American Rescue Plan School Relief Funds – Manchester School District

Posted in: Policy & AdvocacyTagged in: Education, ESSERPosted on March 8, 2022December 15, 2023

Fall 2022 Update

In the fall of 2022, New Hampshire published a financial transparency tool to show how school districts have used their COVID relief funds. Although opportunities for advocacy around how these funds will be spent have mostly passed, we have updated this page with a brief summary of what we found during the week of November 17th, 2022. Please note that the tool is updated weekly and we encourage you to use the transparency tool if you require current numbers.

Financial Transparency Tracking Tool

Community Engagement Recap

ESSER plans are posted on the District website: https://sites.google.com/a/mansd.org/manchestersd/esser
According to the New Hampshire Financial Transparency tool, Manchester School District has utilized the most funding for its schools.
It provides detailed plans for the funding here: https://sites.google.com/a/mansd.org/manchestersd/esser.
It distributed a survey to gather the public’s input in the development of its plan. The survey was translated in multiple languages. The survey was distributed by posting it to the District website and it was shared with internal stakeholders via email. It was then publicized during school board meetings and shared with community partners.

What we found:

Manchester schools have spent $23 million on staffing, $12 million on professional development and supports, and $7 million on technology. The additional staff was hired to address the academic impact of lost instructional time and includes additional special educators and counselors.
Manchester School District invested in technology that focuses on tutoring and enrichment in subject areas.
Manchester School District, “hired additional social workers and bilingual family liaisons.” It states that it has plans to further family engagement and increase language accessibility.

Spring 2022

Manchester’s plan appears to prioritize programs and resources for students with disabilities well. We were unable to identify specific programs or resources devoted to transition planning. We are currently reviewing Manchester’s six-month plan update which is available here.

Get Involved

What Can You Do?

A requirement of this federal funding is to engage in ongoing meaningful communication with the public. We did not find any evidence that this is happening in the Manchester school district.

Attend the upcoming public forum on Manchester School District’s Planned Use for ARP ESSER Funds. June 14, 2022, 6:00pm-7:30pm. Hybrid event, join online: meet.google.com/rhr-xkrb-mtw or In-person at Memorial High School, 1 Crusader Way, Manchester, NH 03103. ASL & Spanish language interpreters available. Click here for more information.
Provide input on how the Manchester school district should be spending these funds. We have created a Template Letter with some disability-related priorities that you can use or reference.

Books and a container of pens and pencils sit on a desk in front of a classroom chalkboard. Text across the top of image reads ' Manchester School District'

Additional Information

What we know

The Manchester School District is receiving $95 million in federal funding through the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The grant requires that 20% of this (or $19 million) is specifically allocated towards ‘learning loss recovery’ which is understood to include special education supports and services.
The district’s original plan outlining how it hoped to spend the funds and related information is available at http://mansd.org/esser.

What we found

Manchester’s plan includes proposals to hire two additional Board Certified Behavior Analysts, four special education administration assistants, three full-time special educators, five clinicians (OT/SLP/psych), eighteen interventionists, and four guidance counselors. It also proposes $175,000 towards tutoring programs. We could not identify programs or resources specifically addressing transition planning or services.

What we recommend

On February 15, 2022, we sent the district a letter with specific recommendations for meaningful stakeholder engagement. We have not received a response to this letter or to our numerous requests for more detailed information. Our recommendations included the following:
- Update the ‘ESSER’ page on the district website (org/ESSER), which currently contains only a link to the use of funds plan, to also include a current list of ways for stakeholders to provide input.
- Hold dedicated public meetings for discussing ARP ESSER III fund allocation, at least every six months and upon any major changes or additions to the use of funds plan.
- Provide alternative and accessible ways for the public to provide their input during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as an online survey, dedicated email address, etc. Make this information available and easy to find on the district website, school websites, and other easily accessible locations.
- Publicize opportunities for consultation and ways for families to find up-to-date information via social media, school email, and other relevant platforms.
- Designate an individual or team within the district who stakeholders may contact with questions or comments regarding the district’s use of ESSER III funds (e.g. school board members, district grants manager, etc.). List the contact information for this individual or team on the district website, including both a telephone number and email address.
- Download our letter to the Manchester School District: Recommendations for Meaningful Stakeholder Consultation Regarding ARP ESSER III Funds
Manchester’s plan should distribute funding in an equitable manner to assist the students who need it the most, including students with disabilities. A letter with our specific recommendations is available HERE.

*Six Month Updates

School districts were required to provide the NH Department of Education (NHDOE) with an update of how they are using these funds by February 23, 2022. This deadline was recently moved to March 9, 2022. On March 9th, we reached out to the NH DOE requesting access to these six month updates but were told it would take a while for them to be posted publicly. We will continue to monitor their status and will update our analysis accordingly.