The Arizona Department of Education intends to consolidate ARP ESSER and ARP-HCY Funds into the current ESEA Consolidated Administration. The following programs are consolidated administrative funds for the Arizona Department of Education:

• Title I Part A
• Title I Part C
• Title I Part D, Subpart 1
• Title II Part A
• Title III Part A
• Title IV Part B
• Title IV Part B
• Title V Part B, Subpart 2

Pursuant to section 8401 of the ESEA of 1965, the Arizona Department of Education is requesting a Tydings Waiver to extend the availability of Administrative Funds until March 31, 2026.

This waiver will advance student academic achievement by addressing the ongoing administrative costs associated with ARP ESSER that would have diverted resources from services to LEAs, schools, teachers, and students. By extending the administrative funds until March 31, 2026, The Arizona Department of Education will be able to utilize the resources available more responsibly and effectively. We will be able to continue monitoring the use of funds expended during the Liquidation Extension period and allow administration of continuing programs that provide for tutoring, school improvement, and other services that enhance student achievement. Students have not fully recouped COVID-related learning loss and the Arizona Department of Education is working to ensure that students, teachers, schools, and LEAs receive the support they need to further recover from the pandemic.

Additionally, this waiver will allow the Arizona Department of Education to focus its resources on meeting students’ needs, including those that are most impacted by the pandemic, such as the Homeless and Migrant populations, Indigenous students, students with disabilities, and students in low-performing and/or low-income schools. By continuing our administration of the program, ADE will be able to support these schools as they apply for liquidation extensions and as they complete their liquidation, ensuring that remaining ESSER money is spent effectively in ways that will improve academic outcomes for our highest-need students.

The Arizona Department of Education assures that all consolidated administrative funds under the above-mentioned programs will be used in accordance with the provisions of all applicable statutes, regulations, program plans, and applications not subject to this waiver.

The Arizona Department of Education further assures that it has provided the public and all LEAs in the State with notice of, and the opportunity to comment on, this request by posting information regarding the waiver request and the process for commenting on the State Website in the manner in which it customarily provides such notice and opportunity for comment.

Review the Document

Notice of Public Comment Period

Any individual or organization may submit written comments. Written comments shall be accepted through July 6, 2024.

The 30-day public comment period for the ARP ESSER – Tydings Extension will be open from June 6, 2024, through July 6, 2024. The State will review and consider all public comments and make any necessary modifications as appropriate.

ESSER stakeholders may submit comments in writing beginning June 6, 2024, using the following methods:

• Submit electronically via the ADE/ESSER Public Comment webpage

• Submit electronically to ESSER via email

Greetings, school leaders!

As we close out the 2022 year, our ESSER team would like to thank our district, school, and community partners who dynamically invested in unprecedented federal funding to support students and their academic success. We are grateful for these life-changing partnerships.

As we enter the new year, the Arizona Department of Education will have newly elected leadership under State Superintendent-elect Tom Horne. As the Department undergoes this transition, there may be some alterations to this monthly communication. However, you may still use the following individuals and websites for up-to-date information:

• For LEAs using their allocation of ESSER I, II, and III monies, please continue utilizing the website: /esser-overview. You may reach any ESSER specialist at [email protected], or contact our ESSER Director at [email protected].
• For LEAs or community partners that received a portion of ADE’s ESSER set-aside funding, please continue communicating with [email protected]. You’ll continue to see our ESSER investments on our website: /esser-setaside.

We wish you a safe and healthy New Year – and appreciate your patience as we transition to a new administration.

