ARP+ Info Hub: A Living, Collaborative Resource
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law. Of the $1.9 trillion package, close to $125 billion is slated for K-12 education. Spending can extend through 2024.
The Partnership for the Future of Learning’s ARP+ K-12 Info Hub is a living document with easy access to resources from over 40 education organizations for using ARP, CARES, and CRRSA federal investments to remodel K-12 education. These resources can help ensure that public funds are used effectively so that schools are centers of opportunity and healing. The hub is a collaborative Google Doc co-created by network partners and will be updated regularly.
The ARP+ Info Hub describes federal funding sources and links to materials from:
- The U.S. Department of Education;
- State agencies;
- Research, policy, and practice groups, such as Learning Policy Institute, Southern Education Foundation, and Bank Street College of Education.
- State and local groups and coalitions, such as the California Partnership for the Future of Learning;
This hub provides information on five core areas:
- Federal funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, which is the primary source of relief money for K-12 schools;
- Other federal funding for K-12 education;
- Federal funding for state and local governments, which can be tapped for educational expenses;
- Research and materials on how this funding can be used strategically;
- State and local campaigns for strategic use of funds.
Public education is one of the most important institutions in the United States. It’s how we invest in the potential of young people for our shared future. And inadequate funding has been a perpetual and devastating problem, particularly in communities of color and areas of concentrated poverty.
Real improvements start with building equity into everything we do in schools, from decision-making to instruction. Many aspects of school and learning need to be remodeled and reimagined for today and tomorrow. That takes investment.
Explore major federal spending in an interactive tool called Spend It On Schools (#SpendItOnSchools). Compare government expenditures and tax cuts side-by-side with the costs of improving our public education system. While changing education funding is not as simple as redirecting federal funds to education, it can be informative to play with the numbers. Use the tool and share your priorities: SpendItOnSchools.org
