Pandemic Recovery Funds

The US Department of Education tracks Education Stabilization Fund  (ESSER and GEER/ EANS) award and expenditure data by state here.

Obligation and Spending Timeline for ESSER and GEER/EANS

*The US Dept of Education allows for a State DOE to request liquidation extensions on behalf of itself or a subgrantee (District/School). If the extension is approved, the liquidation period may be extended for a period of up to 14 months beyond the 120 days already available to liquidate funds.

CARES

Passed in 2020, CARES appropriated $13.2 billion for The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER I) and $3 billion for The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER I).

What is CARES?

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) was passed on March 27, 2020. This $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill provided economic assistance across America to states, cities, businesses and education. Among other funding measures, this act established the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) and allocated $30.75 billion to the Dept. of Education, of which $13.2 billion is for The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER I) and $3 billion is for The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER).
 

What is ESSER I, and How did Funds Flow?

• ESSER I allocated monies to State Education Agencies (SEAs), who then sub-granted to Local Education Agencies (LEAs/ Districts). ESSER I refers to the allocation of $13.2 billion from CARES.
• SEAs were awarded ESSER funding in the same proportion as they receive their Title I, Part A funds and then disburse funds to the LEAs/Districts based on the proportion of Title 1, Part A funds each LEA/District received in the most recent fiscal year. Note: Although, ESSER funds are distributed to LEAs/Districts based on Title I, Part A allocations, they are not considered Title I funds and are not subject to Title I restrictions. 
• The SEA can retain 10% of these ESSER I funds for state education department efforts. To learn more:

Download CARES ESSER I Fund Certification and Agreement here.
Download the CARES ESSER I Fund Frequently Asked Questions here.

Availability of ESSER I Funds

• To view the state allocation of ESSER I funds, download CARES State Allocation Table here.
• The Secretary of Education recommended that districts use ESSER I funds prior to using their ESSER II funds.  Details here, January 2021 Secretary of Education Letter.
• SEAs and LEAs/Districts were required to “obligate” ESSER I funds by September 30, 2022, this includes the 12-month Tydings Amendment period. Funds are considered obligated on the date of a binding written commitment for services or work, even if services are delivered later. ESSER funds must be liquidated within 120 calendar days after the end of the availability period.

• In September 2022 the US Dept of Education provided a process for submitting liquidation extension requests for these funds. The extension if approved, extends the liquidation period up to 14 months beyond the 120 days already available to liquidate funds. Details here CARES/ESSER I liquidation extension request. 

Use of ESSER I Funds

• CARES (ESSER I) funds may be used for pre-award costs dating back to March 13, 2020.
• Generally, the CARES Act indicates that ESSER I funds are to “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.” The ESSER I use of funds includes:
  • Any activity authorized by the ESEA of 1965, including the Native Hawaiian Education Act and the Alaska Native Educational Equity, Support, and Assistance Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, or subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
  • Coordination of preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies with state, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments, and other relevant agencies, to improve coordinated responses among such entities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
  • Providing principals and other school leaders with the resources necessary to address the needs of their individual schools.
  • Activities to address the unique needs of low-income children or students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster care youth, including how outreach and service delivery will meet the needs of each population.
  • Developing and implementing procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies.
  • Training and professional development for staff of the local educational agency on sanitation and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases.
  • Purchasing supplies to sanitize and clean the facilities of a local educational agency, including buildings operated by such agency.
  • Planning for and coordinating during long-term closures, including for how to provide meals to eligible students, or how to provide technology for online learning to all students.
  • Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity) for students who are served by the local educational agency that aids in regular and substantive educational interaction between students and their classroom instructors, including low-income students and students with disabilities, which may include assistive technology or adaptive equipment.
  • Providing mental health services and supports.
  • Planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental afterschool programs, including providing classroom instruction or online learning during the summer months and addressing the needs of low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.
  • Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services in local educational agencies and continuing to employ existing staff of the local educational agency.

Note: Communication from the US Department of Education clarified that addressing learning loss, preparing schools for reopening, and testing, repairing, and upgrading projects to improve air quality in school buildings are allowable under the CARES Act funding.

