Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Review. Amend. Spend.
The “Review. Amend. Spend.” website provides local educational agency (LEA) leaders, grant administrators, educators, and other stakeholders information to support their efforts to fully exhaust their American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds to meet their current needs.
The ARP ESSER allowable uses include opportunities to spend funds on what LEAs need most. These needs may have changed. Check out the step-by-step guide in the tabs below!
The Federal American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund, also referred to as ESSER III, is the last of the federal relief funds meant to assist with COVID-19 recovery.
The goal of ARP ESSER is to support local educational agencies (LEAs) in preparing for and responding to the impact of COVID-19 on educators, students, and families. ARP ESSER funds must be obligated by September 2024 and completely spent by October 2024.
The ARP ESSER allowable uses include opportunities to spend funds on what LEAs need most. These needs may have changed. Here is a step-by-step guide to get started!
LEAs completed an ARP ESSER plan in 2021. Now LEAs can review the ARP ESSER LEA plan and 2022-23 school year data and engage stakeholders to identify most critical student needs for this year.
- Student Progress and Achievement Data
- Student Attendance
- Graduation Rates
- English Language Proficiency Data
- School Climate Data
- Data Meaningful Input from Stakeholders (See Guide)
To update the LEA's approved ARP ESSER plans, LEAs should update the application in EWEG. Take a closer look at each of the sub-grants and make fiscal/program changes based on the areas of need found in the data.
- Email technical EWEG questions to EWEG Help Desk
- Email ARP ESSER questions to ESSER@doe.nj.gov
- Contact the LEA's NJDOE County Educational Specialist with LEA-specific application questions.
- Attend an NJDOE training & office hours session for how to "Amend" LEA plan.
Spend your LEA's ARP ESSER funding! Funds must be obligated by September 2024 and liquidated by October 2024.
Reminders:
LEAs must spend at least 20% of their ARP ESSER allocation on addressing learning loss.
Additionally, most LEAs received additional funding through these grants:
- Accelerated Learning Coaching and Educator Support Grant
- Summer Learning and Enrichment Activities Grant
- Beyond the School Day Activities Grant
- NJTSS Mental Health Support Staffing Grant
In response to feedback received from educators who have been using ARP ESSER funding to support their students, in January, 2024, the NJDOE expanded the list of allowable activities under each ARP ESSER set-aside. To update LEA plans for ARP ESSER funding, please see directions in EWEG or email the EWEG Help Desk for additional technical assistance.
- Allowing funds from the Learning Acceleration Student and Educator Supports Grant (formerly called "Learning Acceleration Coaching and Educator Supports") to be used for direct student supports and high impact tutoring.
- Emphasizing that high-impact tutoring is an allowable use of the Summer Learning and Comprehensive Beyond the School Day Grants.
- Including services, rather than just staffing, to support the biological, psychological, and social well-being of students in efforts to improve overall student mental health in accordance with a multi-tiered system of supports framework as an allowable use for the NJTSS Mental Health Support Staffing Grant (formerly "MTSS Mental Health Support Staffing Grant").