Three Years In, Biden’s American Rescue Plan Buoys Millions of Students and Educators

Baldwin County board members approved a contract with Savvas to offer math coaching to middle and high school students during the 2023-2024 school year to supplement coaching services offered since 2021. The additional service will cost about $29,000 and will be covered by ARP ESSER funds.

Mobile County School District allocated nearly $28 million in ARP ESSER funds to its after school and summer school programs in 92 schools to offer academic supports as well as music, STEM, robotics, and other enrichment activities. ARP ESSER money was also used to fund the district's ACT Bootcamp and Social Media Bootcamp, as well as four-week summer camps focusing on math, science, language arts, reading, and special supports for English language learners.

In rural Northwest Arctic, school district employees who continued to work through the pandemic were given retention bonuses, and special education teachers in Fairbanks were given bonuses for working in high stress environments. Both districts used ARP ESSER funds to pay these bonuses.

Hoonah utilized ARPA funds to provide two free weeks of reading and math club for students aged 4 to 12. The students were selected based on academic need.

In 2023, Bullhead City School District used ARP ESSER funds to break ground on the first phase of a new neighborhood called the “District Employee Neighborhood” (DEN), which will offer housing to some school district employees priced out of the area by providing payroll-deduction rental homes for district employees.

In 2021, the Arizona Department of Education dedicated $21 million in ARP ESSER funds to support unfunded campus counselor and social worker positions addressing need at more than 140 schools. These counselors and social workers have been able to offer students one-on-one counseling, intervene to prevent suicide, connect families with social services, and alleviate some of the strain on teachers and principals.

Springdale used ARP ESSER funds to purchase six Freedom Glider wheelchair swings for a total of $89,683. The swings were installed at Hunt, Knapp, Monitor, Sonora and Young elementary schools. The sixth swing will be installed at George Elementary School once that school's remodel is finished.

The San Diego Education Association and San Diego Unified School District signed an agreement to create a "Resident Visiting Teacher" position at every school, providing standby substitute teachers to fill gaps.

Sonoma County committed almost $12 million in ARP ESSER funds to continue funding programs supporting people in especially hard-hit communities, including $442,701 for educational programming at Elsie Allen High School to close learning gaps through extended learning opportunities, family/community engagement, and social services. The project was previously granted $657,509 for 2022-2023; the new grant brings the program for total to $1.1 million.

Los Angeles Unified School District used ARP ESSER funds to launch its Winter Academy, which enrolled more than 68,000 students to participate in three additional school days to address learning loss caused by the pandemic. The Winter Academy is especially important for students living in poverty, as the program provides meals, social emotional supports, transportation, and childcare to its students and families.

Project Launch, a fun camp-like program funded by St. Vrain's ARP ESSER funds, allows elementary students to improve their reading and math skills over the summer. Students in the program receive instruction from high-quality teachers, allowing them to get academic support and a head start on the next school year.

Jefferson County utilized $1.7 million in ARPA funds to provide free healthy and nutritious meals to all students for the 2023–2024 school year.

Poudre School District used some of its $200,000 in ARP ESSER funds to contract with Caring Canines, a local nonprofit therapy dog program that deploys volunteer dog teams to area schools and a youth correctional center. The district uses the Caring Canines program across 13 schools to supplement its social emotional services for students with disabilities.

The City of Meriden used ARP ESSER funds to renovate a playground adjacent to John Barry Elementary School, which includes a new playground sets for climbing, a large soft-fall rubber pad to replace woodchips, and a new blacktop with a basketball hoop to replace the old tennis courts.

Hartford Public Schools approved a $300,000 contract, including $100,000 in ARP ESSER funds, with a local marketing firm to increase student enrollment and recruit new teachers to address a serious teacher shortage.

The Connecticut State Department of Education committed $11.5 million in ARP ESSER funds to 46 school districts across the state to support the Connecticut High-Dosage Tutoring Program, which launched in March 2023. The program targets students in grades 6-9, with a primary focus on math proficiency.

Delaware is using ARP ESSER funds to provide students and educators access to an online reading program and a e-book collection, including the catalogue of the Delaware Public Library System.

Christina School District used ARP ESSER funds to set up evidence-based interventions to address learning gaps caused by the pandemic. The district partnered with local community organizations to support displaced and low-income families and offered after school, before school, and summer school learning opportunities for students in need.

