund-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf
https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/cr/esser.asp