Download ESSER II Fact Sheet for Comparison of ESSER I & II here.

What is GEER I?

Under the CARES Act, The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER I) provided $3 billion in formula grants to Governors. These GEER funds were granted to LEAs/Districts, institutions of higher education and other education related entities to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

Download CARES GEER Certification and Agreement here.

Availability of GEER I Funds

• GEER funds can be used for pre-award costs dating back to March 13, 2020.
• Governors had one-year, from the date of the State’s award, to award funds (April through June 2021, depending on award date).
• Funds were available for obligation by Governors and subrecipients (LEAs/Districts) through September 30, 2022.
• To view the state allocation of GEER I funds, download CARES GEER State Allocation Table here.
• The LEA/District must track use of GEER I funds separately.
• In September 2022 the US Dept of Education provided a process for submitting liquidation extension requests for these funds. Details here CARES/ESSER I liquidation extension request.

Use of GEER I Funds

• Governors could use funds to:
  • Provide emergency support to LEAs/Districts most impacted by COVID-19 to ensure “on-going functionality”.
  • Provide support through a subgrant/ contract to other LEAs/Districts, Institutions of Higher Education, and education-related entities “deemed essential” for carrying out emergency educational services, providing child-care and early childhood education, providing social and emotional support, and protecting education related jobs, and
  • Provide emergency support to institutions of higher education most impacted to ensure “on-going functionality”.

• Unless the Governor specifically directs otherwise, the LEAs/Districts have flexibility in determining how they use their GEER I funds to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the coronavirus.

Download CARES GEER Certification and Agreement here.
Download CARES GEER Fund Frequently Asked Questions here.
 

CRRSA

CRRSA appropriated $54.3 billion for ESSER II and $4 billion for GEER II, including $2.75 billion of EANS funds for non-public schools.

What is CRRSA?

(pronounced “sir-sa”)

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020. Also referred to as HR-133. This $1.4 trillion, second round of pandemic recovery funding provided $81.9 billion to the Education Stabilization Fund. It includes $54.3 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II), and $4 billion for The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II), of which $2.75B is directed to Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS I).

What is ESSER II, and How do Funds Flow?

• ESSER II allocated monies to State Education Agencies (SEAs), who then sub-granted to Local Education Agencies (LEAs/Districts). ESSER II refers to the allocation of $54.3 billion from CRRSA.
• SEAs were awarded ESSER II funding in the same proportion as they receive their Title I, Part A funds and then disburse funds to the LEAs/Districts based on the proportion of Title 1, Part A funds each LEA/District received in the most recent fiscal year. Note: Although, ESSER funds are distributed to LEAs/Districts based on Title I, Part A allocations, they are not considered Title I funds and are not subject to Title I restrictions.
• The SEA can retain 10% of these funds for state education department efforts.

Availability of ESSER II Funds

• The SEA was required to award the funds within one year of receiving them, which was January 2022.
• The LEA/District must track use of ESSER II funds separately.

• SEAs and LEAs/Districts must “obligate” funds by September 30, 2023, this includes the 12-month Tydings Amendment period. Funds are considered obligated on the date of a binding written commitment for services or work, even if services are delivered later.  ESSER funds must be liquidated within 120 calendar days after the end of the availability period.  Download CRRSA ESSER II Fact Sheet here.

• To view the state allocation of ESSER II funds, download CRRSA State ESSER II Allocation Table here.

• The US Dept of Education has provided information on the process for submitting liquidation extension requests for these funds. The extension if approved, extends the liquidation period up to 14 months beyond the 120 days already available to liquidate funds. Details here CRRSA/ESSER II liquidation extension.

