Remaining ESSER Funds: How Can & Can’t Districts Spend It
If you are a tutor provider, you’ve probably noticed an incredible surge in RFP activity on the list-serves you subscribe to. This may be one of the greatest opportunities for district tutoring work that we’ll see in a long time, so it’s crucial that you’re fully informed. As districts across the country navigate the final months of their ESSER III (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds, many are focusing on how to best allocate these resources, particularly toward tutoring programs. Given the complexity of the guidelines, it’s essential to understand what is possible with the remaining funds and ensure that districts maximize this opportunity to support students.
What Districts CAN do with remaining ESSER Funds for Tutoring
1. Establish, Extend, Expand Tutoring Programs: Districts can use their ESSER funds to establish, extend or expand tutoring programs with vendor partners, which are vital in addressing the learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tutoring is a key priority, and districts have the flexibility to adapt these programs to their specific needs and resources. This could involve expanding contracts with vendors that have already proven effective or issuing RFPs based on insights gained from years of experience with tutoring vendors in their schools.
2. TQIS + High-Impact Tutoring: Another effective use of ESSER funds is to support high-impact tutoring, as defined by the Support Accelerator TQIS. This evidence based tutoring model involves frequent sessions, small group sizes, and a focus on core subjects like math and reading, designed to accelerate learning for students who have fallen behind. While delivering tutoring with this level of quality may be more expensive than previous strategies, partnering with vendors who have a proven track record of aligning with TQIS can be a valuable investment in achieving better outcomes.
3. Professional Development: ESSER funds can also be directed toward vendors that offer tutor-focused professional development for paraprofessionals and interventionists. This includes training on effective tutoring practices, the use of virtual platforms, and strategies for working with diverse student populations. By investing in the skills of support staff, districts can enhance the quality and effectiveness of their tutoring programs.
4. Instructional Resources: Districts can use ESSER funds to purchase instructional materials and resources that support tutoring efforts. This might include textbooks, online resources, and technology such as laptops and software necessary for delivering tutoring services. Furthermore, investing in data tracking and assessment tools is another permissible use of funds, allowing districts to monitor student progress and the effectiveness of their tutoring programs.
Given recent state approvals for ESSER spending deadline extensions, districts now may additional time to fully leverage these funds, ensuring that they can make the most strategic and impactful investments in their educational programs
What Districts CAN’T do with remaining ESSER Funds for Tutoring
However, it’s important to note that there are limitations on how ESSER funds can be used.
1. Long-Term Staffing: Districts cannot use these funds to make long-term staffing commitments, such as hiring permanent tutors, unless other funding sources are secured. ESSER-funded positions should be considered temporary, given the finite nature of the funding. Eighty percent of district budgets typically pay for labor, budget cutting will most likely mean school staff reductions. A report shows that about half of ESSER is paying for labor expenses. And indeed, many districts have used their ESSER funds to hire even more staff. Simply put, when the ESSER money runs dry and the fiscal cliff hits, many districts will be left with little choice but to seek staff reductions. While some states have been granted extensions for ESSER spending, most reports indicate that these extensions primarily focus on infrastructure projects, such as new school buildings and facility upgrades.
2. Non-Essential Programs or Resources: Funds must be used for tutoring programs that are aligned with addressing learning loss or academic needs exacerbated by the pandemic. Non-essential programs that don’t contribute to these goals would not be an appropriate use of ESSER learning-loss resources. Similarly, while technology purchases to support tutoring are allowed, they must be directly related to the program and broader academic recovery efforts.
Key Considerations for Districts
Timing is a critical factor when planning tutoring activities funded by ESSER. These funds have strict deadlines for obligation and spending. Districts must ensure that any planned tutoring activities conclude within these deadlines unless they have secured alternative funding sources or their state has received an approved extension to continue the program beyond the original timeframe.
As districts plan their use of remaining ESSER funds, sustainability should be a top priority. It’s important to consider how tutoring programs will be maintained once the ESSER funds are exhausted. Equity is also crucial—ensuring that the tutoring programs funded by ESSER reach the students who need them most, particularly those who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Finally, districts must adhere to all federal and state guidelines, ensuring that all expenditures are properly documented and justifiable. By focusing on these guidelines, districts can make informed decisions that maximize the impact of their remaining ESSER funds, supporting effective and sustainable tutoring programs that make a real difference in student outcomes.