ESSER
What is ESSER?
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act provides additional funding for school districts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Education portion of ARP is known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III or ARP ESSER) Fund. The purpose of the ESSER III fund is to support the safe reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools while meeting students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.ESSER III is the third stimulus and emergency COVID relief funding stream authorized as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act that was enacted in March 2021.
Community Input Process
Everett Public Schools gathered input from students, parents/guardians, staff and community members that informs the key focus areas for the use of ESSER III funding. The plan put forth to the School Committee reflects priorities identified through this community engagement process. Everett Public Schools have gathered community input through surveys through multiple languages including Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole. We have received over 500 respondents that help guide us to what are the community priorities. The survey indicated the priorities of ESSER III will be used for mental health support (25%), After school tutoring and mentoring service ( 21%) and PPE (15%).
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act provides additional funding for school districts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Education portion of ARP is known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III or ARP ESSER) Fund. The purpose of the ESSER III fund is to support the safe reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools while meeting students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.ESSER III is the third stimulus and emergency COVID relief funding stream authorized as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act that was enacted in March 2021.
Community Input Process
Everett Public Schools gathered input from students, parents/guardians, staff and community members that informs the key focus areas for the use of ESSER III funding. The plan put forth to the School Committee reflects priorities identified through this community engagement process. Everett Public Schools have gathered community input through surveys through multiple languages including Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole. We have received over 500 respondents that help guide us to what are the community priorities. The survey indicated the priorities of ESSER III will be used for mental health support (25%), After school tutoring and mentoring service ( 21%) and PPE (15%).
Everett Public School Plan
Everett Public School is receiving $13,453,831 for ESSER III. Everett will be using ESSER III to support 4 targeted areas over the grant period (FY 22- FY 24).
- Social Emotional Services/ Health and Safety: Social Emotional Manger, Social Emotional Specialist, PPE, Water filtration system, touch free hand dryers etc.
- Instructional Rigor: Expanding CTE Programing, Paraprofessional for kindergarten classrooms, classroom libraries, staffing to support instructional rigor etc.
- Supplemental Services: February/ April Acceleration academy, robust summer programing, expanding after school programing and partnership opportunities, etc.
- Tailored Supports for Families: Staff to support family engagement and Adult learning programs would provide Adult ESOL, vocational programs, Technology Courses, Navigating EPS/KYR/Rights for Students with Disabilities.
ESSER III Key Information
- The period of performance is through 9/30/24.
- Allowable costs for ESSER III are the same as ESSER I/II
- Unlike ESSER I/II, ESSER III contains new requirements for how funds must be spent and what reports/plans must be made available, including: District Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and District Plan on Use of ESSER III Fund
- Robust consultation with district stakeholders to determine LEA priorities
- At least 20% of the award must be spent on mitigating lost instructional time