Expand AllClick here for a more accessible version2023
Contact Us
If you have
questions or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
Technical Assistance Trainings
Recent technical assistance presentation slides are available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) website. If you missed any of the following topics or would like the slides for reference, please visit the following links:
Do you have suggestions for technical assistance training topics? If so, please email your feedback to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
Misleading & Phishing Emails
Please be aware of sophisticated emails that appear to be from SAM.gov that will solicit payment to renew registration. SAM.gov is free and will never ask for payment. Please see this article from GSA:
Don't Take the Bait: Beware of Misleading Marketing, Imposters, and Phishing for more information.
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants, please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours, Monday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM and Thursday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286.
Additional information:
Monitoring of LEAs' Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs
Contact Us
If you have questions or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
Important Reminder – If you have not submitted your Final Expense Report (FER) or late liquidation request for ESSER II, please contact your Regional Coordinator as soon as possible.
Accessing FedMonitor – We have received many requests for support in updating login information or managing access in IMS for FedMonitor. If you need assistance, please email
RA-EDESSERMonitor@pa.gov. Please note that FedMonitor requires an update to your password credentials every 60 days to continue accessing the monitoring website and all resources available to your entity.
How can we help you? Did you know that ARP ESSER FAQs are on
Pennsylvania Department of Education website, along with Q&A session notes from the Pennsylvania Federal Programs Coordinator Conference. These are great resources for additional information.
If you still have questions on ESSER and GEER grants, please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours, Monday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM and Thursday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286.
Additional information:
Monitoring of LEAs' Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs
Contact Us
If you have questions or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
As a reminder, please make sure you are familiar with cost allowability under Uniform Grant Guidance,
2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E - Basic Considerations.
Factors Affecting Allowability of Costs
Costs must be
necessary and reasonable, conform to limitations or exclusions, be consistent with policies and procedures, be accorded consistent treatment, be determined in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), not be included as a cost share portion of any other federal program, be adequately documented, and incurred during the budget period. For more information, please review
CFR 200.403 - Factors Affecting Allowability of Costs.
Unallowable Cost
Payments made for costs determined to be unallowable must be refunded, as indicated in
2 CFR 200.410 - Collection of Unallowable Costs. To view unallowable cost guidance, please visit
Pennsylvania’s Department of Education website.
Prior Written Approval
Another factor in allowability may be the requirement for prior written approval. Please review
2 CFR 200.407 - Prior Written Approval to ensure compliance.
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants, please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours, Monday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM and Thursday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286.
Additional information:
Monitoring of LEAs’ Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs
Contact Us
If you have questions or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
When Did You Last Review Your Health and Safety Plan?
As a reminder, the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act requires each local education agency (LEA) that receives funding under Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) to review its Health and Safety Plans at least every six months during the grant period. The Act also requires LEAs to review and update their plans whenever there are significant changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for K-12 schools. Revisions must be informed by community input and reviewed and approved by the governing body prior to posting on the LEA's publicly available website. See
Health and Safety Plans for specific requirements.
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants, please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours, Monday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM and Thursday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286.
Additional information:
Monitoring of LEAs' Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs
Contact Us
If you have questions or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
Federal Procurement Guidance
What is procurement? The act of purchasing goods or services from an external organization. Procurement requirements standards in 2 CFR 200.318 through 200.327 apply to non-federal entities using federal funds. Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding. See
General procurement standards. Remember, there are training materials to help you better understand procurement located on
Monitoring of LEAs' Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs.
2023-2024 ESSER Monitoring, Cycle Timeline
The current cycle of ESSER monitoring began in October 2023 and will conclude in July 2024. The first period of visits (Oct. 2023 – Feb. 2024) is reserved for subrecipients deemed currently ready for ESSER II closeout.
Criteria used to determine closeout readiness:
- ESSER II Final Expenditure Report (FER) has been submitted.
- ESSER II FER has not been submitted but is due for submission because ESSER II was fully expended per quarterly reports as of 6/30/23.
Scheduling letters for this population were sent on Sept. 21, 2023. The remaining population receiving visits will be monitored during the second period of the upcoming cycle (March through July 2024). Please note that this population will also be receiving ESSER II closeout reviews during monitoring. The next round of scheduling letters is expected to be sent in November 2023 once the first scheduling group is complete.
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants, please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours, Monday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM and Thursday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286.
Contact Us
If you have a question or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
Using ESSER II and ARP ESSER funds for multi-year contracts.
Local education agencies (LEA) should review the June 26th guidance from the U.S. Department of Education before determining whether their circumstance meets the criteria for a multi-year contract. See TA-on-activities-continuing-beyond
2022-2023 ESSER Monitoring ended September 30, 2023
Accomplishing ESSER monitoring of this magnitude was no easy task for the PDE team or subrecipients. Over the past 12 months, the monitoring team and many other talented individuals monitored all subrecipients using a questionnaire and on-site or virtual visits. Pennsylvania has not previously dealt with educational grants of this dollar value. The combined funding provided through ESSER grants (ESSER II, ESSER II, and ARP ESSER) is more than $8 billion.
Feedback collected from PDE subrecipients during the monitoring process helped PDE to identify areas of success and improvement. In the coming months, the team will share what they learned with schools with the hope of enhancing existing practices and processes. The Department also will use subrecipient feedback to improve the monitoring process.
2023-2024 ESSER Monitoring - What to Expect
The process for subrecipients to submit data and have it reviewed for 2023-2024 monitoring will be the same as 2022-2023. However, thanks to your feedback and suggestions (we heard you!), the Department is changing the method our analysts use to view processes, procedures, and data. For example, the 2022-2023 procurement sampling criterion was based on a number of procurement actions; the 2023-2024 procurement sampling criteria will be based on dollars spent.
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants, please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours, Monday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM and Thursday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286.
Additional information:
Monitoring of LEAs' Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs
Contact Us
If you have a question or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
Prior Approvals for Expenditures
Under any given federal award, the reasonableness and allocability of certain items of costs may be difficult to determine. In order to avoid subsequent disallowance or dispute based on unreasonableness or non-allocability, the non-federal entity may seek the prior written approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs or the federal awarding agency in advance of the incurrence of special or unusual costs. Prior written approval should include the timeframe or scope of the agreement. The absence of prior written approval on any element of cost will not, in itself, affect the reasonableness or allocability of that element, unless prior approval is specifically required for allowability.
