Ron Napoli, Jr

I am pleased to report that Waterbury is receiving another round of funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER II) program.

In my role on the Education Committee, I often spoke with former Connecticut education commissioner Miguel Cardona about increasing state funding for Waterbury schools. Now, as U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Cardona's department is overseeing the distribution of these new funds for city schools.

 

Here's how the funds may be used:

• To assist local school districts, along with state and local health departments, improve the coordinate response to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus.
• To address learning loss among students, including among at low-income students, minority students and those with disabilities.
• To develop and implement procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of our local schools.
• To purchase supplies to sanitize and clean the facilities of our local schools.
• To plan for, coordinate and implement activities during long-term closures, including providing meals to eligible students, providing technology for online learning to all students, ensuring other educational services can continue to be provided.
• To purchase educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity).
• To provide mental health services and support.
• For school facility repairs and improvements to enable operation of schools to reduce risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards, and to support student health needs.

For more details follow this link.

The pandemic has impacted the educational system, educators and students in Waterbury, across Connecticut and throughout the U.S. This second round of CARES Act relief will ease the burden on our local school districts and municipal budgets.