Carolyn, thank you. First tonight here at
6A financial hold up the pandemic
put an overwhelming amount of
stress on students and educators.
On top of learning losses,
districts also facing budget setbacks.
An intended solution was the federal
government committing billions
of dollars of pandemic rescue
funding for school districts.
But are where's the money?
Investigation finding most of
that money remains unspent.
Instead of rushing to spend this cash,
our Nate Morabito discovered many school
systems are taking their time. Districts
still have two years to spend
this money before it expires.
Leaders believe their slow and
steady approach in the short term
will benefit students long term.
The public criticism,
the risk of infection,
the shrinking teacher pool.
You see what humans can endure.
April **** fights back tears.
Thinking of everything educators
have overcome and yet most of her
peers never turned their backs.
They still showed up.
And that's. That's invaluable.
To repay that loyalty,
Rowan Salisbury schools,
like many other districts,
use federal COVID money to
reward employees with a bonus.
And the interim Superintendent says
the school system is planning a second
round. Some people have been willing to
stick with us because they know they're
getting an additional bonus in the fall.
When it comes to spending its share of
federal COVID dollars, Rowan Salisbury
has hardly scratched the surface.
The district is left with about $55 million,
more than 75% of its total allotments.
Still unspent, and we discovered more
than 200 other districts and charter
schools throughout the Carolinas
still have most of their money, too.
We need the support and resources
necessary to do what we already
know works best for our kids.
Throughout the pandemic, money,
or a lack thereof, has remained
a sticking point for teachers
you're looking at. Am I gonna have
enough money to pay my bills, parents,
when we stress out our teachers,
we see that reflected in our kids and
elected leaders.
We need teacher assistance.
All the while a WCNC Charlotte
analysis of elementary and
secondary school emergency relief,
also known as Esser funding,
identified almost $6 billion
still in the pipeline in
these two states alone,
there's a lot more
going on than maybe people realize.
Doctor Michael Marr is deputy state
Superintendent for standards,
accountability and research for the North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
He says districts have already spent
money on tutoring summer programs,
school meals, and more, but is relieved.
Most money remains on the table.
If we were having a conversation right
now where districts have spent 60 or
70% of those recovery funds already,
I actually would be more concerned.
Doctor Maher says the state only recently
met with all school systems and charter
schools to deliver learning lost data,
critical guidance since at least 20% of
this money must go toward learning recovery
if we're ever going to bring kids back
up to the level that they were at,
we've got to disrupt that current trajectory.
And you do that with good interventions
beyond interventions.
Districts have a wide range of
ways they can spend the money
short of building a new school.
The only real requirement justification
that the projects are in response to
COVID or to reduce or prevent its spread.
Each district creates a spending
plan with its proposed projects,
and once the plans are approved by the state,
the money's available.
Are you afraid that you won't
be able to spend it all?
I am fortunate enough to work with
a team of leaders who are smart
who are thoughtful and who will
find ways to use the funds to help.
Our students. So no,
I don't have a fear that we won't. In
Rowan County, the district is
mindful this isn't recurring money,
all the more reason to make
smart long term decisions.
We definitely have a plan for our spending.
The district spent all of its first
round of funding and its plans
for round two and three call for
curriculum and instruction investments,
air quality improvements,
support staff at the school level
and district office cleaning and
disinfecting and that second
round of retention bonuses
when times are tough. People
remember how you treated them.
Money she knows will reward and
retain teachers and benefit students.
While every school district
and charter school received
a different amount of money,
the idea is its equitable.
All based on student enrollment.
Nate Morabito, WCNC, Charlotte.
And now you can head over to our
website or mobile app For more
information about these federal funds,
we have a complete breakdown of how
each district has spent its COVID
grant money with spending by the year.
Just look for Nate story on the home page.