My AccountSchool improvements through ESSER funding– how can the ceiling help?
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds were created as part of the CARES act. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Congress directed aid to local education agencies. ESSER funds help schools create safe learning environments for students (in-person and virtual), address learning losses caused by the pandemic, and support students’ mental health. ESSER funds are available to public schools, nonprofit private schools, and charter schools. As schools are planning for their summer improvements and next year's budgets, these funds are a great place to help impact their needs.
What can ESSER funds be used on?
Improving physical aspects of a school facility, including:
• Making school facility repairs and improvements to lower environmental health hazards and reduce the risk of viral transmission.
• Purchasing PPE and sanitization supplies.
• Modifying classrooms, common areas, and playgrounds to allow for social distancing.
• Improving the air quality in school buildings.
Additionally, funds can be used to address learning loss among students, including:
• Administering and using high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable, to accurately assess students' academic progress and assist educators in meeting students' academic needs, including through differentiating instruction.
• Implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students.
• Providing information and assistance to parents and families on how they can effectively support students, including in a distance learning environment.
• Tracking student attendance and improving student engagement in distance education.
• Making school facility repairs and improvements to lower environmental health hazards and reduce the risk of viral transmission.
• Purchasing PPE and sanitization supplies.
• Modifying classrooms, common areas, and playgrounds to allow for social distancing.
• Improving the air quality in school buildings.
Additionally, funds can be used to address learning loss among students, including:
• Administering and using high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable, to accurately assess students' academic progress and assist educators in meeting students' academic needs, including through differentiating instruction.
• Implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students.
• Providing information and assistance to parents and families on how they can effectively support students, including in a distance learning environment.
• Tracking student attendance and improving student engagement in distance education.
How can the ceiling help those areas?
The ceiling impacts the indoor environmental air quality (IEQ), which can be directly used for helping reduce the risk of viral transmission AND improving the air quality. Along with the air quality, the ceiling can impact the noise levels, lighting within a classroom, and the temperature. All of these areas affect the academic progress of students and they also impact the abilities for teachers to teach effectively.
Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) consists of several key factors: air, sound, light, temperature.
Air
Contain, clean, and protect everyone in your space by creating an environment that defends against the spread of allergens, bacteria, and viruses.
Sound
Bringing down the noise improves comprehension, enhances concentration, and allows everyone to enjoy their time in your space. Creating an environment with ideal sound levels directly impacts how well students retain information, likely improving test scores.
Light
Create a balance of natural and supplemental light and bring the outdoor feeling to interior spaces. Studies show creating more natural light makes spaces brighter with happier occupants, while also resulting in reduced energy consumption. Making classrooms happier will create an environment that more students will want to attend on a daily occurrence.
Temperature
Achieve optimal comfort by maintaining a uniform temperature, reducing humidity levels, and increasing HVAC efficiency. These three aspects contribute to healthier students, allowing them to maximize the days in-person.
Making sure we have healthy air, impactful acoustics, sufficient lighting and the right temperature are essential to health and well-being in spaces where we live, work, learn, heal and play. Along with that, higher test scores, better attendance, and happier students will allow for more funding to keep flowing into the schools system, making it easier for the district to satisfy students needs.
Best Kanopi products for ESSER funds
• Kills up to 97% of bacteria, viruses, and allergens.
• In-ceiling air-cleaning outperforms air-cleaning units on the floor because contaminated air is sucked upwards, instead of across the room.
• In-ceiling air-cleaning outperforms air-cleaning units on the floor because contaminated air is sucked upwards, instead of across the room.
This economical, non-directional panel is a good choice for classrooms. It helps improve acoustics, is disinfectable, mold/mildew and sag resistant, with high light reflectance.
This ceiling tile provides excellent acoustic performance, light reflectance, sustainability, and durability in a broad range of sizes, and edge details.
Contact an expert at Kanopi today to design a healthier ceiling for your school.
Create a healthy space with Kanopi today
Using your ESSER funds is an essential part of today's environment. Visit Kanopi today to see the widest selection of ceiling tiles eligible for those funds. Our tiles are the perfect solution for creating healthier, cleaner schools.Contact an expert at Kanopi today to design a healthier ceiling for your school.
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Posted in
cleanable, Disinfecting, drop ceiling, drop ceilings, healthy spaces, indoor air quality
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