How Framingham Plans To Spend $14.4M In School Stimulus Funds

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The Framingham School Committee this week signed off on a spending plan for the district's $14.4 million federal stimulus allotment, which came from the $1.9 trillion federal American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Joe Biden this spring.

The district's plan includes a wide variety of items, from replacing playgrounds to hiring reading teachers. Federal rules require the district to spend the money on specific items, including at least 20 percent toward making up for classroom time lost during the pandemic.

Framingham will use more than one-third of the entire allotment to upgrade HVAC systems at schools — an expenditure that may help prevent COVID-19 from spreading within school buildings. That money will also go toward buying air conditioners for classrooms. The district has had to cancel classes in recent years due to high heat and no way to cool classrooms.

Even with the spending plan in place, Framingham will still have about $1 million leftover to use for future items. The district's stimulus allotment is separate from the approximately $27 million chunk given to the city of Framingham.

Here's a breakdown of how the school district will spend the money, as described in an FPS news release:

$5 million, air quality improvements

Air quality improvements identified in this line item extend the current offering of improved air filtration and portable air purifiers to build upon 2020-21 school year investments and continue to reduce COVID-19 risk. One time expenses included in this funding allocation include air conditioning solutions at schools where no air conditioning is present. At this time, only half of public school facilities have air conditioning. There has been a long-standing need to identify and remediate individual “hot spots” in schools across the district, especially during late summer/early fall and late spring/early summer when classroom temperatures escalate beyond the outside air temperature.

$1.75 million, summer school in 2021, 2022, and 202

The impact of COVID-19 has caused financial hardship for many families. The district is committing funds to ensuring free summer programming through FY22 along with additional funding in FY23 and FY24 to substantially reduce summer program costs. Expanded program offerings were offered in the summer of 2021 and will continue to be made available to address concerns related to student social emotional health and academic needs.

$1.7 million, building enhancements

This will support activities that are necessary to maintain operation and keep staff employed. The plan for this is a work in progress and will be on a future agenda.

$1.11 million, tutoring services

COVID-19 led to unprecedented loss in time on learning. To provide students with the optimal opportunity to re-engage in school, funding over three years will be directed to provide targeted groups of students with academic tutoring support. Priority will be given to students and schools facing significant gaps in opportunity and achievement.

$1.05 million, elementary school reading teachers

Elementary School Reading Teachers will support students in grades K-2 who are struggling with foundational skills in the area of Reading due to the pandemic. Click here to read a memo with additional information.

$629,731, mental health services for Fuller, Walsh middle schools

The Brookline Center for Community Mental Health’s BRYT Program provides mental health services and support, and will begin at Fuller and Walsh Middle Schools. BRYT is already at Cameron Middle School, and now expands to the other two middle schools. BRYT will work to align its support with existing school and district initiatives related to school culture and climate, social-emotional learning, and mental health. Funds cover three years of services and a district-wide assessment.

$600,000, professional development

Professional Development for staff is essential to our growth as a district. FPS is intent on providing talent development opportunities to all of our employees, not just our teachers. Moreover, the district seeks to promote more training of diversity, equity and inclusion to all staff regardless of role. This professional development will help our staff learn to help the engagement and acceleration of student learning to make up for the disruptions that have occurred over the past two academic years due to the pandemic.

$441,266, elementary school playground replacements

Harmony Grove Elementary School: Two current small structures and two sets of swings will be replaced. The small structure closer to the parking lot has a broken climber on the structure and efforts to replace it to date have been unsuccessful. ADA compliant components will be included in the new structure. The swings replaced in 2018 will remain.

Brophy Elementary School: The current structure was built in 1999 and now has infrastructure issues with stairs and climbers.

Potter Road Elementary School: The structure was installed in 1998. Due to the age there are some non-compliant issues like climber entrance widths and transfer points to be addressed.

$350,000, funding for social-emotional support

Our youth serving community partners have continued to provide programming and enrichment to our students and families throughout the pandemic. This funding will provide an opportunity for them to submit a proposal of a new and innovative program that will support students learning loss through social emotional programming.

$250,000, preschool support training

In our district efforts to expand early childhood opportunities to all Framingham 4-year-olds, this line item for Preschool Expansion Support is directly aimed at training for our partner staff at the YMCA and Framingham State University. Additionally, it provides for the addition of student support services through contracted related service providers for students as needs emerge at our partner sites, including transportation services to and from BLOCKS Preschool, if necessary, for service delivery to students.

$200,000, health suite at FPS Welcome Center

One-time expenses to help with the design and development of a Health Suite at the Framingham Public Schools Welcome Center to offer basic physician services that prevent the timely enrollment of students (e.g., immunizations, physicals, etc.) and basic dental hygiene services which are often neglected and which impact school attendance. This is a partnership opportunity with the medical community in Framingham and which has already gained attention and support.

$150,000, innovation recovery grants

The 2021-2022 Innovation Recovery Grant is a new opportunity for School Councils and School PTOs to join together to advance school improvement efforts related to learning loss, social-emotional mental health needs, or supplemental after school programs. The intent is for this grant to be a strategic investment opportunity aimed at supporting school-driven pilot initiatives that extend student learning opportunities and which are not included in the operating budget. Click here to read a memo with additional information on the goals and process for School Councils/PTOs to apply.

$43,200, after school transportation

Brophy Elementary School has many students that do not live in the area of the school. The addition of late buses would provide transportation home at no cost for students participating in out of school enrichment and tutoring.