Leon County School District used ARP ESSER funding to place 35 social workers across district schools for the 2022-2023 school year. Secondary schools received one social worker, while elementary schools shared one social worker across two schools.

Seminole County Public Schools spent over $5.5 million in ARP ESSER funds to create a summer learning camp serving more than 6,000 students in the summer of 2023. The program offers elementary and middle school students support in reading and math plus free meals and transportation to and from the camp for eligible participants.

Bulloch County Schools invested ARP ESSER funds in free summer learning academies for district students over the last two summers. These summer schools address learning loss in English and math and help elementary school students meet educational expectations. The academies also provide students with free breakfast and lunch.

The Georgia Department of Education used APR ESSER funds to award Health and Physical Education grants to 201 schools, providing up to $3,000 per school to purchase equipment to support health and physical education.

Hawaii used ARP ESSER funding to invest in bilingual home assistants, more counselors, and attendance arcades to reward students who arrive on time to help reduce chronic absenteeism. Thanks to this investment, the state saw 30% of students statewide chronically absent in the 2022-2023 school year, compared in 37% the previous year.

The Hawaii Department of Education awarded $872,500 in ARP ESSER funds to Honolulu-based After School All Stars Hawaii (ASAS Hawai'i) to support about 1,200 middle school students by providing homework help, tutoring, and enrichment opportunities in STEM, arts, and sports -- at no cost to students or their families.

During the pandemic, Boise utilized ARPA funds to support its most vulnerable students, including refugee students and those from low-income families. Efforts included launching a lunch delivery program and ensuring vulnerable students received nutrition assistance, using ARP ESSER funding to forgive and relax late fees for library books, and enabling students' remote access to library resources.

The Cassia School District used ARP ESSER funds to pay for summer learning and enrichment progress for students grades K-6 in 2021 and 2022.

Community High School District 99 received $249,000 from the state to support health equity and the mental well-being of its students. The district will use the funds to launch District 99 CARES (Community Advocacy, Resilience, Engagement and Supports), which will provide free mental health services to students and families.

The DuPage Regional Office of Education received $2,946,210 in grants for 12 DuPage County school districts to support mental health services for students and families. DuPage plans to establish CARES Clinics at some district schools to provide no-cost mental health care to students and families.

In October 2022, Indiana used ARP ESSER funding to launch Indiana Learns, a program that provides $1,000 grants to cover tutoring costs for struggling students in grades 3-8 from low-income families. More than 15,000 students have enrolled in the program and over 36,000 tutoring hours have been completed so far.

Marion County, Indianapolis, used $1 million in ARP ESSER dollars to fund Circle City Readers, which helps students K-3 with their reading skills. The program started in two district schools and has been expanded to include schools throughout Indianapolis Public School District, Warren Township, and three additional schools.

Iowa City utilized ARP ESSER funds to support meaningful changes to support students and educators, including summer school in 2021 for every first grader who was non-proficient in math or reading, summer school for non-proficient students from different grade levels as space allowed, and a summer 2021 "Boost" Program at every middle and high school provide social and emotional learning and academic success skills coaching to rising 7th-12th graders.

In fall 2022, the Sioux City Public Library used ARP ESSER funds to begin providing 900 laptops and tablets and more than 1,000 hotspots and 5G routers to residents for extended checkouts.

Kansas used $1.2 million in ARP ESSER funds and $6 million in GEER II funding to launch the Sunflower Summer program, which offers K-12 students access to museums, zoos, historical sites and other out-of-school learning experiences.

Garfield Elementary School expanded its Academic Improvement Room (AIR) program using ESSER funds. The AIR room allows students to receive extra academic help from a team of seven teachers, plus paraeducators and support staff, to help close learning gaps.

The Casey County Board of Education approved a $500,000 purchase of four additional buses, for a total of 14 new buses in three years. The buses are expected to arrive in district in winter 2024.

Fayette County utilized ESSER funding to launch an innovative and successful Grow Your Own (GYO) program is to recruit, train, retain teachers in the community and share lived experiences with their students.

In September 2023, Jefferson Davis Parish used $1.4 million in ARP ESSER funding to give district educators and other certified personnel a one-time stipend. Teachers received $1,500 and other certified employees received $1,000.

