When faculty budgets are being determined, it usually looks like the purchases for music and the humanities get shuffled round and skimmed away till there’s not a lot left for the bigger-budget gadgets (and even a number of the smaller gadgets!) we’d like to make use of with our college students. To make up for these shortages, music and performing arts lecturers, like so many different educators, usually find yourself funding our school rooms with our personal cash. It’s removed from excellent. Happily, there is a option to get funding for our school rooms and efficiency areas with out impacting district budgets. States and college districts are nonetheless allocating their ESSER ARP funds by way of September of 2024, they usually can be utilized to fund furnishings and tools for music and theater school rooms.
What are ESSER funds?
Put merely, in 2020, the U.S. Congress handed a $2.2 trillion financial stimulus invoice in response to the financial repercussions of the COVID pandemic. A part of that invoice, known as the Elementary and Secondary College Emergency Aid (ESSER) Fund, designated cash particularly for faculties. There are three levels of ESSER fund dispersal that can be utilized to buy tools and provides, COVID-19 mitigation, or present assist for pupil wants.
A few of the ESSER funds, particularly ESSER III funds, have to be used to handle studying loss by way of evidence-based interventions that reply to college students’ educational, social, and emotional wants. And that’s the place music and performing arts school rooms can profit from this funding essentially the most.
What does that imply for performing arts school rooms?
The performing arts assist the social and emotional well-being of scholars, whether or not by way of distance studying or in particular person. Subsequently, performing arts–associated actions could also be eligible for assist underneath this umbrella. ESSER funds can be found to colleges to make any buy that may improve pupil studying and academic growth. In different phrases, this will embody tools or know-how that’s usually too costly to be included in a traditional 12 months’s funds. Every state has prioritized sure areas of spending, and music training suits into most of those plans.
Take inventory of your classroom or efficiency house.
What would make your classroom a extra accessible, extra enriching surroundings to your college students? You is likely to be shocked at what forms of provides or sources is likely to be accessible for buy utilizing ESSER funds. Some examples embody:
- Auxiliary devices for the band or orchestra
- Notation or drill writing software program
- Music and instrument storage choices
- Instrument restore and provides
- Choral risers
- Common music percussion
- Motion manipulatives
- Sound and lighting tools
I don’t find out about you, however I’ve a number of music stands that wobble if you happen to exhale too exhausting and some trombones which can be actually due for an improve!
When you’ve made your record, request a gathering.
Decide who oversees your district’s ESSER funds requests. Relying in your district, this could possibly be your principal, district grants workplace, or federal packages supervisor. Ask for a gathering. Be ready to current an in depth record of kit wants based mostly in your evaluation of your classroom or program. It may be smart to incorporate your division chair or one other administrator at this assembly. That method, you’ve got an ally who’s acquainted and concerned together with your program. They will function an advocate and reinforce your proposal. Each state and district ought to have a publicly posted plan detailing how they may spend these funds and the way faculties can entry them.
Put together for questions.
Be ready to justify why you and your college students want these funds allotted to them. Suppose security, studying enhancement, program development, summer season studying, and the way funds will assist tackle studying loss. Moreover, carry normal quotes for what you might be proposing to be bought. Some districts require competing quotes. The one option to entry these funds is to ask, so it is smart to start out massive. There’s nothing mistaken with asking for every little thing you may probably need, but additionally have various, pared-down lists prepared. In brief, come ready with extra info than you assume you’ll really want.
Don’t be discouraged by an preliminary “no.”
It may be formidable to have a request refused, however don’t hand over. One “no” doesn’t imply that funding isn’t potential. Ask the particular person accountable for funding for what it’s good to revise or retool with the intention to re-apply. ESSER funding is being distributed by way of September 2024, so persistence counts!