On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act was signed into law. The US Department of Education is providing an additional $121.9 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER III Fund). These grants will be awarded across each state to provide local educational agencies with emergency relief funds to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the nation.
Districts must reserve at least 20% of their ARP ESSER money to measure and address the impact of lost learning time with evidence-based interventions. Those interventions must respond to students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs.