Remember when the CARES Act passed back in March 2020 and it seemed like there was more than enough time before the deadline for ESSER funds to develop a plan, secure the dollars, and be reimbursed by your state for any purchases your school or district made?
Now, there are fewer than THREE weeks to secure any remaining funds before they revert to the Department of Education for reallocation.
We previously shared a blog detailing how CARES Act funds can help schools and districts enhance their school-home communications efforts—especially at a time when effective and timely communications were a top priority and the pivot to remote, hybrid and in-person learning was front and center.
In that blog, we also shared information from our white paper, Using CARES Act Funds for ParentSquare, which summarized how our unified school-home communications platform aligns with the CARES Act criteria. In that white paper, we provide alignment text that you can use in your funding requests and note that ParentSquare aligns with the CARES Act criteria in at least three areas for ongoing school needs, including school-home communication, student-teacher communication, remote learning, and the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 (which may continue to be an issue in the coming school year).
It’s with those factors and the quickly approaching ESSER fund deadlines in mind that we remind you to consider earmarking any remaining funds to purchase ParentSquare. In most cases, the platform pays for itself during the first year of implementation as it can replace multiple paid platforms and reduce operational expenses related to school-home workflows.
As the new school year gets underway, now is the time to turn your attention to transforming your school or district’s communications strategy. Great communications with parents and families is always important no matter the local, regional, national, or global forces garnering our attention.
With an eye on improved family engagement and the ongoing support of students, everyone wins.