Regulatory Information:
2 CFR 200.407 - Prior written approval (prior approval)
Using Grant Funding for Licenses, Subscriptions, and Memberships
The use of grant funding for licenses, subscriptions, and memberships is allowed in most cases. Grant funding cannot be for a single user/person - it must be for a group. There are also limitations on duration of licensing reasonableness. According to the following link grant funding cannot be used to purchase licenses, subscriptions, and memberships for more than four years past the end in the grant period.
The provision of UG related to license and membership allocability.
FedMonitor
FedMonitor for PA was developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) and other entities in complying with the monitoring requirements of federal grants applied for through the eGrants system. This site allows all entities to complete a self-assessment that will be reviewed by PDE staff prior to and during a virtual or onsite review.
To ensure FedMonitor is an effective tool for all users should at least annually review their self-assigned users' security preferences. Accomplishing this task will ensure no delay exists in utilizing FedMonitor to its full extent.
Upcoming Important Dates
Obligated funds report for ARP and EANS due September 30, 2023.
ESSER II and GEER II obligation period ends October 01, 2023.
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours, Monday 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, and Thursday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286
Contact Us
If you have a question or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
ESSER/GEER Extra, Volume 87
Over the past several volumes, we covered Top 10 observations from ESSER monitoring conducted by PDE during the 2023 calendar year.
Top 11 observations presentation.
Interest Earned from Federal Grants
2 CFR 200.305 requires grantees and sub‑grantees to remit interest earned on federal advance payments to the federal agency.
Grantees or sub-grantees may retain interest amounts up to $500 per year for related administrative expenses. Interest earned greater that $500 on federal advance payments deposited in interest-bearing accounts must be remitted annually to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System (PMS) through an electronic medium using either Automated Clearing House (ACH) network or a Fedwire Funds Service payment.
(i) To return interest on federal awards paid through PMS, the refund should:
(A) Provide an explanation stating that the refund is for interest
(B) List the PMS Payee Account Number(s) (PANs)
(C) List the federal award number(s) for which the interest was earned
(D) Make returns payable to: U.S Department of Health and Human Services
(ii) To return interest on federal awards not paid through PMS, the refund should:
(A) Provide an explanation stating that the refund is for interest
(B) Include the name of the awarding agency
(C) List the federal award number(s) for which the interest was earned
(D) Make returns payable to: Department of Health and Human Services
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
In accordance with
Guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor, Personally Identifiable Information includes, but is not limited to, any combination of the following personally identifiable attributes:
- Name
- Date and place of birth
- Mother's maiden name
- Biometric records
- Social Security Number
- Driver's license number or a state identification card number issued in lieu of a driver's license
- Passport Number
- Medicare ID
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours every Monday 1:00 - 2:00 PM and Thursday 9:00 - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286
Contact Us
If you have a question or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER/GEER Extra, Volume 86
Over the next several volumes, we will cover Top 10 purchasing observations from monitoring events conducted by PDE during the 2023 calendar year. ESSER/GEER Extra Volume 83 through 85 covered observation numbers 4 through 10 and Volume 85 will cover numbers 1 through 3.
Observation 3: No Quotes (Services) (44% of LEAs monitored did not have three or more price quotations.)
- Regulatory requirements: 2 CFR 200.320(a)(2)(i)
- Associated Risk: Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
- Leading Practice: The subrecipient must document at least three price quotations for procurements over $10,000.
Observation 2: No Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Steps (58% of LEAs monitored did not take the required affirmative steps to engage MWE.)
- Regulatory requirements: 2 CFR 200.321(a)
- Associated Risk: Failure to take affirmative steps to solicit and use MWE businesses when possible could result in de-obligation or loss of the subrecipient's funding.
- Leading Practice: The subrecipient should ensure that affirmative steps to solicit and use MWE businesses when possible.
Observation 1: No PO and/or Invoices (65% of LEAs monitored could not produce purchase orders or invoices when requested.)
-
Regulatory requirements: 2 CFR 200.403(g)
-
Associated Risk: Failure to follow required internal purchasing procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of the subrecipient's funding.
-
Leading Practice: The subrecipient must adequately document all costs claimed against the federal award.
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours every Monday 1:00 - 2:00 PM and Thursday 9:00 - 10:00 AM at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286.
Contact Us
If you have a question or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER/GEER Extra, Volume 85
Over the next several volumes, we will cover Top 10 purchasing observations from monitoring events conducted by PDE during the 2023 calendar year. ESSER/GEER Extra Volume 83 and 84 covered observation numbers 7 through 10 and Volume 85 will cover numbers 4 through 6.
Observation 6:
No Contract Terms and Conditions (30% of LEAs monitored had contracts that did not have the required terms and conditions)
- Regulatory Requirements: 2 CFR 200.327;2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II
- Associated Risk: Contracts procured using federal funds that do not have the required terms and conditions could result in de-obligation or loss of the subrecipient's funding.
- Leading Practice: The subrecipient must ensure that all contracts financed by federal funds include all the required terms and conditions as per 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II.
Observation 5: No Sole Source Justification (33% of LEAs monitored used noncompetitive procurement but did not document their decision to do so)
- Regulatory Requirement: 2 CFR 200.318(i) and 2 CFR 200.320(c)
- Associated Risk: Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
- Leading Practice: The subrecipient should maintain procurement records including why the sole sourced contract was necessary.
Observation 4: Competitive Procurement (36% of LEAs monitored could not demonstrate competitive procurement of contracts for goods).
Additional information on non-competitive procurement (sole source)
- Regulatory Requirement: 2 CFR 200.318(i) and PDE Uniform Grants Guidance (UGG) Procurement Thresholds.
- Associated Risk: Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
- Leading Practice: The subrecipient should maintain copies of the necessary procurement documentation readily available to verify compliance with formal procurement methods.