ESSER Set Aside Opportunities

The following opportunities are funded and supported by the Arizona Department of Education’s ESSER I, II, and III (ARP) set-aside investments:

Free Math Mentoring and Tutoring

Are your students struggling with unfinished learning in mathematics? Did you know they can get one on one support from a dedicated math mentor? There is no registration necessary. As part of the ESSER-funded partnership with the UArizona Center for Recruitment and Retention of Mathematics Teachers and the UArizona STEMM AmeriCorps program, all AZ K 12 students can access math mentoring and tutoring Mon-Sun over Zoom. The schedule and links can be found at: https://crr.math.arizona.edu/zoom-tutors

Free Math Education Conference

Registration for the CRR’s 19th Annual MEAD Conference is now OPEN! The UArizona Center for Recruitment and Retention of Mathematics Teachers (CRR) is hosting this year's Mathematics Educator Appreciation Day Conference (MEAD) on Saturday, January 21, 2023. MEAD will be HYBRID with options to participate either in person or virtually. The keynote speaker will be Peg Smith, a national leader in mathematics education and recipient of NCTM’s Lifetime Achievement Award! 

This year’s event will be FREE for all Arizona educators and $125 for everyone else. Please help us spread the word about MEAD so that more teachers can benefit from this unique event. You can download and share the flyer from the conference webpage.

ESSER Set-Aside Spotlight: Million Dollar Teacher Project

At Million Dollar Teacher Project, the Recognition pillar programs include Take a Teacher to Lunch & One in a Million/Feel Like a Million Dollars initiatives. This pillar is about ensuring teachers feel recognized, appreciated & uplifted by their students, school community, community partners & sponsors & the MDTP Team.

One of the many ways the Million Dollar Teacher Project loves recognizing phenomenal teachers is through our One in A Million Program (OIAM)! Each month, we feature one extra-amazing teacher nominated by a member of their school community & highlight their achievements as an educator! Our OIAM Featured Teacher is interviewed by Priscilla & Joey of Mix 96.9 on air and receives an extensive gift package with a presentation at their campus & several other special perks so that they feel like a celebrity the whole month-long!

With Madrid Neighborhood School as our Focus School for this academic year, our OIAM winners will be chosen from this campus. The MDTP Recognition Team created an OIAM bulletin board in the teacher’s lounge at Madrid that features the winner’s photo & places for others to write congratulatory remarks to show their gratitude for their fantastic coworker! November’s One in A Million is 2nd-grade teacher Jenny Hansen!

On Mon, Nov. 14, the MDTP Recognition Team presented Ms. Hansen with a red-carpet OIAM certificate & gift presentation with all her students, her assistant principal, her nominator & many others present, cheering her on! We are honored to celebrate this extra-amazing teacher who provides the utmost dedication to her students, school & community!

Interested in donating or sponsoring an MDTP Recognition event? Just click on the link to learn more & donate!

Teacher Support Program Highlight

The support pillar at Million Dollar Teacher Project includes the Classroom Support Team (CST), the Million Dollar Teacher Tree Classroom Supply Drive, and Spruce the Lounge. The purpose of all of these is to lighten the load of teachers in and out of the classroom and allow them to exhale. Imagine being a teacher in 3rd classroom alone with 30-plus students. Now add that they haven't been in the classroom since they were in 1st grade due to a pandemic. Imagine having to work a side job to pay your bills and get the supplies you need to do your job. This is an issue that the CST Program addresses. We are always excited about the students and volunteers the join our team. This last year though, we were blown away by a young lady named Isabella. A Sophomore at ASU, she came to us wanting to work with children and get in the classroom. She loved we were focused on supporting the teacher. When she got started with us, she gave us two days a week. What made her different was she did not need this for school. She was here to give. Once she was in the classroom, she quickly saw how amazing her teacher was and how overloaded she was. Isabella spent her time grading and filing papers, running small groups or 1:1s, and being an extra set of ears, eyes, and hands. She contacted me a week in and asked if she could add a third day. She explained the teacher and students needed the support. We found out that her teacher worked a second job to make ends meet. Isabella's time in the classroom profoundly impacted our 3rd-grade teacher. She was taking less work home, was able to give more individualized attention to students, and was able to implement more lessons for students. Isabella was not an education major. She did, however, set up her Junior year to be online and has accepted a part-time Teaching assistant position with our school. She is still in school to be a counselor, but she is also determined to make a huge impact on our teachers, students, and in our community. This is just one of the many reasons we do what we do. 

