Oneida schools receive $1M from state for COVID-19, mental health recovery – Oneida Dispatch

Oneida High School. (Provided/File photo)

ONEIDA, N.Y. — Gov Kathy Hochul has awarded $100 million to 50 school districts and BOCES to address COVID-19 pandemic learning loss and provide students with mental health support. This includes a $1M student mental health RECOVS grant to the Oneida City School District.

The funding will expand student access to evidence-based interventions to combat learning loss and also help staff and students identify and respond to mental health concerns. The announcement builds on Hochul’s priority to expand mental health support for students.

“New York is making historic investments to ensure all our students are on the path towards success,” Hochul said in a news release. “This funding will help our teachers and school staff pinpoint where students have fallen behind and provide students with the crucial resources needed to support their mental health, especially after the pandemic.”

The Learning Loss Recover from COVID School Program Grant has helped 15 school districts and BOCES programs statewide. The funding will expand student access to academic recovery professionals to counter learning loss; improve capacity for school staff and students to identify learning loss; implement evidence-based and evidence-informed school-based learning loss and academic recovery practices and ensure financial stability for school-based academic recovery opportunities.

The Mental Health RECOVS grant has helped 40 school districts and BOCES expand and support practices that promote mental health and wellness, improve capacity for staff and students to identify mental health concerns and increase help-seeking behaviors. It also promotes student diversity, equity and inclusion.

“The RECOVS grant funding underscores our commitment to fostering equitable access to education opportunities and mental health services for all students,” State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said. “By addressing lost instructional time and prioritizing student well-being, we aim to create an inclusive educational environment that empowers every learner to thrive in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.”