ESSER III Funds Plan
ARP ESSER FUNDING
In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act added $123 billion to the Elementary and Secondary Education Relief (ESSER) fund in emergency pandemic relief aid for K-12 schools nationally. Colorado will receive almost $1.17 billion under the new legislation and, like the previous recovery bills, 90% of the funding will flow to districts through the Title I formula with 10% set aside for state-level priorities. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding from the ARP Act provides support for K-12 schools to help safely open and sustain the safe operations of schools and address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation's students. For more information about ARP ESSER visit the Colorado Department of Education website.
D2 ARP ESSER PLAN
D2 zones and schools, including charter schools, utilized needs assessment data and community input to generate plans for the use of ARP ESSER funds allocated on a per pupil basis. The budget and application have been approved by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE).
Allocated Funding
D2 was allocated just over $32 million dollars. Of this amount, $25 million is for district-operated schools, $4.68 million is for charter schools, and 2.4M is for indirect costs.
Funding Plan
D2 has until September 30, 2024 to spend ESSER III funds. As priorities change in responding to the pandemic and its effect on staff and students, the Use of Funds Plan may be revised. Approximated dollar amounts; may not add to total amount due to rounding; subject for revision.
Zones and schools, including charter schools, have determined the following ways to utilize funds to address Learning Loss, Summer Learning/Before & After School programs, Social/Emotional/Mental Well-Being, Health & Safety, & Continuity of Operation needs.
Addressing Learning Loss ($8.1M):
- Aspire Online Academy - established to meet the needs of families seeking online opportunities for their children, whether for mental safety or academic choice
- Curricular programs & resources
- Staff professional development for addressing learning loss
- Technology support technicians and Instructional technology specialists to support e-learning
School districts are required to spend at least 20% of the funding on learning loss.
- D2 Non-Charters $6.8 million of $25 million = 27.3%
- D2 All Schools $8.1 million of $29.6 million = 28%
Summer Learning/Before & After School programs/Addressing needs of specific student groups ($5.2M):
- Tutoring and before/after-school programming
- Summer school programming
- SPED staff & curriculum support
- CLDE staff & curriculum support
Social/Emotional/Mental Well-Being ($713K):
- Staff to support the social/emotional needs of students
- Creation of space spaces when visiting counselors or social workers
- SEL curricular programs & resources
Health & Safety Needs ($9.3M):
- Personal protective equipment
- Sanitation and cleaning equipment/services
- Medical support: school clinic beds, vision screeners, and audio-metrics ear scans
- Additional custodians to facilitate sanitation & cleanliness
- Expansion of outdoor learning spaces
Continuity of Operations ($6.3M):
- Educational technology
- Laptops, iPads, interactive panels, and displays
- Internet hardware/Wifi upgrades
- Substitute teacher support
- Improving facilities to reduce health hazards
- Retention/Hazard pay