Use of ESSER II Funds

• CRRSA (ESSER II) funds may be used for pre-award costs dating back to March 13, 2020.
• Under CRRSA, use of ESSER II funds is similar to CARES except for the explicit addition of learning loss, preparing schools for reopening, and testing, repairing, and upgrading projects to improve air quality in school buildings.
• The ESSER II use of funds includes:
  • Any activity authorized by the ESEA of 1965, including the Native Hawaiian Education Act and the Alaska Native Educational Equity, Support, and Assistance Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, or subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
  • Coordination of preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies with state, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments, and other relevant agencies, to improve coordinated responses among such entities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
  • Providing principals and others school leaders with the resources necessary to address the needs of their individual schools.
  • Activities to address the unique needs of low-income children or students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster care youth, including how outreach and service delivery will meet the needs of each population.
    Developing and implementing procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies.
  • Training and professional development for staff of the local educational agency on sanitation and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases.
  • Purchasing supplies to sanitize and clean the facilities of a local educational agency, including buildings operated by such agency.
  • Planning for and coordinating during long-term closures, including for how to provide meals to eligible students, how to provide technology for online learning to all students, how to provide guidance for carrying out requirements under IDEA, and how to ensure other educational services can continue to be provided consistent with all Federal, State, and local requirements.
  • Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity) for students who are served by the local educational agency that aids in regular and substantive educational interaction between students and their classroom instructors, including low-income students and students with disabilities, which may include assistive technology or adaptive equipment.
  • Providing mental health services and supports.
  • Planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental afterschool programs, including providing classroom instruction or online learning during the summer months and addressing the needs of low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.
  • Addressing learning loss among students, including low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care, of the LEA/District, including by—
    • Administering and using high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable, to accurately assess students’ academic progress and assist educators in meeting students’ academic needs, including through differentiating instruction.
    • Implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students.
    • Providing information and assistance to parents and families on how they can effectively support students, including in a distance learning environment.
    • Tracking student attendance and improving student engagement in distance education.

• School facility repairs and improvements to enable operation of schools to reduce risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards, and to support student health needs.

• Inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, replacement, and upgrade projects to improve the indoor air quality in school facilities, including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, filtering, purification and other air cleaning, fans, control systems, and window and door repair and replacement.
• Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services in local educational agencies and continuing to employ existing staff of the local educational agency.

For detail, download ESSER II Fact Sheet for Comparison of ESSER I & II here

What are GEER II and EANS I?

Under CRRSA, over $4 billion was provided for The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II), with $2.75 billion reserved for Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS I) and the remaining $1.3 billion to be used to supplement the awarded GEER funds to each state.

• This additional funding distributed through the GEER fund formula is referred to as GEER II. It awards formula grants to Governors for the purpose of providing LEAs/Districts, institutions of higher education and other education related entities with emergency assistance to address the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had, and continues to have, on students and parents.
• The EANS Program awards formula grants to Governors (with approved Certifications and Agreement) for the purpose of providing services or assistance to eligible non-public schools.

For details, download CRRSA GEER and EANS Certification and Agreement here.

Availability of GEER II Funds

• GEER II funds can be used for pre-award costs dating back to March 13, 2020.
• Governors had one year, from the date of the State’s award, to award funds — January 2022.
• Funds were available for obligation by Governors and subrecipients (LEAs/Districts) through September 30, 2023. Download CRRSA GEER State Allocation Table here.
• Funding is subject to State complying with maintenance of effort provisions.

Download CRRSA GEER Fact Sheet, compares GEER I & II here. 

• The LEA/District must track use of GEER II funds separately.
• The previously mentioned process for requesting a liquidation extension on ESSER II applies to GEER II as well.

Availability of EANS I Funds

• An SEA was required to make applications available to non-public schools within 30 days of receiving funds, and to approve or deny the application within 30 days of receiving the application.
• An SEA must obligate all funds for services or assistance to non-public schools within six months of receiving the funds.
• Any funds not obligated by the SEA must be returned for reallocation.
• The previously mentioned process for requesting a liquidation extension on ESSER II applies to EANS I as well.

Download CRRSA GEER & EANS State Allocation Table here.

Download Notice of EANS Funding here.

Use of GEER II Funds

• Governors may use funds to:
  • Provide emergency support to LEAs/Districts most impacted by COVID-19 to ensure their “on-going functionality”,
  • Provide support through a subgrant/ contract to other LEAs/Districts, Institutions of Higher Education, and education-related entities “deemed essential” for carrying out emergency educational services, providing child-care and early childhood education, providing social and emotional support, and protecting education related jobs, and
  • Provide emergency support to institutions of higher education most impacted to ensure “on-going functionality”.

