Education leaders say that July 1 may not be a realistic deadline for many districts to meet Cardona's goals or execute the best possible plans for spending their federal grants over three years. "If we really want thoughtful stakeholder feedback and input, and we really are committed to spending these dollars as intelligently as possible, we're going to have to push back that July 1 requirement," said Joe Ricca, president of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents, which includes school chiefs in Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess and Putnam counties. "School districts are still working on bringing their children back full time; they're still working on all the complexities associated with the pandemic," Ricca, the White Plains superintendent, said. "We don't want to rush this process and end up with shoddy planning. Every American is invested in this process, right? These are our tax dollars."