Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services (RIPICS)

  • RIPICS was communicated to Uplift families via direct email and through our digital channels.  Families are directed to the following information:

    1. Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Service Plan.  5/28 Safe Return to In Person Instruction and Continuity of Service (English and Spanish)
    2. See our previous versions of return to in-person instruction and continuity of service plans:

    Updated Stakeholder Communication 

    Scholars, staff, board, parents/community members to include stakeholders of children with disabilities, English language learners, homeless/foster children, migrant students, children who are incarcerated and other underserved students.

    6 month update - August 2023

    Return to In-Person Learning 2023: Stakeholder Input

    • Staff, Admin, Family and Scholar (MS/HS) ESSER III Communication and Survey – August 2023
      • Our scholar, family, staff, and community ESSER survey is currently open. Results will be posted in September. Please feel free to add your comments while the survey is open:
    • Surveys to scholars and families to inform ESSER funds – April 2023
      • April 2023, heard from over 4,500 scholars and families on preferences for clubs, athletics, extra-curriculars and scholar culture to inform ESSER spending decisions
    • Family Input: Ongoing:
      • Uplift Education conducts family surveys to all families in the network through a tool called POSSIP
      • We proactively reach out to Uplift families monthly for regular input. All Uplift families get monthly surveys asking for their input through a tool called Possip
      • Survey feedback is reviewed monthly at the campus level and at the central office. To provide additional feedback, please reach out to your Family Engagement Coordinator at your campus.
    • Scholar Input: Ongoing

    We survey all scholars in the network grades 2-12 through a tool called Rhithm. Rhithm measures the social-emotional well-being of scholars and allows a two-way communication to address scholar needs. 

    6-month update - December 2022

    Return to In-Person Learning 2022: Stakeholder Communication

    Updated Stakeholder Input 2022-23 School Year:

    • Staff and Admin Input: September 2022– January 2023:
      • The Uplift Senior Leadership Team is conducting skip level in-person meetings with all staff in the network. All Uplift staff will have the opportunity to provide feedback to Uplift in a formal capacity. This feedback is collected and reviewed by the Uplift Executive Team monthly.
    • Family Input: August 2022 – December 2022:
      • Uplift Education held virtual and in-person townhalls from May – July 2022
      • Uplift Education conducts family surveys to all families in the network through a tool called POSSIP
      • We proactively reach out to Uplift families monthly for regular input. All Uplift families get monthly surveys asking for their input through a tool called Possip
      • We provided townhalls on what Possip is and how families can use it to provide ongoing input over the summer. See more details that were presented during the Summer 2022 Townhalls.
      • Survey feedback is reviewed monthly at the campus level and at the central office. To provide additional feedback, please reach out to your Family Engagement Coordinator at your campus.
    • Scholar Input: August 2022-December 2022:
      • We survey all scholars in the network grades 2-12 through a tool called Rhithm. Rhithm measures the social-emotional well-being of scholars and allows a two-way communication to address scholar needs.  

    Updated Stakeholder Input 2023-24 School Year

    • Staff and Admin Input: September 2023– January 2024:
      • The Uplift Senior Leadership Team is conducting skip level in-person meetings with all staff in the network. All Uplift staff can provide feedback to Uplift in a formal capacity. This feedback is collected and reviewed by the Uplift Executive Team monthly.
    • Family, Staff and Scholar Input: August 2023 – December 2023:
      • Uplift identified stakeholder committee inclusive of staff, Uplift family representatives and scholars to serve
      • Meeting was held on April 29, 2024 at 2:30PM to align on usage and budgeting of ESSER funds
      • Scholars and staff shared that High Impact Tutoring was beneficial.  One scholar shared he wouldn’t have passed the Algebra I STAAR without the help of his tutor.  Another staff member shared the benefits to scholars on 504 plans
      • Uplift Hampton had High Impact Tutoring in 2022-23 but not in 2023-24 and is excited for it to return through the partnership with City Year in 2024-25
      • Scholars appreciated the additional scholar engagement activities to encourage attendance and to build out a more robust student experience- for example 9th graders went on an overnight visit to see Texas Tech
      • Scholars liked activities that allowed them to meet scholars from other Uplift schools; one scholar shared they could ask questions about the Diploma Program (IB)
      • In general there was broad consent to the current plan for 2023-24 and for the proposed plan for 2024-25 on how ESSER dollars were being used
    • Scholar Input: August 2023-December 2023:
      • We survey all scholars in the network grades 2-12 through a tool called Rhithm. Rhithm measures the social-emotional well-being of scholars and allows a two-way communication to address scholar needs.  

    Esser Feedback

    Would you like to provide public comment on our use of ESSER funds?  We invite you to attend one of our regular board meeting where public comments are always welcome.  See our board meeting schedule. 

    Please see below for allowable activities with these funds:

    Allowable Activities

    PS3013 

    PS3014

ESSER

  • Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund)

    ESSER III (Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief) was authorized under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) in February of 2021. It provides a total of $11.2 billion to Texas schools to ensure that students can return to school safely in the fall and to help districts sustain the safe operation of their facilities. Uplift Education expects to receive about $53+ million in ESSER III funding, which is intended to help reopen schools and accelerate learning and mitigate learning loss.

    ESSER III’s primary purpose is to direct attention to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nation’s students. The funds can be used to attend to social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs that have resulted from the pandemic and have contributed to learning loss.

    Over a three-year period, Uplift Education will receive over $53+ million in ESSER III grant funds. Our commitment is to maximize the benefit of these funds through the implementation of innovative strategies such as High Impact Tutoring and Summer Institutes to make up learning loss, Scholar Culture Programs based on parent feedback to further engage scholars to retain enrollment over future years as well as offsetting salary costs across the network.

    The U.S. Department of Education (Department) may provide additional or updated information, as necessary, on the Department’s website at: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/education-stabilizationfund/elementary-secondary-school-emergency-relief-fund/.

Use of Funds

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  • Spending Guidelines and Learning Loss Activities

  • Uplift Education's Spending Plan

FAQ

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  • What is the purpose of ESSER III funds?

  • Are ESSER III funds required to be used for specific purposes?

  • What are some of the allowable uses for ESSER III funds?

  • What is the funding period for ESSER III grants?

  • What are the federal requirements around ESSER III use of Funds Plan?

  • How will Uplift Education address staff’s social, emotional, and mental health?

ESSER Information

ESSER Parent/Community Town Halls