​​Instructions for Submitting the Local Education Agency (LEA) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Funding Status Report for Fiscal Year 2022-23​

Local Education Agency Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Funding Status Report Instructions (PDF)

Introduction

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) requires all local education entities (LEAs) receiving Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to report on the use of the ESSER funds. Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, more than $7 billion in ESSER funds have been allocated to Pennsylvania schools to assist them in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The LEA ESSER Funding Status Report (ESSER Report) seeks to assess the expenditures of ESSER funds during fiscal year 2022-23, identify the interventions and activities implemented with ESSER funds, and understand planned uses of funds in fiscal year 2023-24. Completion and submission of this report is a condition of continued receipt of ESSER funds.

The ESSER report for fiscal year 2022-23 is due to PDE by March 8, 2024.

The report should be completed based on expenditures made during the 2022-23 fiscal year which occurred July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. LEAs also must provide information on planned expenditures for the 2023-24 fiscal year. LEAs whose fiscal year starts on January 1 should use the method of converting their financial information to July 1 to June 30 as they do for the reporting on the Annual Financial Report.  

LEAs Required to Complete ESSER Report Submission

School districts (SD), charter schools (CS), intermediate units (IU), career and technical education centers (CTC), approved private schools (APS), private residential rehabilitative institutions (PRRI), and chartered schools for the deaf and blind that received ESSER funding are required to submit the ESSER Report in the manner outlined within this document.

Entities that provide educational programs to neglected, delinquent, and at-risk youth and received ESSER funding should follow the Instructions for Non-LEA Entity Completion of the USDE ESSER Funding Status Report, which is found on the PDE ESSER Reporting web page.  

Data to be Included

Include funds provided under the CARES (ESSER I), CRRSA (ESSER II), and ARP (ARP ESSER) acts. 

Note:  Do not include data regarding the use of Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funds, Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS) Funds, ARP IDEA Funds, ARP Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) Funds, and/or any other federal, state, or local funds. ​

Template

LEAs will submit their information using the District Fact reporting template for year 4, designated by v4 in the heading, via the PIMS Excel Reporting Tools web page. The template contains five sections with multiple items to complete within each section. LEAs are advised to submit as soon as possible, but no later than March 8, 2024. 

Instructions

The instructions in the following pages detail how to enter data into each section and subsection of the reporting template. The top of each subsection indicates the type(s) of school entities that are required to complete that subsection. Supplementary information is provided via links and appendices.  Definitions and a Quick Reporting Guide can be found in Appendix B and C respectively.

Secti​​on 1 – LEA Information (All LEAs)

Section 1 should be completed to identify the LEA and provide appropriate contact information.

1. Select your school entity from the drop-down menu on the right.
2. AUN automatically populates.
3. Select the reporting period 2022-2023 from the drop-down menu on the right.
4. Grants Received automatically populates with “Yes". 
5. Enter your school entity's DUNS#.  Note: The previously reported number will be posted.
6. Enter your school entity's NCES#. Note: The previously reported number will be posted.
7. Enter your school entity's Unique Entity ID (SAM).  Note: The previously reported number will be posted.
8. Enter the name of the ESSER Reporting Point of Contact. 
9. Enter the phone number of the ESSER Reporting Point of Contact.
10. Enter the email address of the ESSER Reporting Point of Contact.

Section 2 – S​EA Reserve Awards

Section 2 should be completed regarding State Education Agency (SEA) Reserve funds only.  For more information on the ESSER I SEA Reserve funds see the table below.  ​

ESSER I SEA Reserve

For more information on the ARP ESSER SEA Reserve see the table below. Note: There were no ESSER II SEA Reserve funds. ​

ARP ESSER SEA Reserve

2.1 Reserved

2.2 Reserved

2.3 Reserved

2.4a SEA Reserve Awards to LEAs (School Districts Only)

