Federal COVID Relief

Rockford Public Schools has received federal funding to aid in its recovery from the pandemic.

In total, $234.3M in federal funding has come from the following legislation:

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSERII)
American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER)

How RPS 205 will use the funds:

Blue circle icon of air conditioner with air waves and snowflake

$159.6M

Air Quality

Air Quality

HVAC upgrades and replacements to support air conditioning and cooling infrastructure over the next three years. This includes the potential to extend the school day and/or school year by providing air conditioning and improved air quality in all RPS 205 classrooms.

HVAC upgrades will be administered in three phases:

Summer 2022

East High School, Flinn Middle School, Lincoln Middle School, Riverdahl Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, West Middle School.

Summer 2023

Auburn High School, Bloom Elementary School, Brookview Elementary School, Conklin Elementary School, Froberg Elementary School, Guilford High School, Hillman Elementary School, Johnson Elementary School, Lathrop Elementary School, Maria Montessori at Marsh, McIntosh Elementary School, Spring Creek Elementary School, Welsh Elementary School, Whitehead Elementary School.

Summer 2024

Eisenhower Middle School, Fairview Early Childhood Center, Gregory Elementary School, Jefferson High School, Kennedy Middle School, Thurgood Marshall Elementary, Thurgood Marshall School, Nashold Early Childhood Center, Rolling Green Elementary School, Summerdale Early Childhood Center, West View Elementary School.

$46.1M

Learning Loss & Transportation

Learning Loss & Transportation

Learning Loss is the term used to describe the impact of interrupted learning during the pandemic which, for many students, resulted in missed connections and a lack of growth and engagement. The district’s response includes: additional classroom support, 24/7 online classroom portals students can access from home with their mobile devices, social and mental health support, community partnerships to assist academics, credit recovery, and care for students and families outside of the regular school day.

District leaders are planning to maximize in-person learning and daily attendance with additional transportation support. That means, for example, finding ways to provide transportation to students who are not currently eligible for transportation because they live within 1.5-miles of their assigned school and significantly expanding access to early childhood transportation.

Teal circle icon of person walking up stairs to a briefcase

$14.1M

Professional Learning, Intervention & Mitigation

Professional Learning, Intervention & Mitigation

This allotment focuses on professional development aligned to the district's universal goals and to support the district's equity imperative for staff, as well as renewing, supporting and assisting staff, students and families to care for themselves. This includes Teledoc online or telephone-based therapy services for all RPS 205 staff, additional support from Rosecrance for social emotional needs of students, and a new partnership with DialCare to use teletherapy services to empower students in grades 6-12 to seek the support of a therapist as they continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

$11.7M

Initial Pandemic Response

Initial Pandemic Response

Initial federal pandemic response money allowed district leaders to rapidly transition RPS 205 to a one-to-one district – meaning each student was assigned an electronic device to support remote instruction and learning outside of the traditional classroom. RPS 205 purchased Chromebooks, iPads and supporting materials for students at the start of the pandemic; students and staff continue to use those today. It also provided funding for masks, hand sanitizer, thermometers and other equipment and supplies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The district also distributed $690,000 to area private schools as required by the legislation.

Green circle icon of laptop and wifi symbol

$2.8M

Digital Equity

Digital Equity

Digital equity funding provided RPS 205 students with reliable Internet access, in addition to necessary tools to connect for remote instruction and learning (Chromebooks, iPads and supporting materials). The pandemic put RPS 205 on a fast-track to one-to-one for electronic learning devices. Post-pandemic, tools are available for students to bring home in case of poor weather or road conditions or any other extended closures or absences.