For additional information on ESSER and GEER grants please attend the Division of Federal Programs office hours every Monday 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. and Thursday 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. at
https://zoom.us/j/97321788286
Contact Us
If you have a question or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding: ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring: ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER: ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER/GEER Extra, Volume 84
Over the next several volumes, we will cover Top 10 purchasing observations from monitoring events conducted by PDE during the 2023 calendar year. ESSER/GEER Extra Volume 83 covered observation number 10 and Volume 84 will cover numbers 9, 8 and 7.
Observation 9: No or Bad Proof of Payment (18% of LEAs monitored could not produce satisfactory proof of payment)
- Regulatory Guidance: 2 CFR 200.403(g)
- Associated Risk: failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
- The subrecipient should keep payments adequately documented and reconciled to avoid improper purchase of goods or services.
Observation 8: No policy against fraud, waste, and abuse (21% of LEAs monitored did not have a documented procedure for reporting improprieties in contracting)
- Regulatory Guidance: 2 CFR 200.303(a)
- Associated Risk: Failure to maintain a reporting system for fraud and other improprieties could lead to financial and reputational loss because of misuse of grant funding.
- Leading Practice: The subrecipient should have a policy in place for whistleblower mechanisms to report such instances.
Observation 7: No SAM.gov Debarment Check (29% of LEAs monitored did not conduct debarment checks in SAM.gov as required)
- Regulatory Guidance 2 CFR 200.214
- Associated Risk: Failure to perform debarment and suspension and active registration checks before awarding contracts could result in de-obligation or loss of funding if the contractor is determined to be barred or suspended.
- Leading Practice: The subrecipient should proactively perform SAM.gov testing on its contractors before award.
Contact Us
If you have a question or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
Additional information on SAM.Gov registration
SAM.gov registration: Grantees and subrecipients may contact the
Federal Service Desk for assistance with grantee or subrecipient SAM.gov registration renewal or UEI assignment. Please share the assigned Incident Number with your SGR program officer for issue escalation. See the
UEI Fact Sheet on the ESF
Grantee Help page.
Davis-Bacon Act
Fact Sheet #66: The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)
The
Davis-Bacon Act applies to each federal government or District of Columbia contract in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of
public buildings or public works. Many federal laws that authorize federal assistance for construction through grants, loans, loan guarantees, and insurance are Davis-Bacon "Related Acts."
Purchasing
When using cooperative purchasing networks, if evidence of competitive procurement is provided, then no additional quotes are necessary. This will fulfil the requirement of competitive procurement if evidence is provided by the cooperative purchasing group.
Competitive Procurement (Services)
-
Regulatory Citation 2 CFR 200.318
-
Associated Risk
- Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in deobligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
-
Leading Practice
- The Subrecipient must ensure that bids are publicly solicited, contracts are awarded to the responsible bidder lowest in price, and that a cost price analysis is conducted for all contracts over $250,000.
Contact Us
If you have a question or comments, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER/GEER Extra, Volume 82
SAM.gov Account
During recent ESSER monitoring events, it was discovered some LEAS are paying private companies a fee for SAM.gov registration. We want everyone to know SAM.gov does not charge a fee for registration. However, private companies can charge a fee to perform the registration for an LEA.
Documents to Maintain for Audits and Monitoring Auditors
Monitoring auditors will request and review documentation to verify that program funds were obligated in compliance with fiscal, program, and other applicable grant requirements. Auditors will review the LEA's financial management system, internal controls, cash management, budgetary controls, allowability of costs, period of availability, and set-asides. Additionally, auditors will request and review source documentation supporting both payroll and non-payroll costs to determine that expenditures charged to grant funds were allowable, allocable, reasonable, and necessary to meet program requirements.
At a minimum, LEAs should maintain the following documentation to demonstrate compliance with program requirements:
- Policies and procedures
- Procurement records (e.g., contracts, leasing agreements)
- Personnel records including job descriptions, salary authorizations, payroll and time and effort records (if applicable) reconciled to payment
- Needs assessment and/or planning documents describing the need for the use of program funds
- Inventory records of equipment purchased with grant funds
- Source documentation supporting expenditure of grant funds (e.g., purchase orders with accompanying Invoices, receipts, canceled check/check registry/screenshot from accounting system, proof of electronic payment/payment screenshots,(as applicable, indicating that payment was made
- Spreadsheet or other documents with relevant supporting documentation reconciling payment documentation to dollar amount that includes description of how funds were used, a unique payment number, the date payment was recorded, and a signatory approval
Contact Us
If you have a question or comment, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER/GEER Extra, Volume 81
The next several volumes of ESSER GEER Extra will focus on acquisition strategies and processes to be followed by all PDE grant recipients and subrecipients.
PDE grant recipients and subrecipients should have internal controls in place to ensure procurement practices are consistent. This includes policies and procedures related to the following:
- Method of procurement used
- Signature authorities (e.g., who has authority to approve acquisitions and at what dollar value)
- Document retention (e.g., sole source justification, quotes, POs, requisitions)
Non-competitive procurement for Goods/Supplies and Services
Appropriate only when these circumstances apply:
- Available only from a single source (sole source)
- Public emergency
- Expressly authorized by awarding or pass-through agency in response to a written request from district
- After soliciting a number of (minimum of three) sources, competition is deemed inadequate
*Note: the LEA, recipient or subrecipient must keep documentation supporting the chosen method of procurement.
Reference:
2 CFR 200.320
When using cooperative purchasing networks, if evidence of competitive procurement is provided by the network, no additional quotes are required. However, supporting documentation of the competitive procurement must be maintained by the subrecipient and provided upon request.
2023 Pennsylvania Association Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) conference
PAFPC conference presentations hosted by the PDE Monitoring Team have been posted to the PDE website.