In an attempt to close learning gaps created by the pandemic, Louisiana committed $27 million in ARP ESSER funds to its school districts to launch summer schools that offer high-dosage tutoring, extracurricular activities, and mentor opportunities.

Portland Schools committed $5 million in ARP ESSER funds to its Extended School Year-Summer Programming, which aims to support the mental health of students post-pandemic and help struggling students to reengage in their lessons and close learning gaps. The program will offer summer school to 40% of district students, or about 2,500 students.

In 2023, Maine launched the Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative, a grant program funded by $2 million in ARP ESSER dollars. The program takes advantage of Maine's unique nature offerings and encourages hands-on interdisciplinary outdoor learning for students across the state. Over the last two years, thousands of students have participated in the Initiative's Coastal Ecology and Inland Forestry Programs.

Maryland used ARP ESSER funds to establish a voluntary pilot program allowing first-year teachers 20 percent more time for planning, peer observation, and mentoring. To date, three LEAs have participated in the program. MSDE is facilitating a workgroup of stakeholders, including representatives of primary and secondary education, higher education, and education policy experts, to determine effective ways to recruit, retain, and promote quality educators at all levels.

The Maryland Tutoring Corps Grant Program Awards distributed $28 million, including $20 million in ARP ESSER funds, to three school districts to improve math proficiency in the middle and high schools, focusing on historically underserved students. The grants will support more than 80,000 students, employ more than 1,000 tutors, include targeted assessments, and encourage partnerships with local higher education institutions.

The Dr. Rick DeCristofaro Learning Center, a new special education school in Quincy paid for using $20 million in CARES and ARPA funds, is set to open in January 2024 to its first wave of pre-K students. The school property houses 30 classrooms, a gym, a kitchen and cafeteria, three elevators, a "calming room," therapy rooms, and a new playground. The school also contains a "life skills classroom" with a model apartment that includes a kitchen and laundry machines to help older students with independent living.

In November 2023, Manet Community Health Center opened a clinic at John F. Parker Middle School, open to all Taunton Public Schools staff, students and families. The clinic will provide behavioral health counseling as well as resources to low- and medium-income parents to receive Medicaid assistance. The project cost $906,626 and was paid in part by ESSER funding.

In Mason County Central School District High School, a new K-12 Immersion Technology Room opened at the high school, paid for using ARP ESSER funds. One of the first of its kind in the country, the room houses features 4-D effects, such as scents, and contains seven projectors and several sensors that allow students to engage in interactive learning experiences.

In 2022, St. Johns used ARP ESSER funding to support a program Capturing Kids’ Hearts, which trains school employees and allows students to spend class time developing relationships, improving student mental health, and fostering connections between students.

The Wayne County Commission dedicated about $13.5 million in ARP ESSER funds to the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency to provide mental health counselors and academic coaches in 32 public school districts and charter schools under its jurisdiction.

In January 2023, students at Shakopee and Jordan High Schools began a project to build four camper cabins at the Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park in New Prague. The project, funded by ARP ESSER dollars, offers students a hands-on experience and real-world construction practice. According to Brett Kaufhold, the head of the Engineering and Manufacturing Academy at Shakopee High School, one student who graduated in 2023 is now employed by Greystone Construction thanks to the experience he received during the cabin project.

In 2021, reading proficiency among fourth graders in St. Paul improved after the district spent millions in ARP ESSER funds on a literacy program, providing training to teachers in science-backed reading strategies. According to semiannual assessments, the 4,000 students in the program have been learning to read more quickly than their peers not in the program. Now, St. Paul Public Schools is launching complementary program, SPPS Reads, which aims to involve families and local partners in improving literacy in the region.

Mississippi spent $14 million in ARP ESSER funds on the nSide online school safety platform, which helps 135 participating districts establish better health and safety plans to protect students, families, and school personnel.

In February 2022, the Mississippi Board of Education committed $17.6 million in ARP ESSER funds to UMMC in Jackson to develop a school-based telehealth system to serve the state's K-12 students. As of September 2023, 406 schools across 70 districts have enrolled in the free telehealth program.

Columbia Public Schools is spending $500,000 in ARP ESSER funds to bolster its after school programs through additional tutoring, learning technology, curriculum materials, and staffing.

Saint Louis City Public Schools is investing $16 million in ARP ESSER funds offer a new before-school wellness program, two summer school programs, additional tutoring opportunities, and attention to students' social-emotional well-being in the aftermath of the pandemic. The summer school will also cover transportation costs for students.

