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Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plans

Describe how the SEA will ensure that its LEAs that receive ARP ESSER funds meet the requirements in section 2001(i) of the ARP Act and the requirements relating to the ARP ESSER funds published in the Federal Register (ARP ESSER requirements) to either: (a) within 30 days of receipt of the funds, develop and make publicly available on the LEA's website a plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services, or (b) have developed and made publicly available on the LEA's website such a plan that meets statutory requirements before the enactment of the ARP Act, including:

  1. How the SEA will ensure that each LEA plan includes, or will be modified to include, the extent to which it has adopted policies and a description of any such policies on each of the strategies listed in table B1;
  2. How the SEA will ensure that each LEA plan describes how it will ensure continuity of services including but not limited to services to address the students' academic needs, and students' and staff social, emotional, mental health, and other needs, which may include student health and food services;
  3. How the SEA will ensure that the LEA periodically reviews, no less frequently than every six months for the duration of the ARP ESSER grant period (i.e., through September 30, 2023),5 and revises as appropriate, its plan, and how the SEA will ensure that the LEA seeks public input, and takes such input into account on (1) whether revisions are necessary and, if so, (2) the revisions to the plan; and

  4. Describe, to the extent the SEA collects it, information about LEA implementation, to the greatest extent practicable, of each element of the most up-to-date CDC guidance listed in table B1 and its LEAs' needs for support and technical assistance to implement strategies consistent, to the greatest extent practicable, with relevant CDC guidance.

    In accordance with section 2001(i)(1) of the ARP Act, all LEAs receiving ARP ESSER funding must develop and make publicly available on the LEA's website a Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan, or Health and Safety Plan. In May of 2021, PDE provided LEAs with guidance and a template to revise their current Health and Safety Plans to meet ARP Act requirements and to ensure all stakeholders are fully informed of the LEA's plan to safely resume instructional and non-instructional school activities, including in-person learning. The Health and Safety Plan template includes all the strategies listed in Table B1.

    In addition, in the ARP ESSER grant application, each LEA must agree to the following assurances:

    • The LEA has a Plan for the Safe Return for In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Instruction that complies with section 2001(i) of the ARP Act. (In Pennsylvania, this will be the LEA's Health and Safety Plan.) The LEA will provide to PDE: (1) the URL(s) where the public can readily find data on school operating status; and (2) the URL(s) for the LEA websites where the public can find the LEA's (a) Health and Safety plan as required under section 2001(i) of the ARP Act; and (b) the LEA's plan for the use of ARP ESSER funds.
    • The LEA will review its Health and Safety Plan at least every six months during the duration of the ARP ESSER grant period and make revisions as appropriate. When determining whether revisions are necessary, the LEA will take into consideration significant changes to CDC guidance on reopening schools and will seek public input and take public input into account.

    • The LEA's Health and Safety Plan will be made publicly available on the LEA website and must be written in a language that parents/caregivers can understand and must be provided in alternate format upon request by a parent/caregiver who is an individual with a disability.

    The Health and Safety plan must be approved by the LEA's governing body and posted on the LEA's publicly available website. In addition, the LEA must provide PDE with the URL for the website where the plan is located. PDE will post this information to its website in a user-friendly format.

    LEAs must submit their Health and Safety plans electronically to PDE no later than July 30, 2021, regardless of when they submit their application to PDE for funding. LEAs will not be able to receive ARP ESSER funding until a Health and Safety Plan is submitted.

    PDE's Office of Federal Programs will review each ARP ESSER application and verify Health and Safety plans are published online and available to the public. Staff will also verify that the Health and Safety Plans address each recommended mitigation strategy in Table B1 and describe how the LEA plans to ensure continuity of services as required by federal statute.

    Quarterly program reporting and audits will be used to monitor compliance throughout the grant period and to collect evidence of public input when the plan is revised. In addition, Health and Safety Plans will be tracked via PDE's electronic eGrants application and reporting system.

    PDE will continue working with DOH to monitor and inform LEAs of evolving federal and state requirements, public health mandates, current research, and guidance from the CDC. Data will be collected as described in Section E. The state will continue to post updates and communicate directly with LEAs as well as provide technical assistance when requested.

5 ARP ESSER funds are subject to the Tydings amendment in section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act, 20 U.S.C. 1225(b), and are therefore available to SEAs and LEAs for obligation through September 30, 2024. Review and revisions of these plans, if necessary, are not required during the Tydings period.