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Over the holidays, Congress passed a federal stimulus plan that includes $54.9 billion dollars to K-12 schools throughout the nation. Approximately $6.8 billion will be headed to California school districts and charter schools. These funds will be dispersed to districts based on Title 1 funding from last year, and not ADA like we had hoped and advocated for.
We are advocating for the governor to use some of the discretionary funds he has been given within the federal stimulus, for districts like ours.
We have a lower number of Title 1 students but must still provide the same health and safety protocols for all students, yet we do not receive the same funding to provide the same services.

Attached is a letter to Governor Newsom advocating for him to use those discretionary funds to help districts like ours.
You’re welcome to personalize it and please share it far and wide!
Remember to type in your name with "CUSD parent" after it and either a phone number or an email address.

Please send it to these 2 sets of email addresses individually.
I know it takes a little extra effort but it is very effective to our advocacy work for them to receive separate emails.
1. elisa.wynne@sen.ca.gov
Cc: megan.baier@sen.ca.gov
2. Senator.Bates@senate.ca.gov
Cc: sarah.couch@sen.ca.gov

👇🏻Copy/Paste & Personalize👇🏻
Governor Newsom
1303 10th St
Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Delivered via email
Re: Distribution of current Federal stimulus package funds to school districts

Dear Governor Newsom,
I am writing to urge your Administration to use your discretionary federal funds from the latest federal stimulus package to help school districts like ours, Capistrano Unified, with fewer Title 1 students. Our district must provide the same health and safety protocols for all students, yet we do not receive the same funding to provide the same services.

The costs districts incur to provide in-person, hybrid, and online education, while reopening campuses are the same regardless of a student’s status.
The Capistrano Unified Council of Parent Teacher/Student Associations is concerned that the level of federal stimulus funds that our school district will receive, $331 per student, is insufficient.

Our district needs additional funding to continue providing a safe and healthy environment for our 46,000 students either for in-person, hybrid, or online instruction.

Capistrano Unified, the 7th largest district in the state, reopened to in-person instruction for elementary programs in late September and middle and high school programs in October.

Our district is providing both online instruction and in-person hybrid instruction to all of our students. These hybrid models brought students back onto campuses for direct instruction from teachers, as well as providing opportunities for students who needed to stay online, to have consistent daily contact with their teachers. However, the costs associated with reopening, such as hiring paraeducators to assist with smaller learning cohorts at the elementary level; providing substitute coverage to monitor students in the classroom for middle and high school teachers who are at high risk of COVID-19 complications to teach from home; PPE for students and staff; and additional cleaning and sanitizing expenses are extreme. These costs do not even begin to address the learning loss component for our students and the negative impacts on student mental health which will require increased counselors on campuses.

The federal stimulus funds are insufficient to sustain the costs associated with the pandemic in our district. The lack of funding will negatively impact our children.
Please consider using your discretionary federal funds to help districts like ours provide the education our children need during these unprecedented times.
If I can provide any additional information, please have your staff contact me.

Sincerely,
Cc: Senator Pat Bates
Cc: Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins
Cc: Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon
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