- Top 10 ESSER monitoring observations
- Ace ESSER monitoring
- Conquering monitoring
Contact Us
If you have a question or comment, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER/GEER Extra, Volume 80
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on requirements when utilizing federal funds for transportation, Public School Employee's Retirement System contributions, and closed entity requirements. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
Requirements when Utilizing Federal Funds for Transportation
PDE reminds school entities that Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) requirements apply when utilizing federal funds to contract for transportation. This includes requirements regarding competitive procurement. School entities are advised to work with their solicitor to ensure adherence to federal requirements. For more information, see
2 CFR 200 Subpart D.
PSERS Contributions
Be sure not to "double dip" ESSER funds when contributing to the Public-School Employee's Retirement System (PSERS). PDE ESSER monitors are reviewing PSERS contributions to ensure that when ESSER is used for PSERS contributions, that the PSERS reimbursement is deducted from the ESSER allocation. Questions regarding this requirement can be directed to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
Closed Entity Requirements
Entities that have received federal funds, such as ESSER and GEER, are required to participate in monitoring and reporting regarding those funds. Reporting requirements still exist even if an entity closes. Entities that have closed or are planning to close are required to prepare for monitoring and reporting participation. Questions regarding these requirements, or updates to closed school contact information, can be directed to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have a question or comment, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring:
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER:
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER/GEER Extra, Volume 79
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on the Pennsylvania Federal Program Coordinator's Conference ESSER presentations, cooperative purchasing tips, and personally identifiable information. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
PAFPC ESSER Presentations Available Soon!
The Pennsylvania Federal Program Coordinator's Conference PDE ESSER Monitoring Team presentations will be available to view online in the coming days. You will be able to access the presentations, which contain key information regarding the top ten ESSER monitoring observations, how to ace ESSER monitoring, and how to leverage ESSER monitoring to get audit ready, on PDE's
ESSER Monitoring webpage.
Cooperative Purchasing Tips
When procuring supplies or services with federal funds utilizing cooperative purchasing programs, school entities are advised to:
- Ensure that methods of procurement utilized by the cooperative purchasing program are in compliance with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200).
- Maintain documentation of procurement and contracts.
- Seek guidance from your solicitor to ensure compliance.
What is PII?
Per
2 CFR 200.79, personally identifiable information (PII) means information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, either alone, or when combined with other personal identifying information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual. Examples of PII include, but are not limited to, any combination of the following personally identifiable attributes: name; date and place of birth; mother's maiden name; biometric records; Social Security Number; driver's license number or a state identification card number, in lieu of a driver's license; passport number; financial account number, credit or debit card number, in combination with any required security code, access code or password; medical information; health insurance information; and username or email address, in combination with a password or security question and answer.
Each LEA should consult its local policy and solicitor concerning safeguarding PII. Furthermore, school entities must not upload PII into FedMonitor.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have a question or comment, please send your inquiry to the appropriate resource account.
ESSER Funding: ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring: ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
GEER: ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on and prior approvals for expenditures, whistleblower policy requirements, and EANS reporting. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
Prior Approval Requirements
PDE requires prior approval for ESSER construction and capital expenditures, including equipment, with a per unit cost of $5,000 or more, or the entity's capitalization threshold, whichever is less. See the Uniform Guidance
2 CFR §200.407 and
2 CFR §200.439. When completing ESSER application revisions, remember to complete and submit the prior approval forms which are available on the
PDE ARP ESSER Facilities/Construction/Transportation web page.
Prior approval forms will be reviewed with your ESSER application revisions. Please be sure to: 1) identify the allowable use under ARP ESSER; 2) explain how the expenditure meets the overall purpose of the ESSER funds, which is to prevent, prepare for, or respond to COVID-19; and 3) describe how the proposed expenditure is "reasonable and necessary" in compliance with the Cost Principles in
2 CFR Part 200, subpart E (2 CFR §§ 200.403-200.404).
Whistleblower Policy Requirements
Under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), entities in receipt of federal funds must maintain a policy with mechanisms in place to report potential cases of fraud, misdeeds, or improprieties in contracts. Failure to maintain a reporting system for fraud and other improprieties could lead to financial and reputational loss. For more information see 2 CFR §200.303 (a), the "Green Book", and the "Internal Control Integrated Framework".
EANS Reporting Closed
PDE thanks all IUs that have submitted EANs reporting on time. Intermediate Units that received EANS funds were required to submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.
Those IUs that have not yet submitted must do so as soon as possible.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on health and safety plans, EANS reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
Health and Safety Plans
ARP ESSER requires that LEAs review their health and safety plans at least every six months during the entire period of the school entity's ARP ESSER grant. LEAs also must review and update their plans whenever there are significant changes to the CDC recommendations for K-12 schools. Like the development of the plan, all revisions must be informed by community input and reviewed and approved by the governing body prior to posting on the school entity's publicly available website.
LEAs should be reviewing and documenting the review of their Health & Safety Plan. If no changes are required, make note of the date, and post the plan publicly. Please maintain all edits on file locally and post to your LEA's website.
EANS Reporting Closing Soon!
PDE thanks all IUs that have already submitted EANs reporting. Intermediate Units that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.
Thank you for joining PDE at PAFPC!
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference took place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. PDE staff thank all Federal Program Coordinators and other school representatives that participated. The event was quite a splash!
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on cost price analysis requirements, cooperative purchasing, EANS reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
Cost Price Analysis Requirements
School entities are reminded to comply with Uniform Guidance requirements regarding cost price analysis. Non-federal entities (e.g., school entities) must perform a cost or price analysis in connection with every procurement action in excess of the applicable procurement threshold, including contract modifications. For more information, see
2 CFR §200.324 and
procurement thresholds for federal funds.
Cooperative Purchasing
Cooperative purchasing programs may be utilized using ESSER funds
where compliance with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) is met. When procuring supplies or services with federal funds, school entities must verify that the organization conducting the procurement complies with applicable procurement methods, requirements, and standards of the Uniform Guidance. Furthermore, using the cooperative purchasing mechanism does not, itself, comply with bid requirements. It is the responsibility of the school entity to retrieve the minimum number of quotes or solicited bids required and to keep a record of procurement documentation. PDE advises school entities to seek guidance from their solicitor when planning procurement to ensure compliance with federal requirements.
EANS Reporting
PDE thanks all IUs that have already submitted EANs reporting.
Intermediate units that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.
Last Chance to Join PDE at PAFPC!
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. PDE staff look forward to seeing you there! There is still time to
register and book lodging, although special discounted pricing for lodging is no longer available. For questions regarding the conference, contact PAFPC Executive Director Janice Joyce at
pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on FedMonitor for ESSER monitoring, appropriate funding source codes, return of interest, EANS reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
FedMonitor for ESSER Monitoring
Each school entity has a district administrator account holder for FedMonitor use. Only the district administrator account holder can grant FedMonitor access to other assigned staff members.
