ESSER I: In March 2020, the U.S. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in response to the pandemic; this act included approximately $13.2 billion for The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund.
ESSER II: In December 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, which provides an additional $54.3 billion in an ESSER II Fund.
ESSER III: In March 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act into law. This act includes the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund, which allocates $126 billion for K–12 schools.
Funds are allocated to each state in the same proportion as their Title I, Part A grants. For ESSER I and ESSER II, the U.S. Department of Education has distributed funds directly to state education agencies (SEAs). ESSER III/ARP ESSER funds distribution began in March 2021.
Each school district must apply to its state’s SEA (the Department of Education or Office of Public Instruction) to receive its funding. You can see the funding each state received:
Each SEA has its own process, so please continue to monitor your state’s SEA for information on the steps you need to take to receive funding.
Districts have the flexibility to use the ESSER funds on any "activity authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act," including assessments, instructional materials, software, hardware, professional development, connectivity, teacher pay, and summer school activities.
The ESSER II legislation specifically mentioned that funds can be used to help address students' learning loss. ESSER III from the American Rescue Plan included funding set-asides at both the state and district level to mitigate learning loss.
Virtual Professional Learning Package
ASCD Virtual Professional Learning packages are modules designed to be flexible and tailored to meet the individual needs of schools and districts. The learning is delivered using interactive technology tools educators can use in their classrooms the next day. Each module is designed with a 90-minute workshop and a 90-minute coaching session.
Customized Learning Bundle
ASCD's 10-hour learning bundles give you the flexibility to address the needs of your district or school consecutively or spaced throughout the year. You select from any combination of remote keynote speakers, collaborative workshops, and one-on-one support by our ASCD Faculty to choose what works best for your team.
ASCD Activate®
The ASCD Activate® professional learning library gives your educators voice and ensures that your staff engages in continuous learning throughout the year.
Whole Child Learning Package
An experienced practitioner walks you through the process of addressing each key tenet of the Whole Child Approach. ASCD becomes your consultative source to facilitate the process to define the needs of your school or district.
