What is ESSER?
The Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act to address costs incurred by schools as a result of mandates and other pandemic-related expenses.
There were three waves of funding: ESSER I, II, and III. This funding was budgeted for use during the 2019-20 through 2023-24 school years.
ESSER funding was restricted for specific expenses related to the impact of the pandemic. These expenses included:
technology
food service
health measures
social-emotional supports
efforts to address learning loss, such as smaller class sizes and summer school
capital improvements
support for ongoing district programs and expenses.
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