NYSED released the Academic Intervention Services (AIS) Year 7 application and guidance a few weeks ago. While this reimbursement program is already in its 7th year, it is not very well known among schools. In the past 3 weeks, since the application release, NYSED has only received 5 applications in total from schools throughout New York State (Yes, sound the alarm bells)!
Now is a great opportunity to utilize these funds if your school has an allocation. Over $625,000 is available for our member schools that qualify for this funding. You can find the Year 7 allocation list here.
AIS provides funds for schools who administer the State ELA and Math exams for grades 3-8 AND have students who score below proficient (i.e., 1 or 2) on those exams. Each year, funding is allocated to each school based on the number of students who scored below proficient.
The goal of the program is to support schools and teachers in helping their students achieve proficiency on their exams. Thus, AIS funds can be used for professional development and a range of academic resources and strategies that support teachers in helping their students achieve proficiency in ELA or Math.
Here are some examples of allowable uses of funds:
- Professional development, i.e. coaching and workshops, to learn new techniques, classroom management, and strategies to address the diverse learning styles of students.
- Purchase of software materials that will assess struggling students and provide support to teachers in addressing specific skill gaps in ELA and mathematics.
- Support for teachers’ knowledge of the teaching of ELA and mathematics.
- Strategies, materials and resources to assist teachers with the uses of data to improve instruction and student achievement in ELA and mathematics.
This year NYSED has released a list of expenses that can be eligible for AIS reimbursement. You can find that list here, and you can find the application guidance here. You can complete the application on your business portal account.
We encourage you to reach out to us with any questions whether it is about the application, about eligibility or expenses. Please email Pessy Katz at katzp@teachcoalition.org. We are happy to help you access these funds which are ready for your school!