Funding Sources
Pandemic Relief Funding
Congress has passed three economic stimulus bills to support K-12 education during the pandemic and to aid in recovery:
How does FASTalk support the use of these funds?
Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER I)
Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER II)
The American Rescue Plan (ESSER III)
- The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
- The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA)
- The American Rescue Plan
How does FASTalk support the use of these funds?
Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER I)
- Funds have been and will continue to be issued to LEAs by their SEA.
- FASTalk maintains a vital school-home connection during in-person, virtual and hybrid instruction by sending messages aligned to high-quality curriculum in the home language.
Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund (ESSER II)
- Funds for SEAs and LEAs to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary schools.
- FASTalk serves preschool - 8th grade students with activities aligned to high quality ELA and mathematics curricula and standards.
The American Rescue Plan (ESSER III)
- Emergency COVID Relief funds for K-12 school. At least 20% of the funds are earmarked to address learning loss and the social and emotional needs of students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including students of color, EL students, and students with disabilities.
- FASTalk is an evidence-based family engagement tool that addresses learning loss by reinforcing classroom learning. FASTalk improves students’ ELA outcomes, for students who do not share a home language with their teachers. Research shows that FASTalk accelerates student literacy gains, helping students the furthest behind catch up to their peers.
- FASTalk supports high-quality instructional materials, including English Language Arts and Mathematics core curricula, Common Core ELA Standards, & SEL resources.
Traditional Federal Funding
There are a variety of additional funding sources that can be applied to the use of Family Engagement Lab's products and services.
Title I Part A - Improving Basic Programs
Title II Part A - Training High Quality Teachers and Principals
Title III Part A - English Learners and Immigrants
Title IV Part A -Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (SSAE)
ESSA Evidence
FASTalk meets ESSA Tier 2: Moderate Evidence:
FASTalk is a program that has been demonstrated through rigorous research to have a positive impact on target outcomes for students at risk, when delivered with fidelity.
Title I Part A - Improving Basic Programs
- Funding source for local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.
- Family Engagement Lab serves more than 70% low-income families with FASTalk.
- FASTalk is a family engagement tool that promotes equity and builds partnerships between teachers and historically underserved families by sharing engaging, at-home learning activities via text messages in each family’s home language.
- FASTalk significantly increases equity in academic achievement, helping students the furthest behind catch up to their peers.
Title II Part A - Training High Quality Teachers and Principals
- Funds for state (SEA) and LEAs to increase student academic achievement through professional development strategies and resources focused on improving teacher and principal quality.
- Family Engagement Lab offers professional development in the form of collaborative, planning workshops. The workshops focus on sharing current research and evidence on family engagement as a foundation for developing practical and measurable family engagement plans around literacy.
Title III Part A - English Learners and Immigrants
- Federal funding for SEA and LEAs to help ensure that English learners, including immigrant children and youth, develop high levels of academic achievement and to promote parental, family, and community participation in language instruction educational programs for the parents, families, and communities of English learners.
- Family Engagement Lab serves 33% non-English speaking families.
- With FASTalk, students experience literacy gains, especially when parents do not share a home language with the teacher.
Title IV Part A -Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (SSAE)
- Federal funding for SEA and LEAs intended to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of SEAs and LEAs, and local communities to (1) provide all students with access to a well-rounded education, (2) improve school conditions for student learning, and (3) improve the use of technology in order to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students.
- FASTalk is considered an effective and innovative strategy for the delivery of academic content through the use of technology
- FASTalk provides students in rural, remote, and underserved areas expanded access to educational opportunities through the use of technology.
- The purpose of the Comprehensive Literacy State Development program is to advance literacy skills through the use of evidence-based practices, activities, and interventions for children from birth through grade 12, especially disadvantaged children, English learners and those with disabilities.
- FASTalk is an evidence-based program that accelerates literacy outcomes in Grades PK-8.
- With FASTalk, students experience literacy gains, especially when parents do not share a home language with the teacher.
- Family Engagement Lab serves 33% non-English speaking families.
ESSA Evidence
FASTalk meets ESSA Tier 2: Moderate Evidence:
FASTalk is a program that has been demonstrated through rigorous research to have a positive impact on target outcomes for students at risk, when delivered with fidelity.
For a searchable database of additional federal grant opportunities, visit here.
Funding policies vary by location. Additional funding may be accessible in your area. We are happy to explore a range of funding sources available to you, including local and regional philanthropic opportunities.
Funding policies vary by location. Additional funding may be accessible in your area. We are happy to explore a range of funding sources available to you, including local and regional philanthropic opportunities.