BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

MASSENA – Massena Central School wants help from the public on how best to spend federal funding its receiving through the American Rescue Plan and Coronavirus relief programs.

The district has set up an online survey that will allow the public to help determine how the funding will be used.

Federal guidelines set spending parameters, but states can provide additional requirements and dictate specific allotments per district. CRRSA funds must be spent by September 2023 and ARP funds must be spent by September 2024.

New York State has requested that school districts provide reasonable opportunities for the participation by teachers, parents, and other interested agencies, organizations, and individuals in the planning for and operation of each program providing funds to the district. The NYS Education Department is currently interpreting federal guidance and developing further guidelines for the use of these funds.

Current guidance indicates that districts must prioritize these funds as non-recurring spending. This is to prevent widespread hiring or adoption of costly programs that cannot be sustained when federal funds expire. Schools may hire or add new programs, but investments should be sustainable to provide continuity and the best benefit to students.

“We are in the early stages of developing spending plans and we are interested in your feedback and comments as we put together a multi-year plan that utilizes this funding to support our students,” a message from the district says.

Federal guidance identifies several allowable categories for spending that are listed in the survey. The survey asks respondents to prioritize spending and can be found here.