It’s called the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and is part of the American Rescue Plan. The idea is to help small farmers compete, strengthen food bank relationships, and bring more nutritious foods to the state’s rural residents.
A new federally funded program will help West Virginia farmers distribute food to underserved communities and strengthen state supply chains.
The money from the US Department of Agriculture will be distributed by the West VirginiaDepartment of Agriculture to food banks in the state.
Facing Hunger Food Bank and Mountaineer Food Bank will purchase food from five producers that are considered “socially disadvantaged” in the first year. The food will then be distributed to underserved communities.
Officials said in a press release that they plan to expand the program over the next couple of years to purchase from 40 producers, and expects to serve at least 111,000 West Virginians in need.
A portion of these funds will be used for program development, administration, food storage and distribution.
The funds will supplement existing federal food programs in West Virginia and reach communities that are not currently served.
In this installment of our summer education radio series, “Closing the COVID Gap,” we look at summer school remediation efforts in the state.
In the fall of 2020, one-third of K-12 children in West Virginia failed at least one core subject, according to the West Virginia Department of Education. Officials said this was due to the inconsistencies in learning models and stress from the pandemic.
In an effort to help students get back on track, the WVDE launched the Summer SOLE grant program. SOLE stands for Student Opportunities for Learning and Engagement. It was funded by the second round of federal CARES money to schools.
“Summer SOLE is designed to bring children back to school, and teachers as well, without the pressure of grades and assignments,” said Melanie Purkey, senior officer for the Office of Federal Programs and Support at the WVDE.
Purkey said counties had the flexibility to come up with programs that fit their county’s needs.
“Students are going to get to experience field trips. They’re going to get to do nature walks, some [schools] have outdoor classrooms,” Purkey said. “They’re going to give [students] a lot of academics but social-emotional support as well, and provide experiences for students who weren’t able to have this over this past year because of COVID.”
Every county in West Virginia, except for Boone, applied for the money. In a report from Coal Valley News, officials from Boone County Schools said they already had enough funds available for a robust summer program, so they chose not to apply for the SOLE grant.
The SOLE program offered more than $32 million to districts, divided up based on population. For example, Kanawha County Schools received about $3 million from SOLE, while Wayne County Schools received a little more than $800,000.
“It’s really important to make this a fun thing for the kids, because so many of them have been out of touch with their friends and classmates for the last year,” said Kanawha County Superintendent of Schools Tom Williams. “So, [this summer has] been a good opportunity for kids to come together and have some fun and learn.”
There were unique ways that some counties tackled summer remediation. Elementary-aged students in Wayne County visited a nearby farm to pick herbs, feed chickens and learn about mindfulness.
In southern West Virginia, students in Mercer County experienced a mobile program meant to bring education closer to students. “Classrooms on Wheels” brought themed school buses to neighborhoods, which included a technology bus and a STEM bus.
In the Eastern Panhandle, students in Jefferson County had themed weeks focused on things like space, planets and simple machines — all with the overarching goal of ensuring kids felt safe being inside school buildings again.
“Creating those warm, rich, loving experiences with children that then open them up to learning,” said Lee Ebersole, Jefferson County’s Director of Social and Emotional Support. “That’s what we’re trying to do here.”
State education officials agree, they wouldn’t be able to provide the level of high quality programs this summer without the help of Summer SOLE and other federal dollars.
On top of that, the state has years to work with some of the funds, such as the American Rescue Plan, to pinpoint the greatest needs in West Virginia.
“We have three years to develop strategies and work with children and monitor their progress and improve what they are doing to help them regain that ground,” said Purkey. “I’m hopeful that at the end of that three years, [students] will have regained and surpassed where they were before.”
This episode of “Closing the COVID Gap” originally aired in West Virginia Morning on July 21, 2021.
We continue this week with our summer-long radio series “Closing the COVID Gap,” which explores the challenging road ahead for West Virginia K-12 education.
In this week’s story, we take a closer look at the millions of federal dollars flowing into the state to help with COVID-relief in our schools.
Last week, the West Virginia Board of Education discussed the additional dollars from the American Rescue Plan and how it might be used.
How To Spend More Than A Billion In COVID Relief
We’re talking about $1.2 billion.
That’s how many federal dollars have been awarded to West Virginia schools since last summer to tackle the impacts of COVID-19.
This funding, called ESSER, is an acronym for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief. It hit the billion mark in the spring thanks to the American Rescue Plan, which added more than $760 million to the pot.
The American Rescue Plan is the third round of ESSER funding to West Virginia.
State education officials and school districts are required to use some of the American Rescue Plan money to address specific things like learning loss and summer school. But many of these dollars can be used however districts see fit as long as it’s for the prevention, preparation and response to COVID-19.
“What I want to talk about today is something that we’ve all been talking about, and that’s next school year,” said Mickey Blackwell, executive director of the West Virginia Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals, speaking to state board members last week.“Every meeting I go to, we talk about the social and emotional needs of our students, because they’re so stressed, many of them haven’t been in school, or they’re returning to school. There are worries about anxiety.”
Blackwell and other state education leaders have been talking about where the extra relief dollars should go, and there’s been a major push around the country to address social-emotional needs.
These needs range from social interactions, like seeing classmates and teachers, to not feeling alone or to supporting children and adults who may feel scared or anxious. For Blackwell, he told board members last week, he would like to see at least one, full-time school counselor in every school building.
A recent survey from Education Week found that 92 percent of teachers in the United States say their job is more stressful now than before the pandemic.
Many students are also stressed and anxious about returning to school.
Stress is also on the minds of state education officials, like Sonya White, senior officer for the West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Teaching and Learning. She said federal dollars will go a long way to address the social-emotional needs of students.
“This gives us an opportunity,” White said. “Our students have been isolated. They’ve not had a lot of opportunities to interact with each other or to talk to a caring adult. So the need is definitely there.”
How The American Rescue Plan May Help
The American Rescue Plan, as it pertains to schools, has two main goals: First is to safely reopen schools to in-person instruction and to keep them open. Second is to address disruptions to teaching and learning resulting from the pandemic.
“We have to keep those two major goals in mind as we think about how we will spend this money, and districts need to keep that in mind as they decide how to spend this money,” said Melanie Purkey, senior officer for the WVDE’s Office of Federal Programs and Support.
Purkey said the first round of ESSER funding has almost been completely spent by counties. That funding was awarded last summer and was used mostly on personal protective equipment (PPE) and technology needs so students could participate in school from home in the fall.
Schools now are just beginning to use the middle, or second, round, but its focus so far, according to Purkey, has been on hiring additional staff.
The American Rescue Plan, or the third round, is just now in the approval process — meaning states and county school districts are thinking about ways they’ll spend their dollars and on what needs.
At least $175 million of the American Rescue Plan in West Virginia must be dedicated to learning loss, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Nearly $8 million must be used for summer programs, and another roughly $8 million must be dedicated to after-school programs.
“That leaves $548 million remaining that counties can allocate for allowable uses,” said Purkey.
These allowable uses can be for things like hiring more teachers, supporting existing ones, hiring more counselors, replacing HVAC systems and windows for better airflow, renovating bathrooms to install motion-sensor technology, or even replacing carpet with tile to make cleaning easier.
But all of the ESSER funding, including the new American Rescue Plan, comes with an expiration date. Counties will have until 2024 to expend all the funding from the American Rescue Plan, in particular.
Purkey said having that time will make a difference for counties as they decide how to spend these dollars.
“Counties have three years to develop strategies and work with children and monitor their progress and improve what they are doing to help them regain that ground,” Purkey said. “I’m hopeful that at the end of that three years, they will have regained and surpassed where we were before.”
Every project must be approved by the U.S. Department of Education and the West Virginia Department of Education.
All ESSER funding is based both on need and population.
Purkey said all 55 counties are scheduled through July to give in-person presentations to the WVDE about ways they intend to use the new dollars.
Plans will then be put on public comment. Counties have until Aug. 1 to officially submit their goals for the American Rescue Plan.
This episode of “Closing the COVID Gap” originally aired on West Virginia Morning on June 16, 2021.
How to use a billion in federal dollars was a major focus at the June West Virginia Board of Education meeting on Wednesday.
Members discussed the additional $760 million that is available for West Virginia K-12 schools through the American Rescue Plan.
“The major goals of the American Rescue Plan is to safely reopen schools to in-person instruction and keep them open, and the second is to address the disruptions to teaching and learning resulting from the pandemic,” said Melanie Purkey, executive director of the WVDE’s Office of Federal Programs. “We have to keep those two major goals in mind as we think about how we will spend this money, and districts need to keep that in mind as they decide how to spend this money.”
More than $730 million is already being dedicated to learning remediation, summer programs, and after school opportunities. Districts are allowed to use remaining funds at their discretion but with limits — all projects must be for the prevention, preparation and response to COVID-19.
