CRRSA Act Funding

Information on the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, including the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) II fund and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) II fund.

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CRRSA Act Overview

In response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) the U.S. Congress passed the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA Act), which was enacted on December 27, 2020. This federal stimulus funding is the second act of federal relief in response to COVID-19, following the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law on March 27, 2020. For more information on CARES Act, please visit the California Department of Education (CDE) CARES Act Funding web page. Subsequently, a third act of federal relief was passed in response to COVID-19, known as the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, signed March 11, 2021. For more information on the ARP Act, please visit the CDE ARP Act Funding web page.

The two main funding sources are the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II) fund and the Governor's Emergency Education Relief (GEER II) fund. The ESSER II fund accounts for approximately $54.3 billion of funding for all states and California’s allocation is $6,709,633,866. The GEER II fund accounts for approximately $4.05 billion of funding for all states, and California’s allocation is $341,468,793. Within GEER II there is the set-aside for non-public schools, the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS), which accounts for $2.75 billion for all states. This funding will provide local educational agencies (LEAs) with emergency relief funds to address the impact COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the nation.

New information and guidance will be added as it becomes available. If you would like to be notified when new information is available, please join the CDE's Federal Relief Funds listserv by sending a blank email message to join-edrelieffunds@mlist.cde.ca.gov.

ESSER II Funds

Section 313(b) of the CRRSA Act requires the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to allocate ESSER II funds based on the proportion that each State received under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) in the 2020–21 fiscal year. California’s allocation for ESSER II is $6,709,633,866. Funds may be used for pre-award costs dating back to March 13, 2020, when the national emergency was declared. These funds are available for obligation by the state and subrecipients through September 30, 2023.

Each state must use no less than 90 percent of its allocation ($6,038,670,479) to make subgrants to LEAs, based on each LEA’s share of funds received under Title I, Part A in fiscal year 2020–21.

LEAs are not required to provide equitable services for ESSER II as they were for ESSER under the CARES Act. The CRRSA Act contains a special EANS set-aside in GEER II funds. Please see the EANS section for more information.

ESSER II Application for Funds - Closed December 17, 2021

Eligible LEAs that completed the ESSER II Legal Assurances by April 20, 2021, were included in the first apportionment of funds that was released in June 2021. Eligible LEAs had until December 17, 2021, to apply for and receive funds through subsequent apportionments based on quarterly expenditure reporting. Please see the ESSER II Formula Allocations section for the allocations.

The ESSER II Fund Application closed on December 17, 2021. LEAs applied for their allocation of ESSER II funds by submitting program legal assurances. Please use the search option below in order to display the application submission status of LEAs for the ESSER II fund.

ESSER II Assurances Search

ESSER II Allowable Uses

An LEA may use ESSER II funds for any allowable expenditure incurred on or after March 13, 2020, the date the President declared the national emergency due to COVID-19. Federal cash management rules will apply to this funding.

An LEA may use ESSER funds for the broad range of activities listed in section 18003(d) of the CARES Act, section 313(d) of the CRRSA Act, and section 2001(e) of the ARP Act, based on guidance that what is allowable under one of the ESSER funds is allowable under all of the ESSER funds. Use of any ESSER funds (ESSER I, ESSER II, or ESSER III) must be in accordance with allowable uses in any of these three federal stimulus acts, and in alignment with the statutory purpose of the program: to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is a consolidated list of allowable uses. Please note that these allowable uses categories will also be utilized during quarterly reporting on each of the ESSER funds.

