Grants and State Aid
ESSER Funding
These documents explain how SFCSD funding is being used under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, the American Rescue Plan ESSER (ARP ESSER), and the Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our students. These Federal emergency resources address needs related to:
- the social, emotional, and mental health of students
- academic needs
- health and safety
Please visit the District Office at 2 Butler Avenue, Seneca Falls for physical copies or translated documents.
ESSA-Funded Programs
Under ESSA, including Title I, II, III and IV, funds are provided to local educational agencies (LEAs) – Public School Districts for the purpose of providing all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps among groups of students. Funds are allocated through four statutory formulas that are based primarily on census poverty estimates and the cost of education in each state. For a general overview of what ESSA funded programs are, click here or use any of the links provided below.
Title I Family and Community Engagement webpage: https://www.senecafallscsd.org/parents/title-i-family-and-community-engagement
NYS ESSA-Funded Programs Complaint Procedures - Please follow the link below regarding submitting a complaint to NYSED. Complaints relating to Title I-IV funding, must first be sent to the Superintendent of Schools. Complaints relating to Migrant Education Tutorial and Support Services (METS) should be sent first to the Director of the regional METS program center (https://www.nysmigrant.org/mets)
http://www.nysed.gov/essa/new-york-state-essa-funded-programs-complaint-procedures
New York State Aid
The Seneca Falls CSD foundation aid increase for the 2023-24 academic year of $2,563,418 equates to a 22.64% annual increase, which exceeds the 10% threshold for a required utilization plan. Despite the new planning mandate and earmarked suggestions, foundation aid remains an unrestricted aid category in its application. The New York State Education Department released a memo providing guidance on this legislative requirement.
The District began with a community survey to elicit responses on funding options. The survey was developed through a Google Form with 11 options and an open-ended choice. The survey was promoted on the District’s website via a news story to draw attention to its completion (news story capture below). Survey completers included Teachers, Administrators, Parents, PTO Members, and Community Members.
Respondents were asked to select three funding options from a list or choose “other” and specify the priority area. Survey results and the funding plan options were presented to the District Steering Committee on May 22nd. A draft of the Foundation Aid Plan will be posted on the District’s website after the District Steering Committee meeting and will be made final after Board of Education approval on June 22nd, 2023. The Foundation Aid plan will also be entered in and submitted through the NYS Business Portal before July 1, 2023.