• Unless the Governor specifically directs, the LEAs/Districts have flexibility in determining how they use their GEER II funds to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the coronavirus.

Download GEER Fund Frequently Asked Questions here.

How can EANS I Funds be Used?

• Under CRRSA, non-public schools under the EANS I program can use services or assistance to address educational disruptions from COVID-19 for:
  • supplies to sanitize, disinfect, and clean school facilities,
  • personal protective equipment,
  • improving ventilation systems, including windows or portable air purification systems to ensure healthy air in the non-public school,
  • training and professional development for staff on sanitation, the use of PPE, and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases,
  • physical barriers to facilitate social distancing,
  • other materials, supplies, or equipment to implement public health protocols, including guidelines and recommendations from the CDC for the reopening and operation of school facilities to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff during the qualifying emergency,
  • expanding capacity to administer coronavirus testing, to conduct surveillance and contact tracing activities, and to support other activities,
  • educational technology (including hardware, software, connectivity, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment) to assist students, educators, and other staff with remote or hybrid learning,
  • redeveloping instructional plans, including curriculum development, for remote learning, hybrid learning, or to address learning loss,
  • leasing of sites or spaces to ensure safe social distancing to implement public health protocols, including guidelines and recommendations from the CDC,
  • reasonable transportation costs,
  • initiating and maintaining education and support services or assistance for remote learning, hybrid learning, or to address learning loss, or
  • reimbursement for the expenses of any services or assistance described above that a nonpublic school incurred on or after March 13, 2020, except for services or assistance under (C) (other than portable air purification systems, which are an allowable reimbursable expense), (D), (I), and (L)) or any expenses reimbursed through a loan guaranteed under the Paycheck Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) as of December 27, 2020.

For details download CRRSA EANS II Certification and Agreement here.

ARPA

Passed in 2021, ARPA delivered $122.8 billion for ESSER III and $2.75 billion for EANS II, plus $3 billion for special education.

What is ARPA?

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed by President Biden on March 11, 2021. This $1.9 trillion, third round of pandemic recovery funding provides $170 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund. It includes $122.8 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER III), and $2.75 billion for Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS II). Additionally, $3 billion was allocated for special education.

What is ESSER III, and How do Funds Flow?

• ESSER III allocates monies to State Education Agencies (SEAs), who then sub-grant to Local Education Agencies (LEAs/Districts). ESSER III refers to the allocation of $122.8 billion from ARPA.
• ESSER III provides the US Department of Education with $800 million targeted for homeless children and youth.
• SEAs are awarded ESSER III funding in the same proportion as they receive their Title I, Part A funds, and then disbursed to the LEA/District based on the proportion of Title 1, Part A funds each LEA/District received in the most recent fiscal year. Note: Although, ESSER funds are distributed to LEAs/Districts based on Title I, Part A allocations, they are not considered Title I funds and are not subject to Title I restrictions.
• The SEA can retain 10% of these ESSER III funds for state education department efforts. However, ARPA directs that a portion of state-level funds be reserved for three activities and interventions:
  • 5% for the implementation of evidence-based interventions aimed specifically at addressing learning loss, such as summer learning/summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs.
  • 1% for the implementation for evidence-based summer enrichment programs.
  • 1% for evidence-based comprehensive afterschool programs.
  • 2.5% to be spent at the discretion of the state
  • 0.5% for administration of ESSER III

Download ARPA ESSER III Fact Sheet here.

Availability of ESSER III Funds

• The SEA must allocate ESSER III funds to LEAs/Districts not later than 60 days after the SEA receives the funds.
• ARPA guidelines govern the flow of ESSER III funds to the SEA and from the SEA to the LEA/District. These guidelines include the disbursement to SEAs of two-thirds of the ESSER III funds immediately, with the remaining 1/3 of  funds to be made after SEAs submit and receive approval of their ESSER implementation plans.
• Any funds not awarded by the SEA within one-year of receipt must be returned for reallocation.
• The LEA/District must track use of ESSER III funds separately.
• SEAs and LEAs/Districts must “obligate” funds by September 30, 2024, this includes the 12-month Tydings Amendment period. Funds are considered obligated on the date of a binding written commitment for services or work, even if services are delivered later.  ESSER funds must be liquidated within 120 calendar days after the end of the availability period.
• To view the revised state allocation of ESSER III funds, download ARPA ESSER III State Allocation Table here.
• The US Dept of Education has released details on the process for submitting liquidation extension requests for these funds. The extension if approved, extends the liquidation period up to 14 months beyond the 120 days already available to liquidate funds. Details here CARES/ESSER III liquidation extension request.

