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Section B: Stakeholder Consultation
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* B.1. Describe how, in the planning for the use of ESSER III funds, the district provided opportunities for input and engaged in meaningful consultation with stakeholders including, but not limited to: students; families; school and district administrators (including special education administrators); teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, and their unions; Tribes; and other stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities, English learners, children experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, migratory children, children who are incarcerated, and other underserved students.
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Prior to formulating the ARP ESSER LEA Plan, the Yukon Koyukuk School District conducted a survey of all stakeholders including all YKSD staff, community leadership including the city and tribal councils, the YKSD Regional School Board and all community members in both the Raven School and the nine River Schools. The survey was administered for a twenty-day period from June 16th through July 3, 2021 to ensure equitable and timely feedback concerning the prevention, preparation, and response to COVID-19 and its ramifications on the reopening of our schools. Secondly, an intentional effort was given to reach out individually to each of the village council leaders and communities without internet by sending faxes. Also, the superintendent and other district administrators presented information regarding the feedback received from the community and staff members the Regional School Board which was broadcasted districtwide and it was streamed throughout the communities. The Regional School Board held a discussion about how the ARP and how the funds can be used to offset learning loss and how to best utilize the funding so that the students benefit educationally. YKSD plans to seek additional input about the needs of the communities and how the District can best serve those needs as we reopen and stay in school. Each of the local Community School Committee (CSC)members will have an opportunity to provide additional feedback for the plan. The principals of the school have been directed to add the American Rescue Plan as an agenda item to their monthly required meeting with the CSC members, a school advisory board. When asked to provide input regarding Yukon Koyukuk Schools’ use of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund and safe return to in-person instruction, the top priority was to begin and stay in school for in-person instruction, better internet, extended learning opportunities. August 15th-19th 2022. The District conducted its inservice with all staff. The District contracts with a nurse who provided an update about COVID and the new requirements. The update provided by the nurse was conducted in person and using the VTC equipment. All principals received a separate update regarding COVID mitigation procedures the week of August 8th, 2022 to be shared with all staff. August 31st, the board reviews the COVID Mitigation plan and the plan will once again be provided to all communities for additional feedback. At this junture, there is one remote village requiring a 5 day quarantine before and after travel for all people entering the village. All other communities observe the district's plan and are aligned with the mitigation procedures which follow the updated CDC COVID-19 guidance.
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Section C: Identifying Needs
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* C.1. Describe the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 on student learning and student well-being, including identifying the groups of students most impacted by the pandemic.
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Section D: Coordination of Funds
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* D.1. Describe how the district will coordinate with other federal education funding (i.e., other COVID Relief funding, ESEA, IDEA, CTE, child nutrition).
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Yukon-Koyukuk School District will coordinate with other federal funds by exploring the services being offered and working in tandem with these services to enhance existing programs instead of duplicating services. By working with the existing programs, the students and staff will be able to maximize the funding being offered and build on the existing resources. The key to successfully achieving this will be communication among the program staff and project managers. In addition, any new funds received will be managed with the same expectation of offering services to have the most impact on the students.
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Section E: Use of Funds
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YKSD will continue to survey and monitor schools and offices for ventilation, cleanliness, mitigation supplies. In addition, with teacher housing with shared laundy and facilities, the district will work to install individual cleaning areas, washers, dryers, air purifiers, and filters. All schools and offices will continue ensuring hand sanitizer, lotion (due to complaints of dry cracking hands from the sanitizer) and cleaning products are fully stocked. Clean water will be provided to indivudals without running water as necessary. A newsletter and website will post updated information related to COVID-19 cases as best as possible.
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Additionally,
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* E.2. Describe how the district will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act (totaling not less than 20 percent of the LEA's total allocation of ESSER III funds) to address the academic impact of lost instructional time through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs.
