MAAC’s Post

Konica Minolta helps get School Districts ESSER Funding Do you know about ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funding? It's a game-changer for schools navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic that will help improve and cover costs for technology for K-12. ESSER funding is part of the comprehensive COVID-19 relief laws, with a whopping $190 billion allocated to states and school districts. This emergency funding is the perfect way to help schools in addressing educational issues that were impacted from the pandemic. With the deadline extended until September 2024, schools have a unique opportunity to leverage ESSER funding for a myriad of purposes, all aimed at bolstering student well-being, safety and security while still focusing on academic success! Whether it's investing in COVID-19 prevention measures, preparing for potential disruptions, or responding to emerging technology challenges, ESSER funding provides the resources schools need to adapt and thrive in these unprecedented times. Let Konica Minolta help you make the most of this opportunity in supporting students and staff to help achieve your school’s technology initiatives.  For more information contact Gary Gal at @[email protected] or call 248-410-2596 Together, we can ensure that every student receives the educational tools needed, pandemic or not. 💪🎓 #ESSER #Education #COVIDRelief #StudentSuccess #CommunitySupport #k-12 #higher education #charterschools

https://lnkd.in/grMHSa_g This is a major change in NYC policy and mobility for young people.

🚨 New: "Leveling the Landscape: An Analysis of K-12 Funding Inequities Within Metro Areas" 📊 I worked with with my Bellwether colleagues Bonnie O'Keefe and Biko McMillan to explore K-12 funding disparities within our nation's largest metro areas, representing 123 metros across 38 states. Our research reveals significant inequities where districts in affluent communities often benefit from much higher local revenue per pupil compared to less affluent districts within the same metro area. These disparities are largely driven by economic segregation and variations in property wealth – disparities that are compounded by state policies that determine how district lines are drawn and how local funds flow to school systems. Achieving equal funding between affluent and less affluent districts would require an additional $26 billion annually in state funding. Funding public schools in these metros *equitably* – ensuring that students with additional learning needs receive *more* funding to address those needs – would cost much more. This report provides valuable insights for policymakers aiming to address and mitigate funding inequities in public education. I'm really proud of the work our team did – you can check it out for yourself here: https://lnkd.in/eCphaNc7

Access to robust broadband is a necessity and affordability is the fundamental key to BEAD’s success and solving the digital divide. A crucial component of the Affordable Connectivity Program is a subsidy paid to service providers/operators to offset the monthly cost of broadband service for qualifying households. Bi-partisan issue and Bi-partisan support. Let’s make it happen!

Educational Facilities Planning through an Equity Lens: When DLR Group works in tandem with our K-12 Education clients, our approach brings a neighborhood lens to facilities planning to support our vision to advocate for communities. This starts with understanding the equity challenges that our clients are facing. We use data to help our clients understand the realities and challenges faced, and we talk to community members to understand their experiences. These tactics help shift clients forward in their equity journey by truly understanding the impact their decisions have on the communities they serve.

Did you know 50% of low-income families and 42% of families of color lack the technology required for online education? We found a great community champion in our local cable and internet provider, Charter Spectrum, to subsidize cable and internet service for all 1,450 apartment units we have in the Upstate of SC. This is one of the many structural changes we have implemented to ensure that when a tenant moves into one of our complexes, economic mobility through credit score building and access to fast, cheap, and reliable internet is 100% the norm. Read more on our recent blog: https://lnkd.in/eQfmriPS

What does "giving back" mean to you? Every time Reo Group makes a placement, we give 50 days of technology education to remote Aboriginal communities, supporting Dot Com Mob & CAYLUS (Central Australian Youth Link Up Service) through B1G1 Since we started our Elevate a Nation project, we have made an impact of nearly 70 YEARS of technology education. We love to see the impact our contributions have on the ground - check out this new computer room which was set up in late 2023 at Laramba Rec Hall, approximately 300km west of Alice Springs. The kids and youth workers who operate in the community are loving the new facility. As transformation and automation change the employment landscape and our day-to-day lives, those who don’t have access to digital devices and reliable internet will find it harder and harder to do the everyday things we take for granted. We believe that businesses have the power to make a difference. Our Elevate a Nation project was born from the need to reduce the digital divide in Australia that is preventing people without adequate access from realising their potential. Read more about our work with Dot Com Mob and CAYLUS (Central Australian Youth Link Up Service) here: https://hubs.la/Q02gxnTF0

So appreciate this report!

Alabama is home to rockets, research, and natural resources, but our outdated school funding model holds us back. John Allen, CEO of the Huntsville Committee of 100, emphasizes the importance of investing in education to build tomorrow's workforce. Our 30-year-old funding formula lacks transparency and flexibility. That's why the Huntsville Committee of 100, as a member of the Every Child Alabama Coalition, supports the push for school funding reform. Let's adopt a student-weighted funding formula to ensure every child receives the resources they need to thrive. Read the full article: https://ow.ly/osVa50SHF7E

ACP enrollees include young learners, grandparents, and everyone in between. To put it plainly, ACP is the most effective program we’ve ever had in helping low-income Americans get online and stay online. Those benefits are in jeopardy because we recently announced that April will be the last fully funded month in the Program. https://buff.ly/3TEy9r7