Check us out and become a Teacher Fan Today and let's celebrate teachers. https://mdtproject.org/teacher-fan-club/

Greetings, school leaders! 

What does the data tell you about the academic, social, emotional, or mental health outcomes resulting from the evidence-based practices, strategies, programs, or interventions implemented using your ESSER III set-aside dollars? 

It is time to gather data to measure the efficacy and impact of the evidence-based practices, strategies, programs, or interventions implemented using the ESSER III required 20% set-aside funds. As we know, data is a powerful tool to strengthen academic outcomes for all students. Data informs decisions about programs to continue, expand, revise, or terminate. 

To assist LEAs, ADE has partnered with the Region 15 Comprehensive Center at WestEd and Regional Educational Laboratory West to provide learning opportunities for the teams responsible for implementing ESSER strategies, programs, interventions, and activities. Join us for the following training: 

• Using Data Review Protocols-#1-Here’s What, So What, Now What: December 1, 2022, 9:00-12:00  
• Using Data Review Protocols-#2 Examining Data Protocol: December 1, 2022, 2:00-5:00   

We encourage LEA Teams responsible for implementing and overseeing ESSER set-aside strategies, programs, interventions, or activities to attend. These staff might include Teaching and Learning staff (curriculum and instruction), Federal Programs staff, School Improvement staff, site-level leadership, etc. 

ADE’s first cycle of ESSER programmatic monitoring is finishing up this month. The second cycle, in spring 2023, will primarily focus on implementing and evaluating the 20% set-aside activities and progress on large construction and HVAC projects. LEAs are selected randomly to be monitored and are representative of public districts and charters, all sizes of LEAs, from every county in the state. 

The data training flyer with registration information can be found here. More information regarding data collection and analysis can be found in ESSER III Data Review-Evidence of Efficacy/Improved Outcomes.  

ESSER Set Aside Opportunities 

The following opportunities are funded and supported by the Arizona Department of Education’s ESSER I, II, and III (ARP) set-aside investments: 

Upcoming Events with the City of Tempe’s College Connect  

One of our ARP School and Community Grantees, College Connect, has several upcoming and regular workshops to support college and career-going skills, like completing the FAFSA application and building an engaging resume.  

• College Connect Tempe FAFSA Completion Virtual Workshop - Wednesday, October 26th, 6 - 7:30 p.m.  
  • Join to learn about the basics of starting and completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). CLICK HERE for more information and to register. 
• College Connect Tempe College Application Lab – Every Monday, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. (MST) at Tempe Public Library 
  • Meet with College Connect advisors to get help completing college applications, reviewing the senior timeline, and answering questions regarding college admission. CLICK HERE to register. 
• College Connect Tempe Financial Aid Lab – Every Wednesday 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. (MST) at Tempe Public Library 
  • Get help with questions on filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), applying for scholarships, and learning about other forms of financial aid to pay for college. CLICK HERE to register. 
• Career Ready Tempe Workshop: Making a Resume - Tuesday, November 8th, 4:30-6:00 p.m. (MST) at Tempe Public Library 
  • This resume workshop will include a presentation catered to high schoolers about how to make an effective resume. CLICK HERE for more information and to register. 
• Career Ready Tempe Workshop: Interview Preparation & Speaking to Employers - Tuesday, November 15th, 4:30-6:00 p.m. (MST) at Tempe Public Library 
  • This workshop will include resources and activities to help high school students feel confident about interviewing and other professional interactions. There will be a gift card drawing at the end. CLICK HERE for more information and to register. 

Attend a PAX Good Behavior Game Professional Development Training and Get $75 in School Supplies through Lake Shore Learning  

 Arizona educators trained in the PAX Good Behavior Game can earn $75 in classroom supplies of their choice through Lakeshore Learning by completing a self-paced PAX Next Steps Update or a PAX Partner training. These trainings are intended for professionals who have already attended a PAX Good Behavior Game Initial training and are interested in recalibrating their PAX implementation and improving outcomes.  You must first attend a PAX Good Behavior Game Initial Training to register for the PAX Next Steps and PAX Partner training.   

