PCSS ESSER 3.0 Application Approved, Full Plan To Be Posted For Families

The Putnam County School System’s ESSER 3.0 application has gotten approval to move forward.

ESSER Coordinator Jason Stickler said capital improvements as well as new positions focused on math and reading were included. Stickler said it is a relief to get the over $20 million in spending cleared, but there is more to get accomplished.

“Moving through the purchasing procedures to make sure that we do receive everything that we applied for,” Stickler said. “Then also effective implementation as well, just making sure that we are effective in implementing what we purchased for the best of our students.”

Stickler said the system will have the full spending plan information available on the system’s ESSER website within the next 30 days. He said that parents will be able to see tutoring, learning loss and curriculum initiatives.

“We’re going to be working with Tennessee Tech over the next couple of months and that’s going to be geared toward elementary schools,” Stickler said. “As far as high schools we’re going to be looking at ACT prep programs and an assessment program. That’s going to give us some good data that’s going to help us determine which students need help in preparing for the ACT.”

Stickler said the same transparency for facility improvements will be posted for work planned across the district.

“Some of the things we have in mind moving forward with our ESSER funds are rooftop repairs, facility upgrades and also upgrading and repairing HVAC systems across the district,” Stickler said.

Stickler said that one important part of the ESSER plan is assuring that the spending reaches all students, at all levels. He said that is what “All Means All” stands for on the district’s ESSER website.

“We want to make sure that we’re not just targeting one group of students,” Stickler said. “We want to make sure that if students are having learning loss across the district, that we truly are allocating our materials to help each student that may fall into those identified need categories.”