LCT and School District of La Crosse Look for Solutions After ESSER Funding Ends

The La Crosse Community Theatre (LCT) and the School District of La Crosse (SDLAX) partnered in the years following the pandemic to offer students a unique theatre based summer school experience at LCT's Star Academy. Thanks in part to ESSER funding, LCT and SDLAX were able to offer the program to SDLAX students free of cost. ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funding was a federal grant program created to help schools address the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting initiatives for academic recovery, mental health services, and educational equity.

LCT's Star Academy program, which blends education with the arts, allows students to perform entire realized productions in front of an audience, fostering creativity, confidence, and teamwork. As part of the program, students memorize scripts and music for productions that range from 45 minutes to two and a half hours based on the age of the student. They also engage in learning choreography, prop and set construction, and all other aspects of musical theatre, embracing a "learning by doing" approach that promote deeper engagement and help forge lasting friendships. These experiences align with the goals of both the school district and LCT to enrich student learning and community connection.

However, as ESSER funding comes to an end, both LCT and the school district now face a challenging question: how to sustain such a transformative program. Programs like this, once supported by grants such as ESSER, are at risk of being discontinued. This concern mirrors what many districts across Wisconsin are facing, as highlighted in a recent report by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. School districts, including SDLAX, are grappling with how to continue offering programs that have proven effective, yet now lack the funding to sustain them (source).

Laura Adams from the DPI noted that the department is advocating for increased funding to bridge the gap left by the expiration of ESSER grants. Meanwhile, local organizations and school districts are also exploring creative solutions. SDLAX and LCT are currently seeking alternative funding models, grants, and community partnerships to keep the summer theatre program free to the students in the district. The ripple effects of the program have been felt throughout the community, with students gaining critical life skills through their theatrical endeavors. For more on how Wisconsin schools are managing the loss of ESSER funding, see this report from Wisconsin Public Radio (source).

While the future remains uncertain, the desire to continue offering these programs remains strong. The collaboration between LCT and SDLAX is a testament to the power of community partnership, and both organizations are committed to ensuring that students will have opportunities to engage in creative, hands-on learning in the years to come.