ESSER I

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act - ESSER I

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of March 27, 2020, provides economic stimulus to aid individuals, businesses, hospitals, and local educational agencies (LEAs) in response to the economic distress caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Division B, Title VIII, of the CARES Act is named “Education Stabilization” and appropriates funds through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Program and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) program. As the local educational agency, these two funding sources will aid and flow through Milwaukee Public Schools.

The ESSER grant program provides districts with emergency relief funds to address the impact COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools that are providing educational services and developing plans for the return to normal operations. The ESSER grant provides districts considerable flexibility in determining how best to use ESSER funds. Districts are encouraged to target ESSER funding on activities that will support remote learning for all students, especially disadvantaged or at-risk students and their teachers.

ESSER funding is awarded to state educational agencies in the same proportion as each State received funds under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  The term of available funding for the ESSER grant program is for costs incurred between March 13, 2020 and September 30, 2022.

The CARES Act provides a broad list of allowable uses.  Costs may be claimed under one or more of the following program types:

• Preparedness and response to COVID-19
• Outreach and services to special populations
• Addressing long-term closures
• Education technology
• Mental health supports
• Addressing afterschool and summer activities
• Continued staff employment

Milwaukee Public Schools received $ 55,995,150 in ESSER funding which was equitably shared with private schools in the district’s boundaries, leaving about $40 million in funding for MPS.