Please note: FedMonitor users that have access to other programs need to be granted access for ESSER by the district administrator account holder. The district administrator account holder is likely to be a federal programs coordinator, superintendent, or business manager. If you need to find out who your school entity's FedMonitor district administrator is, please contact
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
Appropriate Funding Source Codes
PDE advises schools to utilize the appropriate funding source codes. Find the codes in
the Chart of Accounts for PA Local Education Agencies. Failure to keep adequate documentation of costs by federal award could result in loss of funding.
Return of Interest
School entities must maintain a procedure to report and return interest earned on federal funds over $500 to the awarding agency as required by
2 CFR §§200.305(b)(8),(9). Failure to track and monitor interest earned with ESSER grants could result in deobligation or loss of funding.
EANS Reporting
PDE thanks all IUs that have already submitted EANs reporting.
Intermediate Units that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.
Come See PDE at PAFPC!
PDE staff and the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team are proud to be presenting a number of exciting sessions at The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to
register and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at
pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on debarment and suspension checks, contract terms and conditions, EANS reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
Debarment and Suspension Checks
Under federal Uniform Guidance, a school entity may not subcontract with or award subgrants to any person or company who is debarred or suspended. See
2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II. To search for suspensions and debarments, also known as exclusions, search on the
SAM.gov exclusions web page. The SAM.gov exclusions web page includes a number of helpful resources including information on how to
understand and
download exclusion extracts and a
Frequently Asked Questions document.
Contract Terms and Conditions Reminder
All contracts made by an entity under a federal award must contain contract terms and conditions outlined in the Uniform Guidance. For more information see
2 CFR Part 200 Appendix II. PDE advises school entities to have all contracts reviewed by their solicitor to ensure compliance with federal requirements.
EANS Reporting
PDE thanks the IUs that have already submitted EANs reporting. Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.
Come See PDE at PAFPC!
PDE staff and the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team are proud to be presenting a number of exciting sessions at the Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to
register and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at
pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on sole source procurement, EANS reporting, ESSER reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
Sole Source Procurement Reminder
Procurement by noncompetitive proposals, also referred to as sole source procurement, is procurement through solicitation of a proposal from only one source. Sole source procurement may be used
only when one or more circumstances listed within
2 CFR §200.320(c) apply. Note that all applicable Uniform Guidance requirements apply to sole source procurement, including
2 CFR §200.318 and
2 CFR § 200.324. PDE advises LEAs to discuss any proposed procurement activities with their solicitors to ensure federal requirements will be met.
EANS Reporting Open
EANS reporting is now open.
Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.
ESSER Reporting
PDE sincerely thanks all school entities that submitted their 2021-22 ESSER Funding Status Reports by the due date of March 9, 2023. The few
school entities that have not submitted their reports error-free are directed to do so as soon as possible. For further assistance, immediately contact the Ed ARP ESSER Team at
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov. Note that delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.
Come See PDE at PAFPC!
PDE staff and the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team are proud to be presenting a number of exciting sessions at The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to
register and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at
pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on Davis Bacon Act compliance, interest earnings, EANS reporting, ESSER reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
Davis Bacon Act Compliance Reminder
ESSER projects are subject to the payment of prevailing wage under the federal Davis-Bacon Act (see
40 USCS §3142). While the PA Prevailing Wage Act (43 P.S. §§165-1 – 165-17) and accompanying state regulations would normally apply to a public body conducting a public work project, the PA Prevailing Wage Act states that it shall have no application to any public works subject to the federal Davis-Bacon Act (43 P.S. §165-15).
Interest Earnings
The Uniform Guidance requires grantees and sub-grantees of federal funds to remit interest earned on advances back to the federal agency. Grantees or sub-grantees may retain interest amounts up to $500 per year for related administrative expenses. For more information see
2 CFR §200.305.
EANS Reporting Open
EANS reporting is now open.
Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.
ESSER Funding Status Reporting Window has Passed
PDE thanks all school entities that submitted their 2021-2022 ESSER Funding Status Reports by the due date of March 9, 2023. School entities that have not submitted their reports or corrected errors are directed to do so as soon as possible. Directions for report completion can be found on the
PDE ESSER Reporting web page. School entities must contact ra-edarpesser@pa.gov if assistance is needed. Note that delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.
Annual PAFPC Conference Registration
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Registration and rooms are filling quickly. Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to
register and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at
pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on 2023 state procurement thresholds, requirements for procuring and selecting contractors and suppliers, EANS reporting, ESSER reporting, 2020-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
2023 State Procurement Thresholds
State procurement thresholds were updated for 2023. The 2023 state threshold for written/telephonic bids is $12,200, while the 2023 state threshold for public bids and separate bids is $22,500.
The relationship between these state procurement thresholds and federal procurement rules for the use of ESSER funds is important. Under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), non-federal entities must comply with the more restrictive of federal, state, and entity level requirements for the acquisition of goods and services when using federal funds. The federal procurement thresholds are more stringent than state thresholds for micro-purchases ($10,000) and for small purchases ($10,000); however, the state threshold of $22,500 for the use of sealed bids is more stringent.
Access a table outlining procurement thresholds for purchases with federal funds.
Small and Minority Businesses, Women's Business Enterprises, and Labor Surplus Area Firms
Under federal Uniform Guidance, when procuring and selecting contractors or suppliers, school entities must take all necessary affirmative steps to ensure that minority businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are used when possible. Read the Uniform Guidance at
2 CFR §200.321, for more information on affirmative steps to be taken. Note that these steps must be a part of your entity's documented procurement procedures and consistent with standards of the Uniform Guidance. Failure to follow federal procurement requirements for ESSER funds may put school entities at risk of not receiving their full reimbursement or having obligated funds recouped. See the Uniform Guidance at
2 CFR §200.339.
Procurement of Curriculum with ESSER Funds
School entities must follow requirements under Uniform Guidance, including
2 CFR §200.320, when purchasing curricula with federal funds. For the limited circumstances when noncompetitive procurement can be awarded, see
2 CFR §200.320(c).
EANS Reporting Opens Soon
EANS reporting will open March 15, 2023.
Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.
ESSER Reporting Closed
PDE thanks all school entities that submitted their 2021-22 ESSER Funding Status Reports by the due date of March 9, 2023. School entities that have not submitted their reports are directed to do so as soon as possible following directions on the
PDE ESSER Reporting web page. Note that delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.
2020-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification
School entities that have identified errors in their previously submitted 2020-21 ESSER Funding Status Report are directed to contact the PDE Data Quality Office staff at
RA-DDQDatacollection@pa.gov.
Annual PAFPC Conference Registration
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Registration and rooms are filling quickly. Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to
register and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at
pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's
ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on EANS reporting, ESSER reporting, 20-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference registration. All editions of
ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
EANS Reporting Opens Soon
EANS reporting will open March 15, 2023.
Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023. More information is coming soon.
ESSER Reporting Reminder
School entities can now submit their ESSER Funding Status Reports for the 2021-2022 reporting period.
Each school entity that received ESSER funds must submit a report to PDE no later than March 9, 2023. Delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.
More information is available at the links below:
Instructions for LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report
Instructions for NON-LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report
ESSER Data Reporting FAQs
School entities that have questions regarding ESSER Reporting are encouraged to send questions to the
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov email account or attend ESSER/GEER Office Hours. For more information on ESSER/GEER Office Hours, see below.
20-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification
School entities that have identified errors in their previously submitted 2020-2021 ESSER Funding Status Report are directed to contact the PDE Data Quality Office staff at
RA-DDQDatacollection@pa.gov.
Annual PAFPC Conference Registration
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboration with PDE, has
announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023.
Registration is now open!
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on EANS reporting, ESSER reporting updates, Unique Entity Identifier status, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference registration. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
EANS Reporting Opens Soon
EANS reporting will open on March 15, 2023.
Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023. More information is coming soon.
ESSER Reporting Reminder
School entities can now submit their ESSER Funding Status Reports.
Each school entity that received ESSER funds must submit a report to PDE no later than March 9, 2023. Delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.
More information is available at the links below:
School entities that have questions regarding ESSER Reporting are encouraged to send questions to the
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov email account or attend ESSER/GEER Office Hours. For more information on ESSER/GEER Office Hours, see below.
New ESSER Reporting FAQ
A new addition has been added to the
ESSER Reporting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding reporting of previously expended funds. School entities are advised to check the ESSER Reporting FAQ regularly for updates on answers to common questions.
LEA ESSER Reporting Template Update
On February 13, the PDE Data Quality Office sent an email to LEA PIMS staff regarding an update to the LEA ESSER Funding Status Report template. LEAs that have already submitted their ESSER Funding Status Report templates are advised to run a PIMS report (PIMS Reports V2 > ESSER > ESSER Reporting Template Details) to review the Y/N responses. If any data is inaccurate, LEAs must submit a new report. LEAs that have not yet submitted a report and LEAs that must resubmit can find the updated version at the
PDE PIMS Excel Reporting Tools web page by clicking on the "ESSER Reporting Collection for PIMs-Reporting LEAs" link. Questions regarding this matter can be directed to
RA-DDQDatacollection@pa.gov.
20-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification
School entities that have identified errors in their previously submitted 20-21 ESSER Funding Status Reports are directed to contact PDE Data Quality Office staff at
RA-DDQDatacollection@pa.gov.
Check Your Entity's Unique Entity Identifier Status
PDE advises school entities to
check their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) status, and
register or renew as soon as possible, if needed, in preparation for ESSER reporting.
If your school entity needs further assistance regarding UEIs, please send your inquiry to
RA-EDESSERMONITOR@pa.gov.
Annual PAFPC Conference Registration
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboration with PDE, has
announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023.
Registration is now open!
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on FedMonitor use for ESSER monitoring, ESSER reporting, Unique Entity Identifier status, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference registration. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
FedMonitor Open for ESSER Monitoring
FedMonitor is now open for school entities to upload files to support ESSER monitoring. When preparing for in person or virtual ESSER monitoring visits, school entities are advised to follow the guidance sent from the PDE Monitoring Team provided prior to the visit for the type and quantity of information to be uploaded into FedMonitor. Note that FedMonitor passwords need to be updated every 60 days.
ESSER Reporting Reminder
School entities can now submit their ESSER Funding Status Reports.
Each school entity that received ESSER funds must submit a report to PDE no later than March 9, 2023.
More information is available at the links below:
Check Your Entity's Unique Entity Identifier Status
All school entities must maintain an active
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) registration in order to access awarded federal grant funds. Once assigned, a UEI number will never expire, however, entity registrations expire on an annual basis. School entities submitting the ESSER Funding Status Report must enter an active UEI. It is the responsibility of each grantee school entity to activate their registration (for new registrants) or access their SAM.gov account to complete the annual renewal process. PDE advises school entities to
check their UEI status, and register or renew as soon as possible, if needed, in preparation for ESSER reporting because USDE has indicated that there may be delays in processing UEI registrations or UEI related tickets.
If your school entity needs further assistance regarding UEIs, please send your inquiry to
RA-EDESSERMONITOR@pa.gov.
Annual PAFPC Conference Registration
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboration with PDE, has
announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Registration is now open!
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on ESSER reporting, FedMonitor usage for ESSER monitoring, Unique Entity Identifiers, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference registration. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
ESSER Reporting
The ESSER Funding Status Report submission window will be February 13, 2023 through March 9, 2023.
The report must be submitted to PDE no later than March 9, 2023.
The ESSER Funding Status Report seeks to assess the expenditures of ESSER funds, identify the interventions and activities implemented with ESSER funds, and understand planned uses of ESSER funds in the next fiscal years. This report has been developed by and is required by USDE. Completion and submission of this report is a condition of continued receipt of ESSER funds.
