Meanwhile, both Pearland and Friendswood ISDs in the years since the pandemic continue to focus on the mental health of students.
What you need to know
Friendswood ISD received close to $2.9 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER, funds, according to district documents.
ESSER funds were federal dollars given to school districts in 2020 and 2021 across three separate allotments, also known as ESSER I, II and III. The funds were meant to provide relief to schools, support staff and students, and help schools open back up following the pandemic, according to documents on the Texas Education Agency’s website.
For FISD, the bulk of its $2.9 million, which all came from the third ESSER allotment, went to creating around a dozen new positions, including interventionists and instructional coaches, among others, according to the district’s website. Since then, nearly every position—except the five interventionists—have been incorporated into the district’s regular budget, said Stacy Guzzetta, executive director of student operations for FISD.
Pearland ISD received $19.7 million across all three ESSER allotments, district data shows. The bulk of the money went to paying employees, learning loss and various student services.
Neither district has any more funds to commit ahead of the September deadline, officials said.
Diving in deeper
Guzzetta said learning gaps stemming from the pandemic have been closed for the most part and are reflected in the district’s testing scores.
However, officials said some students are still struggling with mental health issues. Guzzetta said while not a rampant problem at FISD, it’s still one the district is focused on.
PISD Coordinator of Guidance Services Chendra Moore said school counselors have seen an increase in behavioral and mental health challenges in recent years. Issues include anger management, anxiety and depression.
“The good news is that more parents and students are accepting support from school counselors and local mental health therapists,” Moore said.