 To learn more about self-paced and site-specific training options, please email [email protected] or visit https://www.paxis.org/pax-arizona/  

Participate in Building Equity for English Learners with WestED  

WestEd’s Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL), one of American Rescue Plan School and Community Grantees, is seeking school and district partners in the Central Arizona region to participate in this work for the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school years. All professional learning, materials, facilities, and educator stipends associated with this project will be paid for with state ARP funding at no cost to schools. Participating district and charter schools will be asked to ensure the following:  

• A two-year commitment of a team of educators (consisting of 4–5 teachers, an instructional coach, and an instructional leader)  
• Time for educators to participate in all associated professional learning activities  
• Substitutes for participating educators  

Interested schools and districts should submit their contact information at: https://bit.ly/BEEL-Contacts. Learn more about QTEL.  

LEA Spotlight: Casa Grande Union High School District (CGUHSD) 

Just like ADE and our ARP School and Community Grantees, our public district and charter schools – also known as LEAs – have done fantastic work with their ESSER dollars. Instead of spotlighting an ARP School and Community Grantee this month, ADE highlights the CGUHSD and some of the excellent initiatives they’ve started with federal COVID-19 relief dollars.  

In the 2021 Summer, CGUHSD utilized summer learning time to offer credit recovery learning to Juniors and Seniors to help them stay on track for graduation. As a testament to this work, 100% of the Seniors focused on credit recovery graduated in Spring 2022.  

Another example of outstanding services began in Spring 2022 when CGUHSD outfitted the busses on their 16 longest routes with modems and other tech resources to offer mobile tutoring to their students. Paraprofessionals ride the bus routes and offer 1:1 instruction time to students. 

It is hard to believe we are approaching the September 30th expiration date for ESSER I. When this package was first delivered to states from the federal government, the COVID-19 situation looked and felt much different than it does today. Our students were about to enter their first full year of learning amid a pandemic, a vaccine had not yet been released, and many of us were supporting sick loved ones and mourning the many who died in the first few months. As community leaders, our schools used this first round of funding to make schools safer, connect students to hybrid learning, and allow us to start bringing students back to the classroom.

Our ESSER team is incredibly grateful for how school leaders collaboratively and innovatively used ESSER I dollars. If your district or charter school has not expended all remaining ESSER I money, you must do so by Friday, September 30th, or risk forfeiting those funds. There is no carryover for ESSER I funding.

As we sunset ESSER I, many districts and charters will be looking towards expending all the funding available in the ESSER II package. As a reminder, no ESSER II completion report is due in October. You can access and finish the completion report at any time once you have fully expended your ESSER II funds.

ESSER Set Aside Opportunities

The following opportunities are funded and supported by the Arizona Department of Education’s ESSER I, II, and III (ARP) set aside investments:

24,489 teacher supply projects funded by DonorsChoose

The Arizona Department of Education and the Superintendent were proud to support another round of DonorsChoose funding for Arizona’s public educators, school counselors, social workers, and more. This second round included dedicated funding for our most rural communities outside Maricopa and Pima counties. By intentionally providing funds solely for rural schools, we served 1,570 schools after the second round of funding.

Sign-up for Junior Achievement (JA) Inspire

JA Inspire is Arizona’s leading virtual career exploration platform, connecting thousands of middle and high school students with self-assessments, career resources, and directly to top Arizona employers! Educators can access the platform and associated age-appropriate, standards-aligned curriculum for free and provide their students with a real-world look at some of the state's leading industries and career options. There is something for every student, from webinars, exhibit halls, and digital resources to a virtual scavenger hunt and employer Q&A sessions.

With JA Inspire, we empower students with the critical skills they need to achieve future career and economic success, ultimately shaping Arizona’s future workforce. Together, we inspire a more well-informed generation of societal leaders to make wise economic decisions and build thriving communities!