This federal ESSER reporting requirement applies to all school districts, charter schools, intermediate units, career and technical education centers, approved private schools, private residential rehabilitative institutions, chartered schools for the deaf and blind, and entities providing educational programs to neglected, delinquent, and at-risk youth that receive ESSER funding under any of the following federal acts:
- Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (ESSER I)
- Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act (ESSER II)
- American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (ARP ESSER)
More information is available at the links below:
Instructions for LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report
Instructions for NON-LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report
FedMonitor Usage for ESSER Monitoring
FedMonitor will open next week to support ESSER monitoring. School entities that have already participated in this year's ESSER monitoring will receive a request from the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team to log in to FedMonitor and verify that documents uploaded on your behalf are complete and accurate. School entities preparing for in person or virtual ESSER monitoring visits are advised to follow directions for FedMonitor use that will be sent from the PDE Monitoring Team prior to the monitoring visit.
Unique Entity Identifiers
On April 4, 2022, the federal government stopped using the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number to uniquely identify entities. A school entity must maintain an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) registration to access any awarded grant funds; therefore, school entities submitting the ESSER Funding Status Report must enter an active UEI. Once assigned, a UEI registration will never expire; however, entity registrations expire on an annual basis. It is the responsibility of each grantee school entity to activate their registration (for new registrants) or access their SAM.gov account to complete the annual renewal process.
How to Check Registration Status
If you need to check the status of your school entity's registration or UEI assignment, visit the
Federal Service Desk FAQ for directions regarding checking entity status.
How to View Your UEI
If your entity is registered in SAM.gov, your UEI has already been assigned and is viewable in SAM.gov. This includes inactive registrations. For directions on how to view your school entity's UEI, visit
Federal Service Desk directions entitled "How can I view my Unique Entity ID?".
How to Update UEI Registration
If your school entity has an inactive UEI or expired registration in SAM.gov, this must be addressed prior to submitting the ESSER Funding Status Report. At SAM.gov, click on the "Get Started" tab under "Register Your Entity or Get a Unique Entity ID". Then click on "Go to your Entity Management Workspace to update or renew your registration" available under the "Already Registered?" box on the right side of the page to renew your entity registration.
How to Register
If your school entity does not yet have a UEI, go to the
Federal Service Desk web page entitled "Getting Started with Entity Registration". There you will find several FAQs and quick start guides to assist in the registration process.
If your school entity needs further assistance regarding UEIs, please contact
RA-EDESSERMONITOR@pa.gov.
Save the Date for the Annual PAFPC Conference
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboration with PDE, has
announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Registration is now open.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's
ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on upcoming ESSER Reporting, the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, and the Annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. All editions of
ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
ESSER Reporting
The ESSER Funding Status Report (ESSER Report) submission window will open February 13, 2023 and close March 9, 2023. The ESSER Report seeks to assess the expenditures of ESSER funds, identify the interventions and activities implemented with ESSER funds, and understand planned uses of funds in the next fiscal years. All entities that received funding under ESSER I, ESSER II, and/or ARP ESSER are required to submit a report. Completion and submission of this report is a condition of continued receipt of ESSER funds. Instructions for reporting can be found on the
PDE ESSER Reporting web page.
ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire
In 2022, the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team sent
ESSER Monitoring Questionnaires to all school entities that received ESSER funds. The questionnaires were due on January 27, 2023. If your school entity has yet to submit a questionnaire, do so as soon as possible. Completion of the questionnaire is a mandatory component of ESSER Monitoring.
Save the Date for the Annual PAFPC Conference
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) in collaboration with PDE has
announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. More details will follow. School entities receiving ESSER funds are required to attend at least one of the following trainings/conferences: Fall Regional Workshops, PAFPC Annual Conference, Improving School Performance Conference, and/or Summer Leadership Forum (SLF). These are excellent opportunities for knowledge building. Note that non-attendance will impact a school entity's risk assessment as all LEAs are required to participate in at least one sponsored training per year.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's
ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on ESSER reporting, a MOEquity interim reporting reminder, the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference dates, the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, and ESSER monitoring scheduling. All editions of
ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
ESSER Reporting
USDE released its ESSER data collection template earlier this month. USDE's final template outlines the obligations of PDE and LEAs in reporting ESSER fund use.
The template requires LEAs and other entities receiving ESSER funds (under the CARES Act, the CRRSA Act, and/or the ARP Act) to report detailed information about how the funds were spent, what percentage of the funds were spent, and how much of the funds are remaining, in addition to information about the student populations who participated in some of the programs developed or expanded with the funds.
While school districts and charter schools received the bulk of the ESSER dollars and have the greatest reporting burden, IUs, CTCs, approved private schools, private residential rehabilitative institutions, chartered schools for the deaf and blind, and entities offering educational programs to neglected, delinquent, and at-risk youth will also need to complete components of the ESSER Funding Status Report.
The report submission window will be February 13, 2023 through March 9, 2023, therefore,
the report must be submitted to PDE no later than March 9, 2023. PDE is finalizing adjustments to the data collection template and will release it in the near future. The USDE Data collection template is accessible at the following link and should be reviewed to ensure the required reporting information is available.
Access the USDE Template for ESSER Data Collection.
PDE is also updating the ESSER Reporting webpage instructions for completing the ESSER data collection template and for FAQs on ESSER reporting. PDE advises school entities to continue to read the ESSER/GEER Extra on a weekly basis for updates.
MOEquity Reminder
School district ARP ESSER MOEquity Interim Reporting was due on January 16. School districts that have not completed the MOEquity interim reporting are still required to do so. PDE staff is currently following up with school districts that have not yet completed a submission. Please note that charter schools were not required to complete the interim report.
Save the Date for the Annual PAFPC Conference
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboration with PDE, has
announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. More details are to follow.
ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire Due January 27
In 2022, the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team sent
ESSER Monitoring Questionnaires to all school entities that received ESSER funding. The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team recently sent out reminders to school entities that have not yet completed the questionnaire. If your school entity has not yet completed the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, which is a mandatory part of ESSER monitoring,
please do so as soon as possible but no later than January 27, 2023.