Schools can use the money to hire new teachers, support current ones, hire more counselors, renovate air systems, or to make cleaning easier, like replacing bathroom sinks with automatic, non-touch faucets.
But there are steps for approval involved, too. Districts must get approval from the state department, while the state department must get approval from the federal government.
The state school board submitted its most recent spending roadmap and plan to the federal government on Monday.
State officials say that plan will be out for public comment on June 20.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said Monday he plans to reach out to leaders in the state Legislature to decide how to allocate the latest in federal stimulus funding.
Justice said his staff is working on a spending plan for $678 million from the American Rescue Plan. He said House and Senate input will be sought next week.
The funding represents half of what the state will receive to offset economic setbacks from the coronavirus pandemic. Because West Virginia’s current unemployment rate is not significantly higher than its pre-pandemic level, the state will receive the rest of its nearly $1.4 billion allotment next year.
An additional $516 million is going to every county and some larger cities.
The money can be used by state and local governments for relief from the public health crisis. Under guidance the Treasury Department released along with the numbers, it also can be used to offset harm to workers, small businesses and affected industries, to invest in water, sewer and broadband systems and to replace lost public sector revenue. Essential workers also can qualify for premium pay under the program.
Officials cannot cut taxes, pay down debt or bolster the state’s rainy day fund with the relief package.
The American Rescue Plan recently passed by Congress will inject about $4 billion into the West Virginia economy and nearly $2 trillion nationwide. But will this cause inflation? And how will it affect economic recovery?
Marshall University Economics Professor Nabaneeta Biswas.
Nabaneeta Biswas is a professor of economics at Marshall University in the Department of Finance, Economics and International Business. She spoke with WVPB’s Eric Douglas to discuss what it will mean to the U.S. economy.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Douglas: Congress just recently passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP). In really macro terms, what does that mean for the U.S. economy?
Biswas: It’s basically a huge cash injection into the economy. What the government is trying to achieve here is jumpstarting consumer spending. The pandemic has reduced private spending, and the government is trying to replace it with enough public spending, which will then motivate consumers to spend just by putting cash into their hands. Any production activity is usually demand driven. In order to jumpstart production, and create jobs, or at least restore the pre-pandemic level of economic activity and jobs, it is important to expand spending. So it’s a demand shock.
Douglas: I saw recently that West Virginia is expected to receive about $4 billion between the direct payments to households and then money to the state, the counties and municipalities. That’s a huge amount of money flowing into the state. The money to the municipalities and the counties is aimed at infrastructure work. My first thought was, are there enough people to do the work? And is that going to cause the costs of doing that work to increase as there’s this huge demand for infrastructure? Is there potential to cause inflation by this quick infusion of cash?
Biswas: That’s what economic theory suggests, because any cash infusion into the economy always has a multiplier effect. And that’s Keynesian economics, right? And it means that whatever the cash injection is, the demand shock or the expansion in demand would be much larger than the size of the cash infusion. When that happens, there’s always the chance that it would lead to inflation provided that the sectors in which the cash is flowing do not have sufficient production capacity.
Again, imagine that you are injecting cash and jumpstarting spending. In that case, there will be an initial mismatch between demand and supply of services and consumer goods. And that would lead to a temporary increase in prices. But the question then is, how long lasting? And how large would the inflation be? That is the real question.
Douglas: You assume there’s going to be inflation. The unknown is how long does it stick around, and how big of a jump does it cause?
Biswas: And it all depends on how consumers use the money. At the end of the day, if most of the consumers spend the money that they’re getting in consumer goods or paying rent and utility bills, then the demand shock would be much larger, which would lead to a faster rate of recovery, which the plan is intended to achieve. On the other hand, if most of the consumers save the money, then, of course, the demand shock would be much smaller, and it will slow down economic recovery, but then it would also lower inflation. The larger the demand shock, the larger the inflation.
Douglas: We’ve heard a lot of people say that it’s not enough money, we need even more money in the economy. We’ve heard people say, it’s too much and it’s going to cause inflation. Is it enough? Is there an ideal number that you can put your finger on?
Biswas: It’s hard to honestly, and we wouldn’t know whether it was enough, or we overshot it until it actually plays out because it depends on economic agents like you and me and what we do with the money. There’s so many moving parts to this and they have to fit together into a perfect puzzle for the plan to have its desired effect.
In terms of comparing the size, it’s $1.9 trillion, which is almost nine percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019. If you compare it to the stimulus back in 2009 which was the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, that was about $850 billion. It was about six percent of the GDP in 2008, which also was smaller than the GDP in 2019. This is definitely a much larger stimulus than we have seen in the past. But having said that, whether it’s going to achieve the task that it’s intended for, it all depends on how agents react.
