Elba City Schools will use the ARP ESSER funding to provide both after-school and summer learning programs to help prevent and mitigate learning loss. We will continue to use this funding to make improvements to the system to ensure a safe in-person learning environment (updates to water fountains and common areas for a safer environment). We will continue to improve the air quality throughout all facilities (HVAC, air purifiers, and spraying facilities daily after hours for the safety of students/faculty). 

Elba City Schools will utilize these funds to hire personnel for true intervention during the school year as well as the personnel needed for after-school and summer learning programs. All personnel for these programs will be focused on learning gaps that must be addressed.

Some of the funds will be used for parental and family involvement to communicate information and keep our community informed of procedures and guidelines to safely remain in school with in-person learning.

Elba City Schools has continuously looked at all the programs involved with intervention to make the best selection for the needs of our students specifically. These program include all areas regardless the students background. Using the programs AimsWeb, Spire, Renaissance Learning materials, Read Naturally and 95% Group Phonics we have programs throughout that fit the needs of any student. The programs being used are evidence based. S.P.I.R.E program is researched and time tested and a successful, multisensory reading and language program. AIMSWeb is also a researched-based screening and progress monitoring system used to efficiently and quickly assess students' reading skills. Renaissance Learning materials have also had significant positive impacts on reading achievement during three experimental studies. And both Read Naturally and 95% Group Phonics show that they meet the ctriteria for the levels of evidence based material to be used for intervention. All of this is to mitigate the learning loss from COVID-19. We will address the learning loss of of all groups including each major racial and ethnic group, children from low-income families, children with disabilities, English Learners, gender, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care) and those who are particularly impacted disproportionately by the COVID-19 pandemic?

Elba City Schools takes all barriers very seriously and when one arises it will be addressed immediately. As we have looked at the use of funds all materials that will be purchased they will have an impact on all students throughout Elba City Schools system. 

We will provide professional development training for staff and teachers to improve K-3 Early Literacy. This training is to ensure students are reading at grade level by the end of third grade. This training will provide techniques to ensure that all students not matter gender, race, national origin, disability or age are denied help to ensure proper grade level reading.

We will provide equitable access to and participation in all programs funded by ARP ESSER for students, teacher, and other program beneficiaries.

Elba City Schools is budgeting in ARP ESSER funds for the addition of an accounting clerk to assist the CSFO in purchasing, accounts payable, and monitoring of these funds. An annual external audit will be completed as usual by an independent CPA firm, as well as, an internal audit performed by the CSFO. This will be done to ensure that proper internal controls are in place and are working effectively. ESSER revenues and expenditures will be reported to the board members and community monthly at the public board meetings along with being posted to the system's district website. 

Elba City Schools will continue to have information printed for the community to understand things happening at school as well as using all social media sites to help communicate. As well as, we will host family nights at the schools to promote family engagement throughout this process as long as it is safe time to do so. If needed we will break the family nights into smaller groups to ensure we can bring them in and teach them about things at the school. Specifically, the main nights would be focused on the new math curriculum as well as new ELA curriculum. There will also be family activities at the school involving Science, Agriculture, Welding, and the Arts.