ESSER Fund Cover Letter

THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION

WASHINGTON, DC 20202

April 23, 2020

Dear [Commissioner] XXXXX:

Thank you for all you are doing to lead your State through this unprecedented national emergency. You are making important decisions every day to keep your students, families, and teachers safe, and you are tackling head on the challenges created by COVID-19 in your school districts and schools. While students and educators are facing significant disruptions and obstacles, your efforts are critical to ensuring that learning continues for all students.

To support those efforts, today the Department is making available $XX,XXX,XXX for [State], part of the approximately $13.2 billion allocated to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund), authorized under section 18003 of the CARES Act. The allocation is in the same proportion as the [State] received funds under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in fiscal year 2019.

The ESSER Fund provides you, and your 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 in [State]. My Department will not micromanage how you spend these funds, but I encourage you during these challenging times to see this unprecedented disruption as an opportunity to rethink the way students access education. At a time when so many school boards and superintendents have closed campuses for the balance of the school year, it’s important to think creatively about new delivery methods and focus on investing in the technology infrastructure and professional development and training that will help all students continue to learn through some form of remote learning. Students and their families are depending on your leadership to ensure that they do not fall behind.

In an effort to get these emergency funds to you as quickly as possible, we have kept the application process simple; all that is required is the completion of a brief Certification and Agreement, which can be digitally signed and submitted in PDF to the email address ESSERF@ed.gov. The Certification and Agreement, including instructions to apply, are on the Department’s website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/education-stabilization-fund/elementary-secondary-school-emergency-relief-fund/.

We understand that you and your team might have additional questions. We are posting answers to frequently asked questions about the ESSER Fund on the Department’s website at the address listed above.

The enclosed table shows State allocations for the ESSER Fund, as well the Certification and Agreement required to process your State’s grant. Once you submit the signed PDF, we will process your Certification and Agreement and obligate your funds within 3 business days. You will be able to draw down these emergency funds using the Department’s G5 system.

We will announce additional education-related resources available under the CARES Act in the very near future. We look forward to partnering with you to ensure that learning continues for all students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for your continued leadership on behalf of America’s students. I welcome your direct outreach if you would like to discuss this further.

Sincerely,

Betsy DeVos

Enclosure