Coordination with Other Federal Funds

LEAs are advised to consider how ARP ESSER funding might interact with other federal funding to ensure strategic and sustainable use of these one-time funds. LEAs are reminded to braid funding sources and think strategically about what money can be used for which activities. Take care, however, not to pay for items/activities twice using two different sources of grant funding.

A Comparison of ESSER Fund (CARES Act), ESSER II Fund (CRRSA Act), and ARP ESSER (ARP Act) (PDF)​ table provided by the U.S. Education Department outlines the primary differences between the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act 2021, Public Law 117-2, enacted on March 11, 2021; the ESSER II Fund under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, enacted on December 27, 2020; and the ESSER Fund under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act enacted on March 27, 2020. Beyond the 20 percent of LEA funds set aside to address the academic impact of lost instructional time, the remaining ARP ESSER funds may be used for the same allowable purposes as under ESSER I and ESSER II.

Other funding sources to consider braiding with ARP ESSER funds include, but are not limited to, IDEA, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, Perkins CTE, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. See Appendix 3 for additional funding sources that may be leveraged by LEAs.