Any activity authorized by the ESEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), or the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins) or the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act.
Coordinating preparedness and response efforts of LEA with state, local, tribal, and territorial public health departments, and other relevant agencies, to improve coordinated responses with other agencies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
Providing principals and other school leaders with the resources necessary to address the unique needs of their individual schools.
Activities to address the unique needs of low-income children or students, children with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and foster care youth, including how outreach and service delivery will meet the needs of each population.
Developing and implementing procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of LEAs.
LEA staff training and professional development on sanitation and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases.
Purchasing supplies to sanitize and clean the facilities of an LEA, including buildings operated by such agency.
Planning for, coordinating, and implementing activities during long-term closures, including how to provide meals, technology for online learning, guidance on IDEA requirements, and ensuring other educational services can continue to be provided consistent with all applicable requirements.
Purchasing educational technology (including hardware, software, and connectivity) for students served by the LEA that aids in regular and substantive educational interactions between students and their classroom teachers, including low-income students and children with disabilities, which may include assistive technology or adaptive equipment.
Providing mental health services and supports, including through the implementation of evidence-based full-service community schools.
Planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental after-school programs, including providing classroom instruction or online learning during the summer months and addressing the needs of low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.
Addressing learning loss among students, including low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, racial and ethnic minorities, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care, of the local educational agency, including by–
- Administering and using high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable, to accurately assess students’ academic progress and assist educators in meeting students’ academic progress and assist educators in meeting students’ academic needs, including through differentiating instruction.
- Implementing evidence-based activities to meet the comprehensive needs of students.
- Providing information and assistance to parents and families on how they can effectively support students, including in a distance learning environment.
- Tracking student attendance and improving student engagement in distance education.
School facility repairs and improvements to enable operation of schools to reduce risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards, and to support student health needs.
Inspection, testing, maintenance, repair, replacement, and upgrade projects to improve the indoor air quality in school facilities, including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, filtering, purification, and other air cleaning, fans, control systems, and window and door repair and replacement.
Developing strategies and implementing public health protocols including, to the greatest extent practicable, policies in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the reopening and operation of school facilities to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff
Other activities that are necessary to maintain operations and continuity of services and continue to employ existing staff.

ESSER II Formula Allocations

The Schedule of Allocations can be found on the ESSER II Funding Results page.

In order to receive an allocation, LEAs must have submitted the ESSER II Legal Assurances by December 17, 2021.

ESSER II fund allocations are based on an LEA’s share of funding received under Title I, Part A in fiscal year 2020–21. To have received fiscal year 2020–21 Title I, Part A, an LEA must have:

Been deemed an eligible LEA as reflected by a minimum U.S. Census Bureau estimated poverty count of 10 and poverty rate greater than 2%; and,
Applied for funds on CARS no later than March 31, 2021 (deadline extended to April 16, 2021); and,
Submitted the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) Federal Addendum no later than March 31, 2021 (deadline extended to April 16, 2021)

Exception

ESSER II fund allocations for new or significantly expanding charter schools in fiscal year 2021–22 are based on their share of funding received under Title I, Part A in fiscal year 2021–22. To have an fiscal year 2021–22 Title I, Part A allocation, the charter school must have:

Been deemed an eligible LEA as reflected by a minimum U.S Census Bureau-equivalent poverty count of 10 or more and a minimum poverty rate greater than 2% as of October 7, 2021; and,
Applied for funds on CARS no later than March 31, 2022; and,
Submitted the LCAP Federal Addendum no later than March 31, 2022; and,
Filed the Pupil Estimates for New or Significantly Expanding Charters (PENSEC) for fiscal year 2021–22

ESSER II SEA Reserve Funds

The ESSER II state educational agency (SEA) Reserve funds account for $670,963,387. The allocation methodology and allowable uses for this discretionary funding were determined through the state budget process. California Education Code (EC) Section 43521(a)(1) allows for these funds to be made available for obligation through September 30, 2023 (unless otherwise provided in federal law), through the Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant (ELO-G) to eligible LEAs. More information about the ELO-G can be found on the COVID-19 Relief and School Reopening Grants web page.

GEER II Funds

The CRRSA Act also provides an additional $4,053,060,000 for the GEER II fund. California’s allocation for GEER II is $341,468,793. Funds may be used for pre-award costs dating back to March 13, 2020, when the national emergency was declared. Funds are available for obligation by Governors and subrecipients through September 30, 2023.