1. Enter the total amount awarded to the LEA from the ESSER I SEA Reserve. The value entered should reflect the total award under the CARES Act, inclusive of any changes to the total award that may have occurred within or prior to the current reporting period. 
   Note: The value should reflect the total award under the CARES Act, inclusive of any changes to the total awards that may have occurred within or prior to the current reporting period. For example, if an LEA received $1 million in ESSER I/CARES SEA Reserve funds in a prior reporting period, and no changes were made to the total SEA Reserve allocation to the LEA through the end of the current period, the LEA should report $1 million. If the allocation to the LEA was reduced be $200,000, and regardless of whether that deduction occurred within the current reporting period, the LEA should report $800,000. 
2. Enter the total amount expended by the LEA from the ESSER I SEA Reserve in this reporting period.
3. Select Y/N regarding uses of ESSER I SEA Reserve Funds in this reporting period on:
4. 1. ​Addressing Physical Health and Safety
   2. Meeting Students' Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
   3. Mental Health Supports for Students and Staff
   4. Operational Continuity and Other Uses

2.4b Planned Uses of Remaining SEA Reserve Awards to LEAs (School Districts Only)

1. En​ter the total ESSER I SEA Reserve Expenditures in prior reporting periods.
2. Remaining SEA Reserve Funds automatically calculates based on 2.4a1-2.4a2-2.4b1.
3. Enter the percentage of remaining ESSER I SEA Reserve Funds planned for each category:
4. 1. ​​Addressing Physical Health and Safety
   2. Meeting Students' Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
   3. Mental Health Supports for Students and Staff
   4. Operational Continuity and Other Uses
   5. Not Yet Planned for Specific Use

Note: The total for a. through e. automatically calculates and must equal 100%. Funds planned for each category are based on how funds were used from July 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022. 

2.5 Reserved

2.6a ARP ESSER SEA Reserve Awards to LEAs (All LEAs)

1. Enter total amount awarded from the ARP SEA Reserve Fund to the following: 
2. 1. ​Learning Loss Activities Set-Aside
   2. Summer Enrichment Set-Aside
   3. Afterschool Programs Set-Aside
   4. Other SEA Reserve Award 
      ​Note:  The total automatically calculates. These values should reflect the total awards under the ARP Act, inclusive of any changes to the total awards that may have occurred within or prior to the current reporting period. For example, if an LEA received $1 million in total ARP ESSER SEA Reserve funds from the set- aside to address learning loss in a prior reporting period, and no changed were made to the SEA Reserve allocation to the LEA through the end of the current period, the LEA should report $1 million. If the allocation to the LEA was reduced by $200,000, and regardless of whether that reduction occurred within or prior to the current reporting period, the LEA should report $800,000.
3. Enter total amount expended from the ARP SEA Reserve Fund in this reporting period to the following: 
4. 1. ​Learning Loss Activities Set-Aside
   2. Summer Enrichment Set-Aside
   3. Afterschool Programs Set-Aside
   4. Other SEA Reserve Award 
      Note: The total automatically calculates.

2.6b ARP ESSER SEA Reserve Awards—Other Use (All LEAs)

1. ​Enter total expenditure​s by the LEA from the ARP ESSER SEA Reserve in prior reporting periods.
2. Total amount reserved by the LEA from the ARP ESSER SEA Reserve –Other (see 2.6a1d) automatically calculates from ​2.6a1d.
3. Total amount expended in this reporting period by the LEA from the ARP ESSER SEA Reserve—Other automatically populates from 2.6a2d.
4. Select Y/N regarding uses of ARP ESSER SEA Reserve Funds in this reporting period on:
5. 1. ​​Addressing Physical Health and Safety
   2. Meeting Students' Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
   3. Mental Health Supports for Students and Staff
   4. Operational Continuity and Other Uses​​
      

2.6c Planned Uses of Remaining ARP ESSER SEA Reserve Awards—Other Use (All LEAs)

1. ​​The remainin​​g ARP ESSER SEA Reserve Funds-Other automatically calculates based on 2.6b1-2.6b2.
2. Enter the percentage of remaining ARP ESSER SEA Reserve Funds planned for each category:
3. 1. ​​Addressing Physical Health and Safety
   2. Meeting Students' Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
   3. Mental Health Supports for Students and Staff
   4. Operational Continuity and Other Uses
   5. Not Yet Planned for Specific Use
      Note: The total for a. through e. automatically calculates and must equal 100%.  

