Louisiana Schools Maximize Federal Pandemic Aid to Boost Student Learning

Louisiana schools have received a staggering $4 billion in federal aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, a once-in-a-generation windfall that has transformed the educational landscape. With strict spending deadlines looming, districts are racing to allocate these crucial funds to address academic setbacks and invest in long-term improvements.

Unlocking the Potential of Pandemic Relief Funds

Spending Deadlines Spur Urgent Action

Schools in Louisiana have until September 30th to budget any remaining COVID-19 relief dollars, and until December 16th to fully spend them. Failure to meet these deadlines could force districts to return unspent funds to the federal government. State data reveals that approximately $540 million in Louisiana's education COVID-19 aid remains unallocated, but officials assure that the money is earmarked and will be spent by the cutoff date.Calcasieu Parish, for instance, recently held a "sweep the floor" meeting to strategize the use of the nearly $90 million it received in the final round of pandemic aid. The school board approved a plan to distribute the remaining $7 million in the form of employee stipends – $1,325 for teachers and $925 for support staff. "We're not sending any money back," said Superintendent Jason VanMetre. "By the time we get done with this, Calcasieu will be at zero."

Navigating the Complexities of Federal Funding

After the pandemic disrupted learning, Congress passed three separate aid packages to help students recover. In Louisiana, schools have leveraged this funding to pay for a wide range of initiatives, from tutoring and summer school to building upgrades and technology investments.The final and largest infusion of federal aid came in 2021 through the American Rescue Plan Act, which provided approximately $2.6 billion to Louisiana schools. These funds must be fully allocated by the end of this month, September 30th. Several states applied for extensions that would give schools until March 2026 to spend the money, but Louisiana officials decided not to do so, citing concerns about the extension guidelines and the implications for grant reporting and auditing.As a result, about 20% of the final aid package remains to be spent by the December 16th deadline. State officials, however, are confident that districts can meet the deadline, noting that they spent more than 99% of the first two aid packages on time. "Systems need to appreciate that the time is running out for them to expend their dollars," said State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley. "We want to make sure that Louisiana gets the benefit of every dollar available."

Maximizing the Impact of Federal Funds

Congress granted schools broad discretion in how to spend the COVID-19 relief funds, officially known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. One of the few requirements was that schools use at least 20% of the final package to address academic setbacks caused by the pandemic.While Louisiana students have rebounded from COVID-19 learning loss faster than their peers in many states, their math and English test scores remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels. To help students catch up, the Louisiana Department of Education has used some of the relief money to fund student assessments, online learning programs, textbooks, teacher training, and a computer-based tutoring program powered by artificial intelligence.School districts have also found innovative ways to boost student learning, such as launching or expanding summer and after-school programs. "It allowed us to be a little more innovative than before because money was not as scarce," said Rapides Parish Schools Superintendent Jeff Powell.In Caddo Parish, officials noticed that some students who needed academic help weren't attending after-school or weekend classes. So the district started using aid money to offer some tutoring during the school day and to double the amount of daily math instruction. The district also paid for students to retake the ACT college admissions test and covered the cost of summer courses that allow high schoolers to catch up on credits. "We've seen such a return on the investment," said Keith Burton, the district's chief academic officer, "that we will never go back to charging any fee."

Investing in Infrastructure and Technology

In addition to academic initiatives, districts have also used the federal funds to make much-needed building and technology upgrades. Rapides Parish spent about $44 million, or half of its pandemic aid, to improve indoor air quality. Similarly, Calcasieu Parish upgraded the HVAC systems in approximately 75 buildings and purchased new school buses and enough laptops and tablets for every student."We were able to do some things that would have been difficult or straight up not possible before," said Calcasieu Parish Superintendent Jason VanMetre. "It was a huge impact."

Ensuring Sustainability Beyond the Pandemic

As the race to spend the remaining COVID-19 money nears its end, districts are grappling with the question of what will happen when the federal aid dries up. State Superintendent Cade Brumley has urged districts to first analyze the impact of aid-funded programs on student learning, then seek out other state or federal funding sources to continue high-impact initiatives.District officials say they have developed their COVID-19 spending plans with sustainability in mind, avoiding the temptation to hire new employees who might have to be laid off later. "We tried to be mindful that this end was coming," said VanMetre.In East Baton Rouge, district officials are reviewing data and consulting with teachers to decide which expenses to keep or cut. The district will continue funding a "dual enrollment" program that lets high schoolers take college classes, but will stop paying for an online reading program. Similarly, Caddo Parish expects to scale back some tutoring programs and teacher stipends, but plans to find money to keep funding the extended daily math classes that have boosted student learning."It's one of those things really worth fighting for," said Melissa Mainiero, who oversees accountability and grants in Caddo Parish.