text stating Esser Grant Program

What is ESSER?

From March 2020 to March 2021, Congress passed three stimulus bills that provided over $2.3 billion under the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Education Relief Fund (ESSER or ESSERF) to local educational agencies (LEAs) in Wisconsin. These funds provide emergency financial assistance to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools.

These funds that the school district receives are one-time federal funds where the district gets reimbursed from the federal government after the money has been spent and the State of Wisconsin must approve all grant budgets and claims for funding.

There were three different waves of funding granted through three different federal acts beginning in March of 2020. We have been calling them ESSER 1, ESSER 2, and ESSER 3. Each wave provided different amounts, had different requirements for use, and different timelines for the funds to be expended.

For more information, please see the WI Department of Public Instruction.

ESSER Survey

ESSER 1

The CARES Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020, provides economic stimulus to individuals, businesses, hospitals, and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in response to the economic distress caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Since this program was approved so quickly after the national shutdown, there were some very tight boundaries within which this money could be spent. The focus of this first round of funding was more on mitigation measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, providing virtual instruction, and safely reopening schools when the time was right.

ESSER 2

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA), was signed into law on December 27, 2020, and provides additional funding for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II Fund). Since this program was approved nine months into the pandemic, the US Department of Education encouraged local schools "to take comprehensive action to mitigate learning loss, to restore and maintain high-quality learning environments, and to safely reopen elementary and secondary schools as soon as possible.” (WI DPI)

ESSER 3

On Thursday, March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act was signed into law. It is an unprecedented package of assistance measures, including a large amount for the ARP Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund. Funds are provided to State educational agencies and school districts to help safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Nation’s students.

LEAs receiving funds under ESSER III are required to reserve no less than 20 percent of their allocation for the purpose of addressing learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions. These interventions must respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on students from low-income families, students of color, English learners, students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students.

LEAs should take comprehensive action to restore and maintain high-quality learning environments and safely reopen elementary and secondary schools as soon as possible. In doing so, LEAs should pay particular attention to the needs of students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.