In abstract
In 2021 California colleges obtained $13.5 billion in pandemic reduction grants. About $1.8 billion stays unspent.
Regardless of the dire forecast for training funding, some California colleges might quickly discover themselves doing one thing counter-intuitive: returning cash to the federal government.
The deadline for committing federal COVID-19 reduction cash is Sept. 30, and colleges that haven’t deliberate to spend their cash by then or obtained an extension should ship it again to the U.S. Division of Training.
“It’s not a hard fiscal cliff, but it’s a big deal because it’s the last time districts can make decisions about how to spend this money,” mentioned Bella DiMarco, a coverage analyst for FutureEd, an training suppose tank at Georgetown College’s McCourt Faculty of Public Coverage. “Some districts have been planning for this from Day One, but others are going to be scrambling at the last minute.”
Dozens of California college districts nonetheless hadn’t spent the vast majority of their Elementary and Secondary Faculty Emergency Aid Act cash as of Aug. 28, in response to a database compiled by Georgetown’s Edunomics Laboratory. In some instances, districts risked leaving tens of millions of {dollars} on the desk.
Total, California colleges hadn’t but spent $1.8 billion of the $13.5 billion they have been allotted when the ultimate – and largest – of the pandemic reduction grants rolled out in 2021.
Faculty districts contacted by CalMatters mentioned they intend to spend the cash earlier than the deadline, or had already dedicated it to distributors — akin to organizations offering after-school packages — however there was a lag within the paperwork.
The pandemic reduction funds have been an unprecedented windfall for colleges, meant to assist them reopen safely for in-person instruction and assist college students who fell behind throughout distant studying. In all, the federal authorities gave $190 billion to colleges by a number of waves of COVID reduction grants.
By mid-September, most of California’s largest districts — together with Los Angeles Unified, San Diego Unified, San Francisco Unified and Elk Grove Unified — had spent near all their funds. A couple of, akin to Fresno Unified, had unspent tens of millions however didn’t reply to requests for an evidence.
Lengthy Seashore Unified, with 64,000 college students, nonetheless had not spent $66 million — roughly 30% — of its $212 million allotment. The district plans to spend all of it by the deadline on wants together with playground gear ($11 million) and classroom modernization ($14 million), mentioned spokesperson Elvia Cano.
“While we have carefully paced our spending to maximize impact, we remain on track to allocate the remaining resources before the deadline,” Cano mentioned.
The tip of pandemic reduction grants comes at a precarious time for colleges. Whereas Gov. Gavin Newsom largely spared Ok-12 colleges from cuts in his funds, the longer term could possibly be grim as enrollment continues to say no, absenteeism stays excessive and the economic system stays unsure. Los Angeles Unified, for instance, has seen its enrollment drop by 20% over the previous decade, whereas absenteeism was larger than 30% final yr. As a result of California funds its colleges based mostly on the variety of college students who present up day-after-day, these empty seats imply the district receives tens of millions much less from the state.
Faculty districts relied on their pandemic reduction grants to pay for one-time investments they may not have been capable of afford in any other case, like new heating, air-con and air flow methods. Additionally they spent the cash on tutoring, after-school packages and psychological well being providers to assist college students catch up academically and regain social-emotional expertise. And a few districts used the cash to rent everlasting employees or elevate trainer salaries, which places them in a weak place as grant funding expires.
“Even if you’re a district that didn’t get a lot of (pandemic relief) money, you might have some tough budget decisions ahead,” mentioned Julien Lafortune, a researcher on the Public Coverage Institute of California who research college funding.
Faculty districts have identified for nearly 4 years that the cash could be ending, and shouldn’t be blindsided by the cut-off, mentioned Rebecca Thiess, who manages fiscal analysis on the Pew Charitable Trusts. They need to have evaluated their spending to see what labored, what didn’t, and the way they’d fund packages going ahead.
“Schools received a lot of funding, which provided an opportunity for a lot of new programs and investments,” she mentioned. “But they should have approached this opportunity mindfully so they’re not in a difficult position when the money runs out.”
Pandemic reduction cash wasn’t fairly no-strings-attached, which is one purpose for some districts’ gradual spending, mentioned Tatia Davenport, chief government of the California Affiliation of Faculty Enterprise Officers. The rules and reporting necessities have been sophisticated, which was an enormous pressure on districts with small administrative staffs, she mentioned. These districts additionally struggled to launch new packages as a result of employees have been already overburdened.
Davenport’s group is advising districts with surplus reduction cash to look again over latest bills and see if something may be paid for with pandemic grant cash.
Ocean View Faculty District, a TK-8 district in Huntington Seashore in Orange County, used a few of its reduction cash to decrease class sizes. At first, the plan was to have fewer individuals in every classroom so college students might return safely — and sooner — for in-person instruction. The decrease student-to-teacher ratio was additionally meant to assist increase scholar psychological well being and trainer morale.
The thought proved so fashionable that the district stored the smaller class sizes even after the specter of COVID-19 waned.
“Who doesn’t like smaller class sizes? Teachers loved it, students loved it, families loved it,” mentioned Julianne Hoefer, interim superintendent. “It allowed us to build connections with students, nurture relationships, help students make up for learning gaps.”
The district additionally used reduction grants to start out a five-week summer time program that included educational tutoring in addition to video games, subject journeys and different enjoyable actions to spice up scholar engagement. College students additionally obtained two meals a day.
This system was “immensely popular” with households, greater than half of whom are low earnings.
However with pandemic grants ending, the district now has to discover a approach to proceed paying for the initiatives. It lately laid off 16 employees members, its first layoffs in latest reminiscence.
“We have to figure out how to keep these programs,” Hoefer mentioned. “So far, one-time money keeps showing up but we’d like to find a permanent funding stream.”
In Kings Canyon Unified, southeast of Fresno, the district has averted layoffs as a result of it spent most of its reduction cash on infrastructure enhancements. The district employed a slew of momentary workers — counselors, well being aides and academics — however was capable of finding everlasting funding to maintain most of them on employees.
“We knew we had to be really smart about how we use this money, because we’ll never see this kind of funding again,” mentioned Jose Guzman, assistant superintendent. “Our priority was to make kids safe, but also to make these investments sustainable.”
Utilizing its pandemic grant cash, the district constructed 9 well being facilities, with nurses, separate entrances and loos for sick college students. The facilities helped hold college students and employees protected through the pandemic and past.
Among the many district’s hottest tasks have been outside school rooms, dubbed “learning pavilions,” at 5 college campuses. Initially the pavilions have been for COVID-19 security, however college students and academics preferred them a lot they’re nonetheless used recurrently. Not solely do they cut back publicity to communicable ailments, Guzman mentioned, however they increase psychological well being, as properly.
“Our goal was to make our kids safe and happy, and this is what we did,” Guzman mentioned. “Our community truly appreciates that.”