Near Missoula, Target Range School District used ARP ESSER funding to pay for an upgraded playground that doubles as an outdoor learning space, specially designed for students' social and emotional development.

In an effort to curb learning loss due to the pandemic, Montana used ESSER dollars to launch the Montana Ready program and announce new career coach positions. The goal of the program is to support college- and career-readiness among students through partnerships with public groups, private business, nonprofits and other community stakeholders.

Johnson County Central Public Schools invested $85,000 in ARP ESSER funding in a new after school program for elementary school students to offer help with homework, reading and writing support, learning enrichment activities, and snacks for students up to 6th grade.

Lincoln Public Schools invested ARP ESSER funds in its summer school programs, including transportation for elementary and middle school students, coordination with libraries to offer full-day programming, and partnerships with local organizations to encourage student leadership with a focus on equity.

Clark County Schools spent about $37 million in ARP ESSER funds on retention bonuses for all licensed employees. Since raising salaries for teachers to about $50,000, Clark County has gone from 1,340 vacancies to just 73, with 99% of its teacher positions filled.

Ahead of the start of the 2022-23 school year, the Clark County School District implemented new security measures, such as an pilot program to test the Centegix CrisisAlert system, which lets employees notify safety officers during a crisis. The program costs about $11 million per campus and is paid for using ARP ESSER funds.

New Hampshire granted $2.5 million in ARP ESSER funds and $1.4 million in GEER II funds to ReKindling Curiosity, a state-operated summer learning initiative that covers recreation camp costs for low-income students with the aim of supporting the students' social-emotional well-being and development.

New Hampshire granted ARP ESSER funding to Waterford Upstart, which offers families free remote kindergarten readiness programs, to give 900 laptops, wifi hotspots, and family education to families with pre-K students.

Passaic Public Schools, which serves 12,900 students, many of whom face socio-economic challenges and 93% of whom identify as Hispanic, allocated ARP ESSER funds to support its 28 certified school nurses for performing additional duties resulting from the pandemic.

Jersey City Public Schools spent nearly $4 million in ARP ESSER fund on S.P.A.R.K.S. Camp, a four-week summer program aimed at improving students’ critical thinking skills and healthy self-expression. While the camp focuses on English language arts and math, students also engage in STEM activities and the visual and performing arts.

Santa Fe Public Schools used ARP ESSER funds to open high-quality, low-cost Early Childhood Center to serve employees’ children, ages 1-3 years old, as a pilot in the 2022-23 school year. Forty-four spots were available, with 70% offered to teachers and 30% to other staff.

Mora County, a rural New Mexico community with around 400 students – nearly all of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunches – experienced back-to-back natural disasters in 2022: a wildfire in April 2022 and severe flooding during historic rains that summer. In an attempt to better serve students whose families had been evacuated more than once that year, the Mora Independent School District used ARP ESSER funds to hire a second social worker based on a spike in social-emotional needs, with a third contracted on an as-needed basis.

New York State used ARP ESSER funds to launch two Teacher Diversity Pipeline pilot programs to help teacher aides and teaching assistants to attain the necessary education and professional training to become certified teachers. The program focuses on increasing diversity among the state's teaching force and addressing teacher shortages.

Ulster County is using $1.3 million in ARP ESSER funds to renovate playgrounds at 10 district elementary schools.

In an attempt to address learning loss and improve social-emotional learning for district students, Rochester City School District used ARP ESSER funding to open Saturday schooling at the high schools and additional classes during school breaks.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools spent over $76.2 million in ARP ESSER funds on recruitment and retention incentives for teachers. The district offered $2,500 bonuses for critical shortage recruitment, as well as $200 monthly retention bonuses for K-12 special education teachers; secondary science, math, and English language arts teachers; and K-12 multilingual learner teachers. The district also offered incentives and bonuses for bus drivers, substitute teachers, and other support staff.

Union County Public Schools used ARP ESSER funds to hire 125 tutors and offer high-impact math tutoring to all district schools. Students participating in the tutoring program saw up to 11 point increases in math proficiency.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools spent $7.7 million in ARP ESSER funds on “additional responsibility stipends,” which provides educators bonuses for taking on work outside the classroom, such as mentoring students, supporting extended-learning programs, and serving as Covid coordinators to keep school communities safe.