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Yukon Koyukuk is utilizing the funding and has hired two reading coaches. YKSD has also purchased new curriculum for literacy, hired a distance education teacher to provide targeted instruction on how to teach reading, how to effectively teach through a 90 minute reading block, and will be purchasing additional researched based early learning reading assessment program, Accelerated Reading. For special education students, reading mastery kits are provided and the district is also investing in additional tutoring for students in tier 2 and 3. As the Yukon Koyukuk School District operates its schools in the 2022-2023 school year, we are very cognizant of the academic impact of lost instructional time during the previous two years. Furthermore, as a 88% free/reduced school district demographics, we have heightened concerns about the sustainability of academic skills acquired during blended learning. In our efforts to mitigate this learning loss, we will continue to enhance internet in the classrooms and we are adding infrastructure to each of the communities.Currently there is now home internet in Huslia, Minto and Nulato. It is evident that the implementation of evidence-based interventions will be a necessity as we resume in-person instruction for 2022-2023 school year. To ensure these remediation and interventions are successful, we have hired 2 full-time, certified Reading Specialists to work with students one-on-one and/or in small group settings. Additionally we have hired a reading specialist to support distance education courses and to provide instruction opportunities. The District has also hired a certified Math specialist. Funding for these positions will be allocated for a minimum of 3 years. YKSD has hired 2 full-time Instructional Assistants for each K-Third Grade classroom within the district. It is our intent to mitigate early childhood loss of learning which forms the permanent foundation for the progression of literacy, mathematics, and critical thinking skills along the learning continuum. Funding for these positions will also be allocated for a minimum of two years.
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The implementation of evidence-based interventions will be paramount in diminishing academic deficits incurred as a direct result of COVID-19 restrictions in schools and the classroom teacher’s inability to effectively differentiate instruction and group students and closely monitor their progression. ARP ESSER Funds will be utilized to purchase various instructional support materials with the intent of targeting academic deficits and mastery of grade level content standards. The following researched and evidenced-based interventions and strategies will be funded (if required) and implemented through teacher training and used with fidelity to mitigate COVID-19 loss of learning and its associated mental health issues:
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 Accelerated Reading
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 Reading Wonders
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 Star Reading
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 MAP Assessment
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 NWEA State Assessment
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 Response to Instruction
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 5 Step
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 Graduation Rate and credits completed
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* E.3. Describe how the district will use funds to meet students' social, emotional, and academic needs, including through summer enrichment programming and other evidence-based interventions, and how they advance equity for underserved students.
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In addition to the above mentioned interventions for mitigating academic concerns, Yukon Koyukuk School District will continue to increase its efforts in responding to social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students. We intend to increase our after school programs and before, to provide opportunities for students to re-engage in social environments. One such endeavor will involve offering art workshop and classes, esports, cooking classes, tutoring services for students needing additional support and beading and other culturally relevant activities. The District is offering a robust CTE schedule of classes throughout the year. The Students will continue learning coping techniques through the use of Second Step curriculum. The four counselors will deliver the instruction and work in partnership with the local mental health aides and counselors. Second Steps, a fully loaded program that addresses current social and emotional issues relevant to students. Yukon Koyukuk also will be utilizing Sources of Strength for grades 6-12 and will continue with “Flight Clubs" to support their SEL needs concerning suicide, bullying, and substance abuse, as well as, empowering teens to care about their impact in the world. These programs have been scheduled for the 2022/2023 school year. An academic camp for students in grades 8-12 will be incorporated into the summer months for a three week intensive session. SEL, Math, Reading and Writing will be the focus. Approximately 30 students, will be flown into Fairbanks and housed in dorms. Certificated staff and support staff will provide direct instruction. To assist with teacher recruitment and retention, rent for certified staff in teacher housing will be adjusted to $500, a flat fee per month for the next two years. The district will continue paying for all utilities which at times in the cold winter total $800 per month.
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* E.4. If applicable, describe how the district will use funds to sustain and support access to early childhood education programs.
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YKSD will not be directly using these funds for early childhood programs; however, a pre-k program is implemented at all schools. Headstart programs at Huslia and Nulato operate from the building of YKSD to help with the transition from pre-k to kindergarten. All associated training for early learning is offered to the Headstart staff. Quarterly meetings are conducted with YKSD, Parents as Teachers and Headstart. The District is evaluating opening a daycare program in one of its schools to help provide learning opportunities to students and help parents and staff. All schools have a literacy specialist, or a specialist in the making. They are all taking part in the LETRS program/Science of Reading.
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Section F: Evaluation
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* F.1. Describe how the district will evaluate the level of implementation and effectiveness of programs funded.
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The District will continue to evaluate the level of implementation and effectiveness of programs by student learning outcomes to include the newest statewide assessment NWEA, MAP, STAR Reading, surveys, family engagement participation. Graduation rate, credits earned, and career pathways will also be another tool the district will evaluate to determine the effectiveness of the programs implemented. The most telling evaluative component will be increased literacy K-12. This year will serve as the second year AK STAR will be implemented. Teacher retention will be evaluated through staff information at the end of FY23.
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