The American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) signed into law on March 11, 2021 provided nearly $122 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER). ARP ESSER funds are provided to state educational agencies in the same proportion as each state received under Title I-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in fiscal year (FY) 2020. These funds are provided to help cover costs associated with learning loss due to COVID-19.

A complete list of the ESSER III allocation amounts for Texas school districts can be found online at tea.texas.gov. Melissa ISD is expected to receive approximately $285,000 of these federal funds.

Melissa ISD is currently in the process of gathering preliminary data from stakeholders to guide and support the instructional and expenditure plan for these funds. Meaningful consultations with stakeholders will be implemented through the course of the 2021-2022 academic year. These consultation touch points are an effort to strategically update and evaluate the use of these federal funds. Melissa ISD will be collecting this preliminary data by meeting with campus leadership and student groups, in addition to sending out a survey to all Melissa ISD parents/guardians and staff, in order to gather feedback.

Melissa ISD released its Preliminary Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services in July 2020, also referred to as the Melissa ISD Return-to-School Plan for the 2020-2021 school year. This plan can be accessed online at www.melissaisd.org/return2020.

Melissa ISD held a public meeting on June 14, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. at the Melissa Schools Home Office, located at 1904 Cooper Street, Melissa, TX 75454. The purpose of this meeting was to give the public an opportunity to provide feedback regarding the distribution of ESSER III federal funds allocated to Melissa ISD as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last updated on Nov. 8, 2021.