A portion of the GEER II funds, $153,992,950, can be used in the same manner as the GEER I fund under the CARES Act. The allocation methodology and allowable uses for this discretionary funding were determined through the state budget process. EC Section 43521(a)(1) allows for these funds to be made available for obligation through September 30, 2023 (unless otherwise provided in federal law), through the ELO-G to eligible LEAs. More information about the ELO-G can be found on the COVID-19 Relief and School Reopening Grants web page.

EANS

The remaining $187,475,843 of GEER II funds must be used for EANS. By creating a separate reservation of funds for this purpose, Congress reiterated the need for non-public schools to participate in emergency education relief programs by establishing a separate program under GEER II, rather than relying on the equitable services requirements that typically apply to elementary and secondary formula grant programs. Consequently, LEAs are not required to provide equitable services for funds received under the CRRSA Act, though equitable services requirements continue to apply to CARES Act programs. For more information please visit the CDE EANS web page.

Reporting

LEAs are required to report on any CRRSA Act funds that they received. These funds must be tracked and reported on separately from CARES Act and ARP Act funds. Please visit the CDE Federal Stimulus Funding web page for reporting requirements. Reporting timelines are available on the Federal Stimulus Funding Reporting web page.

For reporting information regarding the In-Person Instruction (IPI) Grant or the ELO-G, please visit the COVID-19 Relief and School Reopening Grants web page.

Quarterly Expenditure Reports

The CRRSA Act Quarterly Expenditure Report data is available in the spreadsheet below.

CRRSA Act ESSER II Fund, through 2023 Winter (March 13, 2020 – December 31, 2023) (XLSX)

Liquidation Extension Request Application - Closed November 1, 2023

(UPDATE 21-Dec-2023): The application period for LEA Liquidation Extension Request Applications closed as of November 1, 2023.

Under standard grant timelines, ESSER II and GEER II funds properly obligated within the period of performance must be liquidated within 120 calendar days following the obligation deadline. ED has released guidance that would allow States to submit applications on behalf of LEAs that are recipients of CRRSA Act funds to request an extension to the liquidation period for these funds. If approved, individual obligations could be liquidated for up to 18 months following the obligation deadline (September 30, 2023). Please note that any approval applies to the liquidation deadline only, not the obligation deadline.

The intention of the liquidation extension application process is to allow LEAs additional time to liquidate properly obligated funds in response to unexpected circumstances that have resulted in liquidation delays. Please note that the application must be reviewed and approved by both the CDE and ED, and approval is not guaranteed. In alignment with guidance from ED, within the application, the LEA must demonstrate that unique circumstances led to delays that would not allow for timely liquidation of funds, despite the LEA's best efforts. ED has stated that simply needing more time is not a sufficient justification for a liquidation extension. In addition to the application, the LEA will be required to provide supplemental documentation to support that an obligation was properly made and to support the unique circumstances that have caused the delay. If approved, the LEA will be subject to additional monitoring and reporting requirements to ensure that all requirements of these funds and the extended liquidation period are met.

Please note that an application may only describe ONE project. If the LEA has multiple projects for which it needs to apply for a liquidation extension, the LEA must submit a separate application for each project. Additionally, if a project is funded by multiple CRRSA Act fund sources (e.g., both ESSER II and GEER II), the LEA must submit separate applications for each fund source. Each separate application must reflect only one fund source and the portion of the project for which an extension is being requested. This is to align with submission requirements to ED. If your LEA is submitting multiple applications for the same project for each different fund source, please ensure that the titles of the applications are identical for improved clarity during review. The application includes additional information for naming conventions for submission.

If this application is not approved, and the LEA is not able to liquidate the properly obligated funds within the standard liquidation period, the LEA may be required to transfer all associated expenditures to a different, allowable fund source to ensure allocability, not just the portion of expenditures that cannot be completed within the standard grant timeline.

The completed application and supplemental documentation must be submitted via email to the CDE Federal Stimulus Team at EDReliefFunds@cde.ca.gov.

For the guidance shared during the CRRSA Act Liquidation Extension Request Application webinar on September 21, 2023, please see the CRRSA Act Liquidation Extension Request Application Webinar Presentation (PPTX).