MILWAUKEE SCHOOLS ARE RECEIVING

$530 MILLION

FROM THE THIRD FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE

The money is from the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund created by the American Rescue Plan Act. The money is usually called “ESSER III” for short.


YOU

DESERVE A SAY

IN HOW THIS MONEY GETS SPENT

Keep reading to learn more…


HOW MUCH?

$530 Million is a LOT of money!

How much?

  • It’s enough to run ALL of Milwaukee Public Schools for five whole months! (Source)

  • It’s 32% more than the City of Milwaukee spends each year on police, fire, and courts — all combined! (Source)

  • It’s more than the share of funding City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County


WHICH SCHOOLS QUALIFY?

Every public school is receiving a share of the money:

  • MPS district schools

  • Charter schools

(Private schools are also receiving federal COVID-19 relief funding through a different fund, called “Emergency Assistance for Non-Public Schools.”)

How much is your school getting?

Allocations are different for each school. The amount is determined based on factors like how many students are enrolled and what their needs and characteristics are.

The Milwaukee Public Schools district is receiving $504.5 million for the schools it operates, as well as charter schools that are part of the MPS family. Click here to view a list of the MPS school family. The Milwaukee School Board passed a plan for how to spend most of the money received by MPS, but each school will individually control how to spend $100,000.

Charter schools outside of MPS receive their share directly:

  • Acosta Middle School: $537,649

  • Bruce-Guadalupe Community School: $4.9 million

  • Central City Cyberschool: $2.1 million

  • Darrell Lynn Hines Academy: $1.3 million

  • Downtown Montessori: $225,651

  • Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy: $1.5 million

  • Escuela Verde: $514,361

  • Milwaukee Academy of Science: $5.3 million

  • Milwaukee Scholars: $3.1 million

  • Pathways High School: $326,741

  • Penfield Montessori Academy: $223,249

  • Rocketship Public Schools (Southside Community Prep and Transformation Prep campuses): $2.3 million

  • Seeds of Health (Seeds of Health Elementary, Tenor High School, and Veritas High School campuses): $4.6 million

  • Woodlands School (Bluemound Campus): $284,053

  • Woodlands School (State Street Campus): $780,136

  • Stellar Elementary: $582,746

Don’t see your school on the list? It may be part of the MPS school family, or it may be a private school. To learn more, ask your school’s principal about the ‘ESSER III’ COVID-19 relief funds.


WHAT CAN IT BE SPENT ON?

The money can be used for:

  • Academic supports like tutoring, computers, summer school, and extra help for students

  • Social and emotional supports like mental health services for students and hiring more counselors

  • Operations costs to ensure schools are safe during COVID, like upgrades to ventilation systems, bathrooms, and drinking fountains

At least 20% MUST be used to help students catch up academically

Click here for more examples of how the money can be used to help students.

How are other states and districts around the country using their relief funding?

  • Click here to learn more about other districts’ plans

  • Click here to learn more about other states’ plans


YOU

DESERVE A SAY

IN HOW THIS MONEY GETS SPENT

In fact, that’s the law!

President Biden and Congress agreed that schools need to ask their communities how they want the money to be used.

Schools and districts are required to get your input on spending decisions!

Click here to view Wisconsin’s plan for involving communities in decision-making.


HAVE

YOUR SAY

CONTACT YOUR PRINCIPAL

Tell them today that you want input on how the ‘ESSER III’ COVID relief money gets spent.


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