Setting the Stage
At the onset of the pandemic, districts and educators were left scrambling to piece together curriculum plans that catered to students working within a remote learning environment – a scenario that the majority weren’t prepared for. The challenges were especially acute when serving the needs of students with moderate to severe disabilities.
With a lack of equipment, technology, funds and general support during an ever-changing pandemic landscape, all eyes begin to focus on K-12 education.
In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, which allocated $30.75 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund, including four grant programs:
As a follow up, Congress then passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA Act) in December 2020, which distributed nearly $82 billion to the Education Stabilization Fund.
Both laws, which were designed to ensure that educators and families had the proper aid and resources to promote a high-quality learning environment for students during a global pandemic, set the stage for the American Rescue Plan.
Introducing the American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March 2021 and provides nearly $130 billion in education and childcare funding to states navigating the effects of the pandemic on education.
The bulk of the funding, nearly $123 billion, is meant for districts to utilize to safely reopen schools and address students’ loss of learning time during the pandemic.
In addition, the American Rescue Plan provides $3 billion in funds to support students with disabilities. So, what exactly does this mean for educators?
How Does the American Rescue Plan Benefit Special Education Educators?
All funds provided to support students with disabilities must be utilized in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The defined funds, which are broken down into three segments, are categorized as such:
o $2.5 billion for Part B Sec. 611 (ages 6-21)
o $200 million for Part B Sec. 619 (ages 3-5)
o $250 million for Part C (infants and toddlers ages 0-2)
With the influx of additional funding, educators are now receiving growing opportunities to meet the needs of their students.
Are you wondering how TeachTown fits in to the equation? Let us fill you in!
TeachTown is an education software company that focuses exclusively on children diagnosed with moderate to severe disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities and emotional and behavior disorders.
TeachTown’s solutions center around evidence-based practices (EBP) derived from the principles and methodologies of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), satisfying the requirements of the American Rescue Plan funds. Moreover, all of TeachTown’s solutions meet the three criteria outlined in the law:
We all have the same mission in mind: improving the academic, behavioral and adaptive functioning of students with disabilities. TeachTown makes it easy for you to deliver a proven treatment in any school or setting – whether that’s remote, in-person or hybrid learning. In fact, all of TeachTown’s solutions have supported at-home learning for over 10 years.
For additional details about TeachTown, our solutions and how they can benefit you, as well as the students you serve, visit: www.teachtown.com.