How to Prioritize Funding for Students’ Social, Emotional, and Academic Development
Students’ social & emotional well-being are linked to academic learning. States should prioritize funding programs that holistically support students’ needs.
While mental health was a concern well before COVID-19, nearly all students have experienced worsened mental health and well-being ever since — with research showing disparities based on race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identity, and other factors. Meanwhile, school-based services and supports dwindled, at a time when students needed them the most. As students continue to recover from the fallout of the pandemic, they need support with managing the experiences, stressors, and increased challenges brought on by the past few years.
In 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) allocated an unprecedented $190 billion to schools, called the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The deadline to spend these funds is September 30, 2024, and district leaders now need to decide how to utilize the remaining funds. In a new EdTrust brief, we argue that students’ social, emotional, and academic development (SEAD) is inextricably linked to their learning, which is why states should prioritize funding programs and opportunities that holistically support students’ needs. Our recommendations include:
- Implementing evidence-based strategies and structures for school safety and discipline
- Ensuring educators have skills to continue supporting students through professional development
- Investing in wraparound supports to meet students’ needs
- Building and strengthening family and community engagement
- Adopting curricula that is both rigorous and reflective of students’ diverse backgrounds, experiences, and interests
States have traditionally provided insufficient resources and capacity to schools and districts to provide mental health supports to students. But some states prioritized students’ safety and well-being. This brief highlights how various states have used ESSER dollars to support SEAD through these policy approaches.
To learn more, download the brief.
Related
Advocating for Funding and Resource Equity as Federal COVID Relief Ends
February 09, 2024 by Ed Trust 
Budgeting for Equity Beyond ESSER: A Guide to Actionable State and District Policy Responses to the Fiscal Cliff
October 24, 2023 by Ed Trust This guide provides key recommendations for how state and district leaders can equitably approach budgeting beyond ESSER.
Advocating for Education Equity as ESSER Spending Winds Down
August 22, 2023 by Ed Trust New Ed Trust brief on how school emergency relief fund investments can have long-term, positive outcomes for underserved students.