Mandan Public Schools used $9.6 million in ESSER funds to pay for the construction of a new elementary and high school.

Grand Forks Public Schools spent $7.5 million in ESSER funds on construction projects, including boiler and window upgrades and HVAC repairs in school buildings. The district also plans to construct a Career Impact Academy, which will be funded by $1.5 million in ESSER funds and $10 million in state matching funds.

Columbus spent over $15 million in ARP ESSER funding to address learning loss resulting from the pandemic. The district hired additional counselors, intervention specialists, social workers, and other support staff; it also partnered with local organizations to offer social-emotional services to students. The district also began providing free online tutoring, expanding its summer school, and distributing Chromebooks to all district students.

Cleveland spent $39 million in ARP ESSER funds on contracts with software and technology companies, such as Bluum of Minnesota for Clever Touch boards, Dell, Apple, and Best Buy.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education's School Counselor Corps has enabled the hiring of more than 300 new school counselors and mental health professionals at Oklahoma public schools. Launched in 2021, the School Counselor Corps is a three-year program funded by $35 million in ARP ESSER funds.

In 2023, the Oklahoma State Board of Education began its Teacher Signing Bonus program in an attempt to recruit and retain teachers at public schools. So far, the state has distributed $16 million in bonuses to 530 teachers, paid largely using ARP ESSER funds.

Brookings Harbor is utilizing $15,000 in ARP ESSER funds to purchase all basic school supplies to students in the 2023-2024 school year, as well as provide free melas to students at all district schools.

North Bend used ARP ESSER funds to purchase six portable classrooms to reduce classroom sizes at district elementary schools.

Oregon's largest school district, Portland, will spend $7 million in ARP ESSER funds on an online learning academy to help close learning gaps created by the pandemic.

The Conestoga Valley Board of Supervisors approved spending $44,400 in ARP ESSER funds on a math specialist training and technical assistance program by Origo Education for the district’s four elementary schools. This new investment complements Origo Education’s $327,510 ARPA-funded Stepping Stones math program, which the board approved in 2022.

Butler Area Schools used $2.4 million in ARP ESSER funds to hire more teachers and support staff in an attempt to curb learning loss caused by the pandemic and bring on eight full-time mental health counselors to support students' social-emotional wellness.

In Central Falls, where per capita income is under $18,000 and 45% of students are English language learners, school district leaders used ARP ESSER funding to establish a program to support English language learners and close achievement gaps. The program included $8,000 on field trips, $17,000 on professional development, $71,000 on external vendors, and $212,000 on employee salaries.

Cranston committed $307,000 in ARP ESSER funds to upgrade eight district playgrounds in disrepair, with the largest portion going toward the Edgewood-Highland Elementary School playground, which had been closed for months.

South Carolina used ARP ESSER funding to equip 500 state-owned school buses with Wi-Fi hotspots for vulnerable communities to provide internet access to district students.

South Carolina Department of Education used ARP ESSER funding to expand their grow-your-own programs, Call Me MISTER ($600,000) and Teaching Fellows ($1,213,622), as well as $1.69 million in ARP ESSER funds to support the nonprofit TEACH, which works to recruit and retain teachers.

The Tri-Valley School District invested $65,240 in ARP ESSER funds in expanded learning opportunities for district students, including after school bus routes for the 2022-2023 school year and a summer school for English Language Learners in 2021.

The Meade School District spent $180,000 in ARP ESSER funds on the expansion of its summer school program by lengthening the program and adding locations to increase accessibility for students in rural areas.

The Tennessee Department of Education spent $170.5 million in ARP ESSER funding on its Accelerating Literacy and Learning Corps (TN ALL Corps), a tutoring program available to public school students and partner organizations to combat learning loss resulting from the pandemic.

Cocke County Schools invested over $800,000 in ARP ESSER funding in a six-week summer school for students in grades K-8 to support students in reading, math, STEM, and other areas of learning. The summer program also includes free breakfast and lunch, as well as field trips and free transportation to and from classes.

In Aldine Independent School District in Houston, four elementary schools added 30 days to their school year, so about 1,600 students went back to school in mid-July 2023. Because the district used ARP ESSER funding to cover other parts of its budget, it was able to free up funding to provide additional class time, accelerated math and reading learning time.

