Fredonia Central School District 

Iteration #1 of the NYS Reserve Funding Spending Plan 

Federal American Rescue Plan - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Program 

(ARP-ESSER) Funding Plan 

Brad Zilliox, Superintendent 

Updated December 16, 2021 

The 2020-21 enacted state budget includes language requiring local education agencies, such as school districts, that receive funding from the Federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund allocated by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP-ESSER) to post on its website a plan of how these funds will be spent. Additionally, NYS has allocated State Reserve Funds to many school districts across the state, Fredonia CSD being one of them.  

This document outlines the first iteration of the plan for spending of these funds in order to support instructional loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Fredonia CSD will use their allocation to address the academic, social, emotional, safety and mental health needs of all students in alignment with our Mission to be a place of learning and exploring where individuals become their greatest selves.

Districts are required to prioritize spending on non-recurring expenses in the following areas:

• The impact of lost instructional time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures

• Comprehensive after school support

• Summer learning and enrichment 

In addition, districts must identify programs and services that will continue beyond the availability of these federal funds and how local funds will be used moving forward to minimize disruption to core academic and other school programs. Our programs, pending need and enrollment, will continue beyond the availability of these federal funds unless otherwise noted. 

Before posting this plan, districts are required to seek public comment from parents, teachers and other stakeholders and take such comments into account in the development of the plan. In a continuing effort to ensure all stakeholders had the opportunity for input, the FCSD conducted on-line surveys, presented information at Board of Education meetings, included information in weekly Monday Updates, provided ongoing dialogue through faculty meetings, and weekly Administrative Council meetings.  The district reviewed all stakeholder input in order to develop a plan for use of ESSER-ARP funds, including State Reserve Funds, as well as a plan beyond the availability of these federal funds in order to best meet the fluctuating needs of our students and community. 

• The impact of lost instructional time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures

• Additional hire of a School Social Worker

• Additional hire of a Special Education Teacher

• Purchase of a new Math Curriculum for grades 1-8

• iReady Math and iReady ELA/Math Spanish Version

• Professional Development and ongoing support to instructional staff for new Math curriculum and iReady

• Comprehensive after school support

• Creation of academic intervention support at the High School Level (grades 9-12)

• Creation of a student, peer-to-peer group to support new/returning students to the FCSD

• Advisorships for these two new support groups 

• Summer learning and enrichment 

• Summer program for English Language Learners 

• Professional Development in the area of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

This is a draft of the intended plan for spending of NYS Reserve Funds from the Federal American Rescue Plan; this will be submitted for review by the New York State Department of Education.  The FCSD will continue to update this plan per NYSED review.