The Warren County School Board approved to move more COVID-relief funding to tutoring and summer school. The School Board approved a plan for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) 2 Fund last year to allocate where the funds should go.

Relief Fund Director Shea Panter presented the board with the same plan but with two addendums that would allow more money to go towards tutoring and summer school. She said, “In the consent packet, part of that is what we are asking you to approve so we can move forward with the budget for ESSER 3.

“That money (ESSER 2) has to be spent by May of 2024, and most of it is tied up in all these wonderful construction projects. There’s also lumps of money put aside for tutoring before and after school. We did it last and we did it again this year, budget for summer school, just in case the state doesn’t give us as much as they say.” 

She continued, “We just want to make sure we can support teachers and students throughout the summer.” 

Director of Schools Grant Swallows added, “Basically, what Dr. Panter said, we’re moving some money around for more tutoring. That’s one thing our schools have asked for. There are some things that are coming our direction that we need to be prepared for.”

Swallows continued, “Ultimately, you are approving the same plan that you approved last year with just those two minor changes. That needs to be approved so we can move forward with budgeting for this school year.”

School Board member James Bennett asked for clarification, “This $13 million, is that how much you have left right now? Is that including all the projects that’s going on within the $13 million? Or is it, I guess what I’m trying to say, has the money already been approved for our current projects and you have this much left?”

Panter answered, “That’s what is going into this year. So we started out with 18, now we’re down to 13 million, but all of that is accounted for.”