ESSER Grants: Federal Requirements

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grants provide funding from the US Department of Education (USED) to the District of Columbia to respond to and address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, families and educators. ESSER grants are authorized by the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES), Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations, and 2021 (CRRSA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Acts of 2021.

The District of Columbia received more than $600 million is ESSER funding and OSSE currently administers $540 million in funding to 48 LEA grantees. As the administrator of ESSER funding for the District, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) manages ESSER grants to local education agencies (LEAS), monitors grant recipients, and reports annual state-level ESSER data to USED.

USED General Information and Use of Funds Guidance

USED ESSER Grants Fact Sheet

USED ESSER FAQs

USED ESSER Use of Funds Webinar: Facility Upgrades, Renovation and Construction

ESSER Eligibility

ESSER grants may only be used to support Title I-A eligible LEAs. OSSE created ESSER Equivalent grants for LEAs which are not eligible for ESSER grants. Please refer to the ESSER eligibility lists to determine if your LEA is eligible for ESSER grants or ESSER Equivalent grants.

USED Requirements and Regulations

USED has provided the following resources and guidance detailing the regulations and requirements for ESSER to support SEAs and LEAs to clarify those requirements.

Maintenance of Effort Guidance for State Education Agencies (updated Feb. 4, 2022)

ESSER requires states and LEAs to maintain a minimum level of state and local funding for education.

ESSER III-ARP Interim Final Rule (April 22, 2021)

Safe Return to In-Person and Use of Funds Plan: LEAs that receive an ESSER III-ARP grant are required to make publicly available on their website a plan that addresses how the LEA will ensure the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services as well as a plan for how the LEA intends to use ESSER III-ARP funds. This plan must be updated every six months, at a minimum, between the date of initial publication during the 2021-22 school year and Sept. 30, 2023. OSSE suggests LEAs include “as of” dates on their plan and/or website to make it clear when the most recent plan update was made.
Minimum 20 Percent Reservation for Addressing Learning Loss through Evidence-Based Interventions: LEAs are federally required to use at least 20 percent of their overall ESSER III-ARP allocation. The following resources provide additional information to support LEAs in meeting this requirement:
USED Maintenance of Equity (MOEquity): SEAs and LEAs receiving ESSER III-ARP funds must demonstrate that they have not disproportionately reduced state and local resources to schools and districts which are serving the highest percentage of low-income students. This USED website provides additional details on MOEquity requirements.

OSSE’s ESSER III-ARP State Plan (approved July 7, 2021)

To receive their full ESSER III-ARP award, SEAs were required to submit a state plan to USED. OSSE’s final approved plan, along with the approved plans from all other states, are posted publicly on this website.

ESSER Fiscal Flexibilities