County school leaders say the loss of federal COVID pandemic funds this year won’t put students at risk.
Most districts reported using the funding to improve heating/air-conditioning systems or to put filtering units in place. Some was used for training purposes.
None, officials say, was been using to pay for reoccurring expenses.
“(El Campo) ECISD has always been preparing for the conclusion of ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) and COVID-related funding since its inception. The discontinuation is not a surprise nor will it cause us any issues moving forward,” Superintendent Bob Callaghan told the Wharton County Leader-Journal.
Air quality systems installed in response to school district closures throughout the state in 2020 and the subsequent return of students to classrooms will remain in place, now funded through standard operational dollars.
“There will be no financial impact on the local taxpayer. All M&O (Maintenance and Operations) funds will continue to follow state funding requirements for public schools,” Callaghan said.
In Wharton ISD, Superintendent Olatunji Oduwole agreed there would be no concern with the COVID funding ending.
“Wharton ISD will continue to operate our facilities with clean air and multiple options to protect our students and staff from any air-borne illness. This is budgeted from our regular general fund,” he said.
Oduwole added, “We do not have any program that is dependent on the COVID funds.”
Boling ISD used most of the federal funding for HVAC replacement at the high school, Superintendent Keith Jedlicka said.
“District leadership realized the funding was temporary, so decisions were made to avoid a major impact on the local budget in the future. Funds were strategically used for temporary or one-time expenses rather than ongoing costs like additional staffing or programs, to avoid significant financial disruptions when the funds expired,” he said.
COVID funding was spent county wide on academic programs to help students bridge learning gaps from the extended time at home and instructed online to standard classroom expectations.
The funding “provide(d) opportunities to address the impacts of lost instructional time resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Oduwole said.
In El Campo ISD, Callaghan said, “The academic programs designed to reduce deficits in learning and close gaps will continue. The financial responsibility will be all covered with local funds.”
Boling ISD also used some of its funding for tutoring and one-on-on instruction methods.
“We also provided retention stipends to the teachers and staff in recognition of their hard work and dedication, helping to boost morale during a time of significant disruption,” Jedlicka said.
Any future stipends will have to be funded with local dollars.
