September 30 is the deadline for distributing federal government school funds related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and school districts in the Pearland-Friendswood area have already allocated all of the funds they each received.

Meanwhile, both Pearland and Friendswood ISDs have continued to focus on student mental health in the years since the pandemic.

What you need to know

According to school district records, Friendswood ISD received nearly $2.9 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding.

The ESSER funds were federal funds provided to school districts in three separate allotments, also known as ESSER I, II and III, in 2020 and 2021. The funds were intended to provide assistance to schools, support staff and students and to help schools reopen after the pandemic, according to documents on the Texas Education Agency website.

The majority of the $2.9 million, which came entirely from the third ESSER allocation, was used to create about a dozen new positions, including for interventionists and instructional coaches, the district’s website says. Since then, nearly all of the positions – except for the five interventionists – have been incorporated into the district’s regular budget, said Stacy Guzzetta, FISD’s executive director of student activities.

Pearland ISD received $19.7 million from all three ESSER allocations, district data show. The majority of the money was used for staff pay, learning loss and various student services.

According to officials, none of the districts have additional funds to provide before the September deadline.

Dive deeper

Guzzetta said the learning gaps resulting from the pandemic have largely been closed and are reflected in the district’s test scores.

However, officials said some students still struggle with mental health issues. Guzzetta said that while it is not a widespread problem in FISD, the district is still focusing on it.

Chendra Moore, PISD’s counseling services coordinator, said school counselors have noticed an increase in behavioral and mental health issues in recent years. Issues include anger management, anxiety and depression.

“The good news is that more and more parents and students are accepting support from school counselors and local mental health professionals,” Moore said.