DOF Creations’ Post

#ESSER Funding has transformed school district budgets across the nation unlike any other funding program! 💰 From the start, the federal government was clear that the funding program, and subsequent rounds, were a mechanism to provide school districts with financial support in response to the pandemic, and would be temporary funding streams. The third and final round of ESSER, the American Recovery Plan (ARP), is approaching expiration, with an obligation deadline of September 30, 2024. This leaves only five months for districts to identify unallocated funds or to repurpose allocated funds that cannot be spent in a compliant manner or have been reprioritized. And, more importantly, marks a need for districts to reconsider their approaches to funding district needs and priorities. Use these tips to act now to ensure your district can take advantage of any remaining ESSER funds and make a plan to maintain priorities beyond the funding windows. https://bit.ly/3TZtCP9

Do you know how levy funds are collected? It is important to dispel any misconception that the approved 2024 Captial Levy automatically translates to immediate access to $175 million. The reality is that levy funds are collected gradually over six years. This means that our financial resources are not immediately available, and project timelines for repairs must be carefully planned and executed to align with the pace of funding. The district focuses on projects essential for keeping our schools safe. But if materials or services aren't available, or if unexpected events occur, we may need to change priorities to ensure the best use of available funds. For example, when a problem like a broken water pipe arises, like what happened at Woodland Elementary last winter, we'll adjust our plans accordingly. Read the full story on our website at https://lnkd.in/greE5iM9 You can explore the list of 906 voter-approved projects: https://lnkd.in/gRcbGUNN #FoundationsForOurFuture #ThankYouVoters

"As states get closer to accepting applications for $42.5 billion in BEAD rural broadband funding, more defaults in the previous RDOF rural broadband funding program could be coming. The potential defaults involve network operators that had winning bids in the RDOF program in 2020 but who have not yet undertaken the deployments for which they won funding. The FCC, which administered the RDOF program, did not authorize funding for some winning bidders until 18 months or so after the auction was completed, by which time deployment costs had risen substantially as a result of the COVID pandemic. Some RDOF winners now say they cannot do the deployments for which they won funding unless the FCC makes additional funding available to them. The FCC appears unlikely to do that, but the commission has said it would consider relaxing default penalties for RDOF winners that cannot afford to build." #BEAD #RDOF #funding #utilities #FTTH #broadband #fiber #rural

Delivering on our promise, 2015 bond projects were completed on time under budget: The spending of taxpayer dollars is done very publicly, through conservative planning, cautious oversight over time, and at the direction of elected officials. Thank you, voters, for approving our 2015 bond measure to replace or renovate 11 aging neighborhood schools across our district. All voter-approved 2015 bond projects came in on time, under budget. PSD funds were managed so well that the state match was used to fund additional junior high projects and the Kessler Center, saving the district from having to run another bond for those expansion projects. Learn more about how we manage capital funds at https://lnkd.in/g-_9U9Cb

BEAD (Broadband Funding in Wisconsin) Are you prepared? Talk with your local County/Municipal Board. Are you going to match funds and if so what are you asking for in return, connection to fire stations, schools, 911 towers, town halls, highway shops? Even if you aren’t giving funds are you waiving fees, assisting with permitting? Or allowing the use of municipal land or towers? Have you talked with ISPs? Does your board know where the BEAD qualifying areas are? What are the financial impacts of getting high speed internet in your area? Wisconsin BEAD grants likely start in early November with nearly $1B avialable statewide or about $4600 averaged per unserved/underseved address. You will need this on your board agendas for Nov/Dec 2024, Feb 2025 and May/June 2025. If you are giving funds you could budget for Jan 2026 if you are doing any up front funding or loan. If you are doing reimbursement it would 2029/2030. Are you all set for BEAD??

Learn about funding options for RESPs! Whether you prefer a lump sum contribution or maximizing annual payments, both strategies offer unique benefits. Watch our video to make an informed decision for your child's future education. https://lnkd.in/gYMnpY-Q #RESPFundingOptions #EducationSavings #FinancialPlanning

With less than four months to go, how much ESSER funding is left? We are in the home stretch for agencies to “obligate” or legally commit the funds to an activity. States will want this done ahead of time for paperwork and account management purposes, so it’s practically about 3 months. 💰 We estimate that about 10% of ESSER III remains or about $12 billion. As previously noted: Many states and districts will have already committed their funds. If they have not, they will NOT publish information that may suggest weak internal controls or poor fund management. Accordingly, we should assume some late efforts by state and local agencies to obligate the funds. Since the funds are allocated in proportion to Title I funding, we know that large agencies with high concentrations of families in poverty have the largest relative share. Here's the estimated percent remaining based on each state’s appropriation. #ESSER #EdTech #SchoolFunding

States and districts must commit their last ESSER allocation by Sept. 30. Spending, however, can continue to Jan. 28, 2025 — or beyond for some. #funding #k12 https://hubs.li/Q02tcZG90

When will the BEAD money start flowing? That is the billion-dollar question — pun intended. Most states have had their Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 processes approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), according to NTIA’s Progress Dashboard. Vol. 1 is focused on the mapping challenge process, and Vol. 2 consists of the remainder of the state’s BEAD implementation plan. Yet, the wait continues.

The University of Georgia is a key partner in the state’s efforts to expand broadband internet access, improving the quality of life for Georgians. The Georgia Broadband Accessibility Map, created by the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, has helped guide the state in awarding millions of dollars in grants to service providers and local governments to expand broadband service. The state is now using the map for a broadband challenge process as it prepares to deploy funding from the $1.3 billion Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. By making sure the map is as up-to-date as possible, challenges help BEAD funding go farther to make sure more Georgians have broadband access. Local governments, nonprofit organizations and internet service providers can submit challenges through April 2, when the challenge portal closes. For more information on the BEAD challenge process, go to: https://lnkd.in/g3HTEX7X To read more about UGA’s Broadband Availability Map, go here: https://t.uga.edu/9xk