More Detail on Governor's COVID-19 Education Relief Package.  I wrote briefly last week about how the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will be distributing $132 million in COVID-19 relief funds that are available to the state through the American Relief Plan (ARP) that was passed at the Federal level in March.  Here are the major funding areas of the MDE plan with the dollar amounts attached to each program within each funding area.

Learning Recovery--$66 million

There are no specific programs mentioned in this funding category, but the plan states that the funds will go directly to public schools to support historically underserved students (HUS) with particular emphasis on students receiving special education services.  Funding from this category may mesh with the special education recovery language that was passed by the Legislature as part of the omnibus education finance and policy bill.  Districts receiving revenue must select evidenced-based strategies from the MDE-identified list in addressing student needs and aligned to the MDE priority list for learning recovery referenced here,  Schools are encouraged to engage community-based partnerships in meeting student needs.

After School Programs--$13.2 million

MDE will allocate funds to Ignite Afterschool to provide grants to community organizations and culturally-specific community organizations to deliver evidence-based after school programming.  

Summer Enrichment--$13.2 million

MDE will allocate funds for grant distribution with 50% of the funds going to community organizations and 50% going to culturally-specific community organizations.

School Support--$26 million

• $5 million for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)*
• $5 million for Full Service Community Schools*
• $4 million dedicated to expanding rigorous coursework for underserved students*
• $3 million for trauma-informed/anti-bias instructional practices training.*
• $3 million for non-exclusionary discipline training*
• $2 million for Life Skills/Transition Programs
• $2 million for teacher mentoring for new staff
• $1.5 million for ParentChild+ and Reach Out and Read.
• $500,000 Tribal/State Relations Training for public school leaders.

*Included in some form in the Governor's original budget recommendations but either not passed or funded at the level recommended by the Governor in the omnibus education funding and policy bill.

State Support--$13.6 million

• $6 million to prioritize data disaggregation
• $2 million to provide for a public engagement division in MDE that will support public school efforts to provide translated materials for families
• $2 million to provide non-grant administrative related supports attributable to needs arising from COVID

I have not accounted for all of the revenue here and more details will be forthcoming from MDE in the month ahead.  I know that they are planning a set of webinars and while those should be well-publicized by MDE, I will certainly follow up with notice on the blog.

The curtain has come down on the legislative session, but there's a lot to explain regarding the omnibus education funding and policy bill and the Governor's most recent initiative related to distribution of the ARP funds.  Feel free to contact me with questions or comments.