Use of ESSER III Funds

• ESSER III funds may be used for pre-award costs dating back to March 13, 2020.
• Under ARPA, use of ESSER III funds is similar in many respects to CARES and CRRSA.
• The exception is that an LEA/District that receives ESSER III funds must reserve 20% of the funds to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs or extended school year programs and ensure that such interventions address the impact of the coronavirus on student subgroups.
• The remaining funds can be used for:
  • Any activity authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
  • Any activity authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
  • Any activity authorized by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act.
  • Any activity authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.
  • Coordination of preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies with State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments, and other relevant agencies, to improve coordinated responses among such entities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
  • Activities to address the unique needs of low-income children or students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster care youth, including how outreach and service delivery will meet the needs of each population.
  • Developing and implementing procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies.
  • Training and professional development for staff of the local educational agency on sanitation and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases.
  • Purchasing supplies to sanitize and clean the facilities of a local educational agency, including buildings operated by such agency.
  • Planning for, coordinating and implementing activities during long-term closures, including providing meals to eligible students, providing technology for online learning to all students, providing guidance for carrying out requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and ensuring other educational services can continue to be provided consistent with all Federal, State, and local requirements.
  • Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity) for students who are served by the local educational agency that aids in regular and substantive educational interaction between students and their classroom instructors, including low-income students and children with disabilities, which may include assistive technology or adaptive equipment.
  • Providing mental health services and supports, including through the implementation of evidenced-based full-service community schools.
  • Planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental afterschool programs, including providing classroom instruction or online learning during the summer months and addressing the needs of low-income students, children with disabilities English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.
  • Addressing learning loss among students, including low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and children and youth in foster care, of the LEA/District, including by—
    • administering and using high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable, to accurately assess students’ academic progress and assist educators in meeting students’ academic needs, including through differentiating instruction;
    • implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students;
    • providing information and assistance to parents and families on how they can effectively support students, including in a distance learning environment; and
    • tracking student attendance and improving student engagement in distance education.
  • School facility repairs and improvements to enable operation of schools to reduce risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards, and to support student health services.
  • Inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, replacement, and upgrade projects to improve the indoor air quality in school facilities, including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, filtering, purification and other air cleaning, fans, control systems, and window and door repair and replacement.
  • Developing strategies and implementing public health protocols including, to the greatest extent practicable, policies in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the reopening and operation of school facilities to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff.
  • Other activities that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services in local educational agencies and continuing to employ existing staff of the local educational agency.

For detail, download Frequently Asked Questions on ESSER and GEER.
For additional information, see the Dept. of Education report: Strategies for Using American Rescue Plan Funding to Address the Impact of Lost Instructional Time. Download report.

What is EANS II

Under ARPA, Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) received a second round of funding at $2.75 billion.

• The EANS Program awards formula grants to Governors (with approved Certifications and Agreement) for the purpose of providing services or assistance to eligible non-public schools, that enroll a significant percentage of low-income students and are most impacted by the coronavirus.

EANS II: Availability of Funds

• The Dept. of Education posted final requirements on ARPA ESSER in July 2021. Governors had until September 9, 2021 to submit an application for ARPA EANS II funds.
• An SEA is required to make applications available to non-public schools within 30 days of receiving funds, and to approve or deny the application within 30 days of receiving the application.
• An SEA must obligate all funds for services or assistance to non-public schools no later than six months after receiving the funds.
• Any funds not obligated by the SEA must be returned to the Governor for reallocation.
• ARPA includes a new requirement for SEAs to “provide services or assistance to non-public schools that enroll a significant percentage of low-income students and are most impacted by the [COVID-19] emergency.”