Section 3 – Mandatory Subgrants

Most of Section 3 should be completed regarding mandatory subgrants only. Note that 3.b6, 3.b7, 3.b8, 3.b10 and 3c should be answered regarding Mandatory Subgrant Awards as well as SEA Reserve Awards. For more information on ESSER Mandatory Subgrant Awards to LEAs see the table below. 

Mandatory Subgrants to LEAs

Note: Revenue codes and funding source object codes are also available in Appendix A.

3.a Amount of the Mandatory Subgrant Awarded from ESSER I, ESSER II, and ARP ESSER Awards (School Districts and Charter Schools)

1. 1. Enter the total ESSER I (CARES) mandatory subgrant amount awarded to your LEA.
   2. Enter the total ESSER II (CRRSAA) mandatory subgrant amount awarded to your LEA.
   3. Enter the total ARP ESSER mandatory subgrant amount awarded to your LEA.

Note: These values should reflect the total Mandatory Subgrant Awards under the respective Act inclusive of any changes to the total award that may have occurred within or prior to the current reporting period. For example, if an LEA received $1 million in total ESSER I/CARES Mandatory Subgrant funds in a prior reporting period, and no changes were made to the total Mandatory Subgrant allocation to the LEA thought the end of the current reporting period, the LEA should report $1 million. Is the total allocation to the LEA was reduced by $200,000, and regardless of whether that reduction occurred within or prior to the current reporting period, the LEA should report $800,000.

3.b1 LEA Expenditures by ESSER Subgrant Fund and Expenditure Category (School Districts and Charter Schools)

Note: Report any expenditure ONLY once in the table. All cells in each column should sum the total expended by the LEA in this reporting period. Use the most appropriate and most specific applicable expenditure category/object for each expenditure. See Appendix D for examples of expenditures that should be counted within the four main expenditure categories. ​

Indicate the total amount expended by activity per ESSER grant (ESSER I, ESSER II, and ARP ESSER, respectively) for the following activities:

1. Addressing Physical Health and Safety
2. 1. Personnel Services –Salaries
   2. Personnel Services—Benefits
   3. Purchased Professional and Technical Services
   4. Purchased Property Services
   5. Other Purchased Services
   6. Supplies
   7. Property
   8. Debt Service and Miscellaneous
   9. Other Items
3. Meeting Student's Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
4. 1. Personnel Services –Salaries
   2. Personnel Services—Benefits
   3. Purchased Professional and Technical Services
   4. Purchased Property Services
   5. Other Purchased Services
   6. Supplies
   7. Property
   8. Debt Service and Miscellaneous
   9. Other Items
5. Meeting Health Supports for Students and Staff
6. 1. Personnel Services –Salaries
   2. Personnel Services—Benefits
   3. Purchased Professional and Technical Services
   4. Purchased Property Services
   5. Other Purchased Services
   6. Supplies
   7. Property
   8. Debt Service and Miscellaneous
   9. Other Items
7. Operational Continuity and Other Allowed Uses
8. 1. ​Personnel Services –Salaries
   2. Personnel Services—Benefits
   3. Purchased Professional and Technical Services
   4. Purchased Property Services
   5. Other Purchased Services
   6. Supplies
   7. Property
   8. Debt Service and Miscellaneous
   9. Other Items

Note: The total amount expended by each category as well as total amount expended by ESSER grant automatically calculates.