Teachers and administrators, sign up for JA Inspire for your students today: https://www.jaaz.org/jai-educators/

Building Equity for English Learners with WestED

WestEd’s Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) is pleased to partner with the Arizona Department of Education to provide professional learning and coaching to Arizona’s educators of English Learners. QTEL is currently seeking school and district partners in the Central Arizona region to participate in this work over the course of the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 school years. Professional learning cohorts begin in October 2022. QTEL is one of Arizona’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) School and Community Grantees. All professional learning, materials, facilities, and educator stipends associated with this project will be paid for with state ARP funding at no cost to schools and districts. Participating schools and districts will be asked to ensure the following:

• A two-year commitment of a team of educators (consisting of 4–5 teachers, an instructional coach, and an instructional leader)
• Time for educators to participate in all associated professional learning activities
• Substitutes for participating educators

Interested schools and districts should submit their contact information at: https://bit.ly/BEEL-Contacts. Learn more about QTEL.

American Rescue Plan (ARP) School and Community Grantee Spotlight

The Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent Steve Watson launched the Learning Acceleration Partnership in collaboration with six school districts (Liberty Elementary School District, Maricopa County Regional School District, Morristown School District, Nadaburg Unified School District, Phoenix Elementary School District, and Valentine Elementary School District). Arizona teachers are working harder than ever to meet the needs of their students, particularly now at a time when there is so much academic ground to cover. The mission is daunting: How does a teacher ensure that all students have equitable access to challenging, grade-level content when so many gaps exist? The Learning Acceleration Partnership is an opportunity to provide teachers with the tools and support they need to deliver strong Tier 1 instruction utilizing strategies that allow all students to successfully access grade-level content.

Superintendent Steve Watson and his team onboarded a cadre of 19 Learning Acceleration Specialists to accomplish this goal. These incredibly passionate, motivated, and skilled individuals will work alongside teachers to co-plan and co-teach lessons with the right instruction and support when needed.  To prepare for this role, the LAS cadre participated in a two-week professional development intensive in July.  The training focused on the tools and tactics needed to accelerate academic success in Tier 1 instruction, including unpacking standards to identify learning targets, designing success starters to prepare students for new learning, and identifying and employing the right scaffolds to get students on a fast track back to grade level. The LAS cadre also practiced the evidence-based, student-centered coaching approach they will utilize to collaborate with teachers to co-design and co-deliver grade-level instruction.

Classroom teachers are facing an extraordinary challenge, and the Learning Acceleration Specialists are there to help!  As collaborators, the LAS cadre has what is needed to partner with teachers in the classroom as they build their skillset to address unfinished learning and keep learning moving forward for all students.

Click here to learn more about the Learning Acceleration Partnership and meet the team!

Greetings, school leaders! 

The ESSER team is excited to share the newly updated Safe Return to In-Person Learning webpage, which includes new features that make it easier for our partners at LEAs to find and edit their submitted plans and view their assigned group and corresponding due dates and resources for submitting plans within EMAC. As a reminder, all LEAs receiving ESSER III funds must develop and make a plan for the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services publicly available on their LEA website. 

There will be two submission windows during the 2022-2023 school year – one in Fall 2022 and the other in Spring 2023. LEAs have been placed into groups with different due dates for this year. Please view the Safe Return to In-Person learning page for information on which group your LEA falls into and the due dates for that group. For example, the due date for the Fall submission for Group Two is September 1, 2022, while the due date for Group Three is October 1, 2022.  

Our ESSER team will host monthly office hours to help LEAs submit their Safe Return to In-Person Learning plans through our EMAC system. All Office Hours will be from 8:00-9:00 and 2:00-3:00 on the following dates: 

ESSER Set Aside Opportunities 

The following opportunities are funded and supported by the Arizona Department of Education’s ESSER I, II, and III (ARP) set aside investments: 

PAXIS Institute: PAX Good Behavior Game  

Through ESSER set-aside funding, the Arizona Department of Education is partnering with PAXIS to provide PAX Good Behavior Game training to all Arizona educators at no cost.   

