The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund includes the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (March 27, 2020), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, 2021 (December 27, 2020), and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 (March 11, 2021). The U.S. Department of Education awarded grants to states for the purpose of providing local educational agencies (LEAs) that receive funds under Title I-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) with emergency relief funds to address the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, on students in pre-K-12 education.

For any ESSER-Related questions, please send an email to ESSERReporting@sde.idaho.gov.


Pandemic Funds and Reporting

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 was signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021. Of the total amount awarded to LEAs, at least 20 percent of funds must be used to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions and ensure that those interventions respond to students’ social, emotional, and academic needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups. Remaining funds may be used on a wide range of activities to address needs arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security (CARES) Act provides economic assistance to address the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. This Act was passed by Congress with overwhelming, bipartisan support and signed into law March 27, 2020.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 provides further relief to States to address the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. This Act was passed by Congress and then signed into law December 27, 2020. Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, 2021 section of the new law, education stabilization funds for K-12 public schools and for non-public schools are described.