Funding Cliff: Schools Struggle as COVID Relief Money Dwindles, Impacting Students’ Academic Recovery
Davion Williams, a sophomore at a Detroit charter school, had dreams of going to college. But he recently found out that his high school had to lay off its college transition adviser due to budget constraints. The adviser had been hired with federal pandemic relief money, but as the funding begins to dwindle, schools across the country are facing similar challenges.
The relief money, amounting to approximately $190 billion, was intended to help schools address the needs arising from COVID-19, including academic recovery for students. However, the latest national data shows that many students are still academically behind compared to where they should be.
In response to the budget gap caused by the reduction in federal funding, some districts like Montgomery County schools in Maryland are cutting back on programs such as tutoring and summer school. This decision has raised concerns among parents who believe there is still a lot of work to be done to help students catch up.
While the deadline for spending the relief money is September 2024, districts are already making preemptive cuts to soften the blow. A survey conducted by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, revealed that many school system leaders anticipate decreasing staffing of specialists and cutting summer learning programs. The impact of these cuts will vary in each district depending on their financial planning and other sources of funding.
Although state funding for education has been generous recently, states may soon face their own budget challenges as their temporary federal aid runs out. This will further compound the financial struggles faced by schools.
While some researchers question whether the federal money was enough to address learning loss, school officials argue that the funds have made a difference. However, with limited research on the effectiveness of the relief money, the impact on learning recovery remains uncertain.
Amidst these challenges, schools are trying to maintain some COVID-era additions. For example, the Kansas City, Missouri district plans to retain positions like intervention teachers and clinicians who work with students who have experienced trauma. Optimism is tempered by the need to carefully manage the budget as federal funds run out.
In Detroit, officials planned their budget carefully to avoid drastic cuts when the relief money runs out. While they allocated a significant portion of the funds to building renovations, reductions in programs like summer school and after-school activities were still necessary.
Ultimately, school districts are faced with tough decisions as they navigate the funding cliff. The impact on students’ academic recovery remains a concern, and the hope is that additional support will be provided to bridge the gap.