Download ARPA EANS II State Allocation Table here.
View EANS Program information here.
Download EANS Notice Inviting Applications.

Use of EANS ll Funds

• Under ARPA, and like CRRSA, non-public schools under the EANS program can use services or assistance to address educational disruptions from COVID-19 for:
  • supplies to sanitize, disinfect, and clean school facilities,
  • personal protective equipment (PPE),
  • improving ventilation systems, including windows or portable air purification systems to ensure healthy air in the non-public school,
  • training and professional development for staff on sanitation, the use of PPE, and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases,
  • physical barriers to facilitate social distancing,
  • other materials, supplies, or equipment to implement public health protocols, including guidelines and recommendations from the CDC for the reopening and operation of school facilities to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff during the qualifying emergency,
  • expanding capacity to administer coronavirus testing, to conduct surveillance and contact tracing activities, and to support other activities,
  • educational technology (including hardware, software, connectivity, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment) to assist students, educators, and other staff with remote or hybrid learning,
  • redeveloping instructional plans, including curriculum development, for remote learning, hybrid learning, or to address learning loss,
  • leasing of sites or spaces to ensure safe social distancing to implement public health protocols, including guidelines and recommendations from the CDC,
  • reasonable transportation costs,
  • initiating and maintaining education and support services or assistance for remote learning, hybrid learning, or to address learning loss, or
  • reimbursement for the expenses of any services or assistance described above that a nonpublic school incurred on or after March 13, 2020, except for services or assistance under (C) (other than portable air purification systems, which are an allowable reimbursable expense), (D), (I), and (L)) or any expenses reimbursed through a loan guaranteed under the Paycheck Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)) as of December 27, 2020.

View EANS Program information here.

Get explanations for key terms.

Refer to this handy reference guide for words worth knowing as you learn more about education stabilization dollars.

• ARPA: The American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Biden on March 11, 2022. This $1.9 trillion, third round of funding included $170 billion to the Education Stabilization Fund of which $122.8 billion was for ESSER and $2.75 billion for Emergency Assistance to Non-Public schools (EANS), with an additional $3 billion for special education.
• Awarding vs Obligating Funds: An SEA awards funds when it makes a subgrant to an LEA/District or when an SEA Reserve enters into a subgrant or contract with a subrecipient. Funds are obligated when the subrecipient/LEA/District commits funds to specific purposes.
• CARES: The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act passed on March 27, 2020. This $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill provided economic assistance across America for states, cities, businesses and education. This act established the ESF and allocated $30.75 billion to the Dept of Education, of which $13.2 billion was for ESSER and $3 billion was for GEER.
• CRRSA (pronounced “sir-sa”): The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020. It is sometimes referred to as HR-133. This $1.4 trillion, second round of funding included $81.9 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund, of which $54.3 billion was for ESSER and $4 billion for GEER. GEER includes $2.75B for Emergency Assistance to Non-Public schools (EANS).
• EANS: Emergency Assistance to Non-Public schools is part of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. Under this program, Governor’s receive formula grants that provide services or assistance to non-public schools that enroll a high percentage of low-income students and have been most impacted by COVID-19.
• ESF: The Education Stabilization Fund was created on March 27, 2020, as part of The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). The ESF is composed of three emergency relief funds:
  (1) an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund,
  (2) a Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, and
  (3) a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF).
• ESSER: The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. This Fund allocates monies to State Education Agencies (SEAs), who then sub-grant to Local Education Agencies (LEAs/Districts). Each of the three stimulus packages allocated funding to ESSER, broken out as $13.2 billion from CARES, $54.3 billion from CRRSA and $122 billion from ARPA.
• GEER: The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund was created under The CARES Act and has been funded through the Education Stabilization Fund in CARES, CRRSA and ARPA. A discretionary fund awarded through the Governor’s office it addresses high priority needs in K–12, Institutions of Higher Education and other education related entities.

Resources:

US Department of Education information page on CARES

US Department of Education Information page on ARPA

US Department of Education ESSER Resource page

ESSER and GEER Frequently Asked Questions, May 2021

US Department of Education: Education Stabilization Fund ESSER and GEER award and expenditure data