San Isidro Independent School District spent ARP ESSER funding to purchase virtual reality headsets from ClassVR for the middle and high schools, which will offer virtual educational content to address learning loss caused by the pandemic.

Utah used $1.8 million in ARP ESSER funding to launch the Utah Principal Supervisory Academy, which convened a class of 200 principals for the purpose of discussing strategies to combat the effects of the pandemic.

Cache County School District spent over $2.1 million in ARP ESSER funds on its after school programs and over $2 million on its summer school. The funding enabled the district to provide free transportation to and from these extracurricular classes and offer its Cache REACH-OST program at all district elementary schools and offer before school, after school, and summer school to all students to help close learning gaps resulting from the pandemic.

In response to the mental health crisis worsened by the pandemic, Montpelier Roxbury School District has spent $120,000 in ARP ESSER funding on a contract with Talkspace to provide free teletherapy services for 400 district staff, students, and families. Participants have access to two virtual therapy sessions per month and unlimited access to therapists via text.

North Country Supervisory Union invested about $70,000 in ARP ESSER funds toward a "Grow Your Own" program to help some of its existing employees become licensed teachers.

Richmond Public Schools used ARP ESSER funds to add 20 days of school to help close pandemic-related learning gaps for approximately 1,000 families at Fairfield Court and Cardinal elementary schools. The pilot program pays teachers a $10,000 bonus with the possibility of a second bonus down the line, also paid with ARP ESSER funds.

In Springfield, ARP ESSER funds helped pay for therapy dogs to support students at the Key Center. Many Key Center students are non-verbal, use wheelchairs, or have severe intellectual disabilities. Therapy dogs and their trainers help the students practice counting, compare numbers, and learn addition, practice motor skills, improve communication, practice empathy, and learn to be gentle with animals.

In November 2023, Roanoke City Schools used ARP ESSER funding to partner with Hazel Health to provide its students with free virtual mental healthcare services in multiple languages.

In June 2023, the Washington Education Association launched its Teacher Residency Program, funded by ARP ESSER, which aims to recruit, train, and retain a diverse cohort of teachers for Washington's public schools. The program has since served 16 residents across three school districts (Federal Way, Mukilteo and Walla Walla) with a focus on training aspiring special education teachers.

In 2022, Oak Harbor School District spent $1.2 million in ARP ESSER funds to a free summer enrichment program for K-12 students. The camp exposed students to performing arts, equine studies, sports, robotics, and more.

The District of Columbia has invested over $7 million in ARP ESSER money to support students with disabilities, including training educators on working with special education students and launching the DC Special Education Hub to help students and families navigate decisions around learning plans. Since its launch in August 2022, the Special Education Hub has supported 781 District families and has facilitated more than 50 trainings and events.

The District of Columbia spent $5 million in ARP ESSER funds on Out-of-School-Time (OST) Grants, which invest in local organizations that support children and youth through after school and summer school programs.

Fayette County used ARP ESSER funds to provide a classroom aide for every classroom grades 1-3. This program became part of a statewide initiative, which passed in the 2023 legislative session, to provide aides over the next three years to every classroom with more than 10 students for grades 1–3.

In Glen Dale, $200,000 in ARPA funds were used to build a new 8,000-square-foot outdoor classroom at John Marshall High School, which will provide students space for musical and stage performances, classroom sessions, and lunch.

The Appleton Area School District used ARP ESSER funding to hire extra literacy and math interventionists as well as graduation coaches for junior and seniors who fell behind during the pandemic.

Green Bay used ARP ESSER funds to improve its student assessment platform to identify students that need additional academic help due to learning loss caused by the pandemic.

Milwaukee put $9 million in ARP ESSER funds toward a renovation at Ronald Reagan High School, which will add a science wing to the school, upgrade the gym, add fitness and athletic facilities, and build a field house and a turf field.

Green River used ARP ESSER funds to hire additional school wellness counselors and offer a new program called "School Pulse," which allows students to reach therapeutic services by QR code 24 hours/day. Green River High School and Lincoln Middle School further utilized ARP ESSER funds to add hall monitors who provide mental health checks for students.

Natrona County used ARP ESSER funding to hire additional counselors and nurses to support students' physical and mental well-being. By January 2022, the district was able to place a counselor and a nurse in each of its 28 schools.