3.b2 ​LEA Expenditures by ESSER Subgrant Fund and Activity (School Districts and Charter Schools)

1. Addressing Physical Health and Safety
2. 1. ​Building and facilities upgrades and maintenance, including ventilation systems and new construction
   2. Assistance with meals for students
   3. Cleaning and/or sanitization supplies
   4. Temporary classroom space to support social distancing
   5. Temporary or additional transportation services to support social distancing to and from school
   6. Capacity-building to improve disaster preparedness and response efforts, including coordination with State, local, Tribal, and territorial public health departments, and other relevant agencies to improve coordinated responses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19
   7. Other health protocols not listed above and aligned to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) such as: vaccines for staff and/or students, COVID-19 testing for staff and/or students, contact-tracing, masks
3. Meeting Student's Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
4. 1. ​Extended learning and/or summer learning
   2. Tutoring
   3. Additional staffing and/or activities to identify and/or respond to unique student needs and/or provide targeted support for underserved student groups, including each major racial and ethnic group, children from low-income families, children with disabilities, English learners, LGBTQ+ students, migratory students, students experiencing homelessness, youth in foster care, and other groups disproportionately impacted by the pandemic that have been identified by the SEA
   4. Universal screening, academic assessments, and intervention data systems, such as early warning systems and/or opportunities to learn data systems
   5. Improved coordination of services for students with multiple types of needs, such as full-service community schools or improved coordination with partner agencies, such as the foster care services
   6. Early Childhood Programs
   7. Hardware and software
   8. Wi-Fi, broadband, or other connectivity
   9. Curriculum adoption and learning materials
   10. Core staff capacity building / training to increase instructional quality and advance equity
   11. Investments in talent pipelines for teachers and/or classified staff
5. Meeting Health Supports for Students and Staff
6. 1. Additional staffing and/or activities to assess and support social-emotional well-being, including mental health, for students, educators and/or families
7. Operational Continuity and Other Allowed Uses
8. 1. ​Any activity not described above that is authorized by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
   2. Any activity not described above that is authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
   3. Any activity not described above that is authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
   4. Any activity not described above that is authorized by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
   5. Any activity not described above that is authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006
   6. Other activities not described above that are necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity of services in local educational agencies and continuing to employ existing staff of the local educational agency

Note: The total amount expended by each category as well as total amount expended by ESSER grant automatically calculates and must match 3.b1 sums.

3.b3 Planned Uses of Remaining ESSER I Funds (School Districts and Charter Schools)

1. Enter the total ESSER I Expenditures in prior reporting periods.
2. Remaining ESSER I funds automatically calculate based on 3.a1-3.b15A-3.b3.1.
3. Enter the percentage of remaining ESSER I Funds planned for each expenditure category:
4. 1. Addressing Physical Health and Safety
   2. Meeting Student's Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
   3. Mental Health Supports for Students and Staff
   4. Operational Continuity and Other Uses
   5. Not Yet Planned for Specific Use

Note: The total for a. through e. automatically calculates and must equal 100%. Funds planned for each category are based on how funds were used from July 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022.

3.b4 Planned Uses of Remaining ESSER II Funds (School Districts and Charter Schools)

1. Enter the total ESSER II Expenditures in prior reporting periods.
2. The LEA's remaining ESSER II Funds automatically calculate based on 3.a2-3.b15B-3.b4.1.
3. Enter the percentage of remaining ESSER II Funds planned for each expenditure category:
4. 1. ​Addressing Physical Health and Safety
   2. Meeting Student's Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
   3. Mental Health Supports for Students and Staff
   4. Operational Continuity and Other Uses
   5. Not Yet Planned for Specific Use

Note: The total for a. through e. automatically calculates and must equal 100%.

3.b5 Planned Uses of Remaining ARP ESSER Funds (School Districts and Charter Schools)

1. Enter the total ARP ESSER Expenditures in prior reporting periods.
2. The LEA's remaining ARP ESSER Funds automatically calculate based on 3.a3-3.b15C-3.b15D-3.b5.1.
3. Enter the percentage of remaining ARP ESSER Funds planned for each expenditure category:
4. 1. Addressing Physical Health and Safety
   2. Meeting Student's Academic, Social, Emotional, and Other Needs (excludes mental health supports)
   3. Mental Health Supports for Students and Staff
   4. Operational Continuity and Other Uses
   5. Not Yet Planned for Specific Use

Note: The tota