Federal Stimulus Programs - CRRSAA and ARPA



Federal Stimulus Programs - CRRSAA and ARPA


To the Bemus Point Community,

We have been notified of two federal stimulus programs that will provide additional funds to the district: the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The district’s CRRSAA allocation is $595,681. Its ARPA allocation is $1,457,270. The ARPA fund has several mandated set-asides. $151,454 is a federal minimum required set-aside to address “learning loss,” $100,002 is a state level reserve for summer enrichment, $100,002 is a state level reserve for afterschool programs, and $499,996 is a state level reserve for “learning loss.”  These funds may be used over a three-year period by the district. However, at the end of the third year, whatever is not spent will be returned to the state. 

Our goal was to develop a spending plan for these funds that invests in our students, our staff, and our buildings. The initial guidance from New York State required district to prioritize spending on non-recurring expenses in the following areas: 

  • Safely returning students to in-person instruction;  
  • Maximizing in-person instruction time; 
  • Operating schools and meeting the needs of students;  
  • Purchasing educational technology; 
  • Addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, including the impacts of interrupted instruction, and learning loss and the impacts on low-income students, children with disabilities, English language learners, and students experiencing homelessness;
  • Implementing evidence-based strategies to meet students' social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs; 
  • Offering evidence-based summer, afterschool, and other extended learning and enrichment programs; and 
  • Supporting early childhood education.

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. 

We created a Learning Leaps Committee of teachers and administrators from across the district to meet and discuss how to best use these funds. This spending plan is the result of those meetings. This plan was provided to parents, teachers, and other stakeholders for public comment in August, 2021. We have now received formal approval of our proposed spending plan.

Please contact the Bemus Point Central School Administrative Office if you have any questions regarding the proposed federal stimulus funds spending plan at (716) 386-2375


With respect,

Joseph Reyda, Superintendent of Schools

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