ESSER Monitoring Scheduling
The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team thanks the school entities that have participated in monitoring or have scheduled their virtual or on-site monitoring visits. Those that requested to participate in
virtual or
on-site monitoring but have not yet scheduled monitoring dates should schedule as soon as possible so that they can choose the most amenable available dates.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment, please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on MOEquity Interim Reporting, the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, ESSER reporting, ESSER monitoring scheduling, ESSER monitoring goals, what to expect during onsite and virtual ESSER monitoring, and a procurement procedures reminder. All editions of ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
MOEquity Interim Reporting
The PA Department of Education (PDE) would like to extend a thank you to all school districts that have completed their ARP ESSER MOEquity Interim Reporting, which was due on January 16. PDE staff are currently following up with school districts that have not yet completed a submission. Please note that charter schools were not required to complete the interim report.
ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire Due January 27
In 2022, the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team sent
ESSER Monitoring Questionnaires to all school entities that received ESSER funding. The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team recently sent out reminders to school entities that have not yet completed the questionnaire.
If your school entity has not yet completed the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, which is a mandatory part of ESSER Monitoring,
please do so as soon as possible but no later than January 27, 2023.
ESSER Reporting
School entities are reminded that ESSER reporting will take place. USDE has communicated that ESSER reporting will follow the same format as reporting for FY 2021 and has issued a
summary of minor changes to expect this year. School entities can utilize the
SEA ESSER Recipient Data Collection Form regarding ESSER FY 2021 reporting to identify changes listed within the summary. PDE is updating the process for collecting ESSER data to reflect those changes and will issue guidance and due dates for reporting to school entities shortly. PDE advises school entities to continue to read the ESSER/GEER Extra on a weekly basis for updates.
ESSER Monitoring Scheduling
The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team thanks those school entities that have participated in monitoring or have scheduled their virtual or on-site monitoring visits. Those school entities requested to participate in
virtual or
on-site monitoring that have not yet scheduled monitoring dates should schedule as soon as possible so that they can choose the most amenable available dates.
ESSER Monitoring Goals
The goals of ESSER monitoring are to help subrecipients maintain compliance with program requirements and to prepare for future audits. Some school entities may receive observations as part of the monitoring process. The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team indicates observations to highlight how practice can be improved. School entities are encouraged to utilize observations and corresponding leading practices and technical assistance as learning opportunities. School entities are also strongly encouraged to engage in the suggested practice improvements so that their school entity can maintain compliance. Adopting the leading practices will lessen the risk of future audit findings, which may carry financial consequences.
Be Prepared-What to Expect for Virtual or On-Site ESSER Monitoring
Many school entities have already participated in ESSER Monitoring. If you have not yet participated in ESSER Monitoring read below to know what to expect.
If your school entity is set to participate in virtual ESSER Monitoring prepare for 5 days of virtual monitoring. If your school entity is set to participate in on-site ESSER Monitoring prepare for 3 days of on-site monitoring. All school entities participating in virtual or on-site ESSER monitoring will receive an announcement letter approximately 30 days prior to monitoring review. The letter will include contact information for the assigned monitoring manager. School entities are encouraged to reach out to the assigned monitoring manager with any questions or concerns.
Procurement Requirements Reminder
When using federal funds, including ESSER funds, it is essential that school entities follow proper procurement standards in accordance with federal
Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200). School entities should consult with their solicitors/ counsel to ensure compliance with procurement requirements. Adherence to Uniform Guidance requirements is currently being assessed as a component of ESSER Monitoring and will also be assessed in future audits.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
Happy New Year! This week's
ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on the SY2023 MOEquity Interim Report submission, a new ESSER Monitoring Plan Summary, a new PDE ESSER Monitoring Team email contact, and ESSER monitoring visit scheduling. All editions of
ESSER/GEER Extra are archived on PDE's website.
ARP ESSER MOEquity Interim Reporting due Monday, January 16
All school districts must file a MOEquity interim report in the eGrants system, even school districts that are exempt from MOEquity requirements. You will complete this under the Reporting and Guidelines section in your ARP ESSER application in eGrants by following the Interim Reports link and clicking "Create".
The ARP Act requires school districts receiving ARP ESSER funds to adhere to a Maintenance of Equity (MOEquity) requirement. The MOEquity requirement applies to both 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years and applies only to school districts; it does not apply to other LEAs or entities.
Under the MOEquity requirement school districts cannot disproportionately reduce state and local per-pupil funding or the number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) staff per pupil in high-poverty schools (schools identified in the top quartile of low-income student enrollment).
The ARP Act exempts all school districts that 1) enroll fewer than 1,000 students, 2) operate only one building, or 3) have only one building per grade span. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has provided an additional exemption for school districts that did not and will not implement an aggregate reduction in combined state and local per-pupil funding in FY 2023 [school year 2022-2023] (i.e., is not facing overall budget reductions).
In November of 2022, PDE emailed school district superintendents and business managers from the ARP ESSER RA account with instructions for completion and submission of an interim report related to the ARP ESSER application in eGrants. School districts should submit their information as soon as possible.
The interim reporting must be completed by Monday, January 16, 2023. If your school district indicates that no exemption applies for 2022-23, PDE has already or will shortly reach out directly to assist with MOEquity requirements.
New ESSER Monitoring Plan Summary Available
An executive summary of
PDE's ESSER Monitoring Plan is now posted for review on
PDE's Monitoring of LEA's Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs web page. The plan includes a brief explanation of the ESSER grants, the risk assessment process, timelines for monitoring, expectations for monitoring reviews and subsequent responses, and where to find additional information/technical assistance.
Introducing New Contact for ESSER Monitoring Questions
PDE recently added a new resource email account for staff from school entities to contact the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team regarding ESSER Monitoring. If you have an ESSER Monitoring related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov. All other questions regarding ESSER, such as questions regarding submissions of reports and acceptable uses of funding, can be directed to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire
In 2022 the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team sent
ESSER Monitoring Questionnaires to all school entities that received ESSER funding. The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team is sending out reminders to school entities that have not yet completed the questionnaire.
If your school entity has not yet completed the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, which is a mandatory part of ESSER Monitoring, please do so by
January 27, 2023.
PDE Office Hours
PDE ESSER/GEER office hours will be held every Monday from 1-2 PM and every Thursday from 9-10 AM.
Join the office hours.
Contact Us
If you have an ESSER funds related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.
If you have an ESSER monitoring related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
If you have a GEER related question or comment please send your inquiry to
ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.