North Penn Outlines COVID-19 Stimulus Spending, Expects to Receive Additional $9 Million

At Tuesday night’s North Penn School District (NPSD) special finance committee meeting, committee members heard a presentation regarding federal stimulus funding the district has already received, additional funding it expects to receive, and how that money has and will be spent.

NPSD Assistant Director of Business Administration Kristin Johnson said that as of March 16, North Penn has received more than $8.3 million in COVID-relief funds from the federal government specifically earmarked for the district’s general fund, as well as $81,900 for extended care under the enterprise fund.

“As the district’s working through the various challenges of COVID-19, we’re considering how to most effectively use these awarded funds,” Johnson said.

To date, the district has spent more than $5.9 million on personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies and equipment, technology, increased staffing costs, software to help with virtual instruction and student assistance programming for the future. Funds may also be used towards summer programs and other initiatives to combat learning-loss as a result of the pandemic.

“So, we’re planning all of these expenses and there will be many, many more as we continue on,” Johnson said.

The district has so far received seven grants, each of which comes with different requirements for use, and deadlines by which the funds must be spent:

• The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER 1.0) is $984,263 and must be spent by Sept. 30, 2021. As of March 16, this grant has been completely spent or allocated
• The Emergency and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER 2.0) is $4,620,372 and must be spent by Sept. 30, 2023. As of March 16, about $2.1 million has been unspent, unallocated or returned
• The Special Education COVID-19 Impact Mitigation Grant is $151,535 and must be spent by Sept. 30, 2021. As of March 16, this grant has been completely spent or allocated
• The Montgomery County CARES Grant is $1,625,619 and the deadline for using the remaining $389,620 expired on Dec. 31, 2020, although there is a possibility the deadline could be extended since the district intended to spend the majority of the funds on Chromebooks, the delivery of which has been delayed. Johnson said other districts in the county had the same experience and she is hopeful the extension will be granted and the district will not lose out on the funding
• The PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency COVID-19 Health and Safety 20-21 (PCCD 1.0) is $602,775, and the deadline for using the funds expired on Oct. 30, 2020
• The PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency COVID-19 Health and Safety 20-21 (PCCS 1.0) is $374,355 and must be spent by Sept. 30, 2022. As of March 16, this grant has been completely spent or allocated
• The Office of Child Development and Early Learning CARES 2.0 - Extended Care grant was for $81,900, $52,892 of which was returned to OCDEL. The deadline was Nov. 30, 2020.

According to Johnson, the district expects to receive more than an additional $9 million from the third round of federal COVID stimulus funding.

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund III (ESSER 3.0) will give NPSD an additional $9,357,791, which the district will have until Sept. 30, 2023 to use. At least 20 percent, or $1.9 million, of that amount must be spent towards learning-loss mitigation.

Johnson was careful to point out that these federal funds are anticipated and estimated but the amounts are not finalized.

“As the district’s preparing for the future school year and subsequent year for ’22-’23, we’re going to identify needs for the response to COVID and what we can charge back to this 3.0 grant,” Johnson said.

Johnson also said the district is applying for $120,900 in state funding for lost revenue as a result of reduced enrollment in the district’s extended care programs.

If these amounts are approved, in total, Johnson said NPSD will have received $17,716,710 in COVID-relief money for the district’s general fund and $202,800 for extended care.

See also:

North Penn Awarded State Grant To Enhance Student Safety

North Penn Purchases 5 Additional Propane School Buses With Funds From State Grant

Virtual Learning Enables North Penn Student To Continue Education From Across The Globe

North Penn Approves Plan To Partially Return To 5 Day In-Person Instruction

North Penn School District Serves 1 Millionth Free Meal To Students During Pandemic