Elimination of Federal ESSER Funds Leaves District at Risk of Drastic Cuts
As the New York State Legislature continues to negotiate the State Budget, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is calling on New York State representatives to inject additional funding to the Yonkers Public Schools. Citing the loss of federal dollars granted through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Programs (ESSER) under both the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act (CRRSA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Mayor Spano says Yonkers Public Schools risk the elimination of hundreds of positions put in place to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With the assistance of our federal government in recent years, Yonkers Public Schools was able to recover from lost in-person instruction and address longstanding educational disparities that worsened because of the pandemic,” said Mayor Spano. “However, today we are faced with a situation where the money is running out. ESSER aid provided us $106 million over three years to staff music, reading, special education, art and language teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, public safety and school aides. We are now at a crossroads that, if not addressed, can devastate our schools. I’m calling on New York State to step up and help us avoid potential cuts.”
Mayor Spano says school district positions were put in place to navigate student learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result, there has been a staggering increase in services including mental health and transportation. Much of the federal funding required to support the services has dried up and now the Yonkers Public Schools need the State to assist in filling the gap.
“We have a true success story in Yonkers – we have the highest graduation rate at 90% among the Big 5 — making us the premiere urban school district and we want to keep it that way,” commented Mayor Spano. “There has to be a way to supplement these dollars without losing valuable personnel and progress within our schools.”
Adding, “Yonkers is not alone, but will be the first of the Big 5 Cities to feel the pinch left by the loss of ESSER funds. The effects will trickle down to all of the State’s urban districts, where our kids suffer the most. Let’s make sure that does not happen.”
The City of Yonkers Executive Budget is due April 15. Mayor Spano today announced he is delaying his proposed Executive Budget one week pending New York State’s adoption of its budget, which was due April 1.