Douglas: I have heard criticisms of the 2009 stimulus, that it wasn’t large enough, that it didn’t have the desired effect, and it was a much slower recovery than possible.
Biswas: That’s correct. And economists seem to agree on that. Although they also point out that it did lead to a decline in unemployment. So it did have the desired effect, just that it wasn’t large enough, but also you have to note that it was slightly different than the current one in the sense that it did have some public works planned, along with the cash injection.
The government was in the process of creating jobs. That makes it similar to the New Deal, which was on a much, much larger scale than what we have seen either in 2009, or what we’re seeing now. The New Deal was almost 40 percent of the GDP back in those days.
Douglas: This is only a quarter of the New Deal, relatively speaking to the economies of the time.
Biswas: The New Deal is very different from either the 2009 stimulus, or the ARP because the New Deal had a range of federal works programs planned over a period of almost eight to nine years. Not only were the benefits staggered over time, but it also saw a much larger role for the federal government itself in terms of creating jobs and putting salaries into people’s account or their pockets, which is different from the role the federal government is playing under the ARP, except for providing money to local and state governments. That is the part of this plan that is going towards direct investment into productive capacity through job creation.
Douglas: What about the long term? Another one of the criticisms I’ve heard is the long-term debt where we are assuming. What does that mean to the country?
Biswas: Any sort of fiscal debt is definitely not desired. But given the circumstances the nation is facing, it probably makes sense to go big and overshoot rather than undershoot. The federal government has enough credibility to be able to borrow that money in the short term. But we know that eventually, the federal government is going to raise taxes and collect back a lot of the debt that they’re now incurring. So it’s almost like borrowing from the future.
Given that a lot of the households that are receiving the stimulus, but really don’t need it, and aren’t credit-constrained, they’re going to save that money to be able to pay off the future taxes. We know that we are borrowing from the future.
Douglas: Looking forward, I know the president is proposing a massive infrastructure project. What does that mean? Do we need something like that? What would it mean for the country in general?
Biswas: We had very low levels of unemployment before the pandemic hit, which is actually a good thing. But right now, the boost that the ARP gives, and on top of that the infrastructure projects is not actually a bad thing, because it will directly create a lot of jobs. So if the ARP fails to achieve the task, then we have that infrastructure project backing it up. It may be the case that we not only restore the pre-pandemic jobs, but we end up creating even more to put the economy on a higher growth path, than before the pandemic. Of course, having said that, if the productive resources are at full employment, then it becomes harder to create new jobs.
Douglas: There are people who are concerned that the economy could overheat, that there will be such a demand for people for workers that the cost of everything will skyrocket as companies are competing for employees. Are there enough people out of work, who are looking for work, and able to work, to actually support that kind of increase?
Biswas: If you look at the pre-COVID unemployment that was really at one of its lowest levels.The way it’s calculated, it often includes people who move in and out of the workforce and were not officially falling into the unemployed category. In other words, it’s hard to say what the actual size of the workforce is based on just the unemployment statistic that we have.
Compared to what the potential output could have been, what is the shortfall? What is the actual output relative to that? The employment rate is considered a measure, but then it may not be perfect. And if it is not, that’s good news for us. In that case, we have way more unemployed than those who are getting accounted for in that statistic, which means that the infrastructure project would actually help.
Douglas: A lot of this is “We’ll do our best and we’ll figure it out afterwards.” There’s no direct checklist of “we do this, we do this and this happens.”
Biswas: It’s learning by doing and even seasoned economists with years and years of experience in policy-making and implementation could go wrong. There’s always that chance. But the good news is maybe we will revive the economy back to where it was and maybe even take it higher. So we have to be hopeful.
Douglas: Is there anything that I haven’t touched on that that you want to mention?
Biswas: The thing I would like to say is that I know we have been worrying about not only the large size of the stimulus but also whether there’s proper targeting; is the money going to people who really need it? One good thing about this plan, I would say is that it’s a bottoms-up approach instead of a trickle-down approach that we might have seen in the past.
Here the idea is the bulk of the cash injection should go to the lowest income quintile. We are expanding from the bottom upwards. Especially in these times when we have been talking about inequalities and we’ve seen how the pandemic has exacerbated wealth inequalities or income inequalities and affected certain subgroups of the population more than others, this plan actually considers that wealth gap and at least attempts to reduce it so that’s that’s a good thing.
