60D Public Comment Response

Attachment B: Response to 60-day Comments

Response to Public Comments Education Stabilization Fund- Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER I/ESSER II/ARP ESSER Fund) Recipient Data Collection Form, 1810-0749
Submitter	Comment	ED Response
Name: Cynthia Bove Address: Houston, TX, 77079 Email: [email protected]	As a secondary educator, I am concerned about the ESSER fund initiative. I think that using funds to "catch" students up to prior pandemic standards is misguided. My campus expects to use their funds to provide intensive teacher training to increase student's standardized test scores. This initiatives fail to take into account that all students and their teachers are stressed to the max, and adding more trainings and data collection events will achieve the exact opposite of the original intention. We have already had two student suicides since the pandemic started. Please change course and allocate funds that will alleviate mental health struggles.	This comment does not pertain to the changes currently under review or the annual performance reporting form.
Name: Michelle Capriotti Address: Gilbert, AZ 85298 Email: [email protected]	I have been an educator since 1995 and currently teach in Arizona. I have carefully reviewed the new proposed data collection form for ESSER funds. While I agree there is a need for transparency in spending, I have concerns about the length of the new form and the information that is being required to complete this on an annual basis when quarterly reports on ESSER funds are already being filed. This revised form is 47 pages long and is estimated to take 40 hours to complete. This is equivalent to an entire workweek of a local administrator. Each local site receiving funding is required to complete the same report which impacts school systems disproportionally as some districts have significantly fewer staff members. Schools are already burdened with many additional responsibilities at this time and this added layer of reporting is another layer of stress on a system that is on the verge of collapse. Many schools in Arizona are struggling to hire and retain staff meaning those who are working are putting in additional time each day to keep schools open and functional for students. Despite copious amounts of workloads, schools in Arizona have remained open. LEAs are already tasked with the responsibility of reporting on ESSER funding so if additional data needs to be collected in order to provide transparency and statistical data, please consider ways that can reduce the amount of information being asked for in this revised form. Perhaps there is a way to consolidate the current quarterly reports so that the additional information being requested is minimal. I would also ask you to consider the types of data you are requesting for the annual report because it does not align with the current quarterly reports. This will require LEAs to go back to gather data on programs that they have not previously reported out on creating even more work. Please know that the money given to schools this year was needed and greatly appreciated. We must consider all aspects of a school community right now and how to keep all members working at their best under this stressful time. While there is information that might be "nice to have" it is more important time be dedicated to the students we have in front of us rather than on data collection that may have minimal impact on student outcomes.	The Department acknowledges concerns regarding burden; however, the Department has decided the burden is justified to collect this information. The remaining comment does not pertain to the changes currently under review.
Name: Kelsie Holt Address: United States Email: [email protected]	Thank you for your informative abstract on the proposal to revise the collection of data of the currently approved ESSER fund that provides relief to elementary and secondary schools who have been adversely impacted by the Coronavirus Disease. It is my understanding that you are proposing that the grant be revised immediately to include annual reporting requirements from beneficiaries, to report on how the funds were used, and to give states the time to collect data while the activities formed from this grant are occurring whether than after they have concluded. I would like to voice my full approval of this proposal. I believe that adhering to the requirements of the grant are necessary and that data collection is the foundation for revision and enhancement of any grant. Providing that information to the grant/fund coordinators in a timely manner is necessary. To continue, it is also necessary to know how the funds are being used to ensure that they are being utilized according to their purpose and are providing relief to recipients in a manner that is beneficial and effective. I am currently a graduate student at the University of Memphis in the Social Work program, and I am completing my field placement with Shelby County Schools (SCS) in Memphis, TN. One of the greatest issues that SCS has faced since the Coronavirus Disease is attendance. Attendance is an at all-time low since SCS has resumed from virtual to in-person. I believe it would be beneficial to incorporate data collection about lack of attendance into this relief fund to discover what the link is between the Coronavirus Disease and lower attendance. Funds from this relief could then be used and geared towards combating those obstacles and improving attendance.	The Department does not intend to add further data elements to the collection form.