Training is offered in virtual and self-paced online formats and includes materials and certificates for six contact hours of professional development. Thousands of educators have already received this training, and over 90% of participants shared that not only did PAX take away no instructional time, but it also integrates well with their other programs and curricula in the classroom.  

Contact [email protected] to schedule a training for your staff.

City of Tempe: College Connect Tempe  

In May, the City of Tempe’s Human Services Department received ARP School and Community Grant funding to support the college and career-going services for underrepresented middle and high school students who live or attend school in Tempe and the surrounding area. Those services are offered through College Connect Tempe to help students and parents through the process of exploring and applying to college and other post-secondary educational opportunities.  Services include educational workshops, individual advising assistance (available in-person or virtually), and access to college experts from schools across the state. Get answers about school options, career paths, financial aid, class choice, and more. Visit http://www.tempe.gov/CollegeConnect to make an advising appointment or learn more about upcoming workshops. 

Mindfulness First: Mental Health Teacher Training Scholarships  

Mindfulness First, another ARP School and Community Grantee, launched a scholarship program for Arizona K-12 teachers and administrators to receive training in trauma sensitivity, mindful awareness, and Social Emotional Learning to help build mentally healthy schools. Awardees will be given convenient online training that offers expert guidance while being self-paced in style, with a minimum 20-minute per week commitment. The course includes stress reduction training for teachers and all the K-12 resources and curriculums needed to have mentally healthy, trauma-sensitive, and calm classrooms. Awardees will have lifetime access to their course and curriculums. Click here to learn more and apply: m1st.app/scholarship-esser.  

American Rescue Plan (ARP) School and Community Grantee Spotlight 

The Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office and its partners were able to use ESSER III (ARP) funding from the Arizona Department of Education to cosponsor a diverse and intense series of summer camps and programs for the County’s children and youth.  The activities launched the Invest in Our Youth Project, which represents a comprehensive initiative for our children and youth that addresses the considerable loss of learning and the social and emotional stress placed on our children and youth caused by the COVID Pandemic.   

Over 500 Santa Cruz County students in grades K-12 participated in the fifteen Summer Camps.  Some camps targeted youth in need of social-emotional learning supports. Other camps used robotics, fitness, the sciences, cybersecurity, and/or the arts in project-based programs. Plus, we were able to offer programs to our youth related to college and career planning (e.g. admissions, scholarships), career exploration through internships and leadership and entrepreneurship projects.  

Students from elementary and middle school experienced ESSER III funded La Linea’s Art Fest, which featured projects that involved recycled materials, papier-mâché, painting, sculpture, and more. Elementary students also had the opportunity to create their own theater plays in the camp titled “Act Your Hat”; in this camp students’ characters were based on paper hats that they learned to make from scratch.  

Students who participated in the Santa Cruz County Arts for Learning Camps had a fun summer exploring many inspiring visual and performing artforms at the 1904 Courthouse, La Linea Art Studio, and the Santa Cruz Center. Read the full spotlight and view pictures here.  

Greetings, school leaders!

As you prepare for the new school year, our ESSER team reminds you that we are approaching the September 30th end date for ESSER I.  All funds must be expended by this date (9/30/22).  Completion reports (CRs) opened 7/1/22 for those LEAs who have expended all ESSER l funds and are ready to close out FY21 ESSER l.  The absolute due date for ESSER l completion reports is 12/30/22.

Good News Regarding ESSER II and ESSER III Completion Reports

Unlike ESSER l, there will be a single completion report for ESSER ll and a single completion report for ESSER lll. This will remove the burden of completing a second application and budget with unspent carry-over funds.

CRs for ESSER ll will open on 10/1/22 for any LEAs who have completely expended ESSER ll funds and are ready to submit their completion report. ESSER ll funds must be expended no later than 9/30/23, and the single completion report for ESSER ll is due no later than 12/30/23.

CRs for ESSER lll will also open on 10/1/22.  LEAs may submit their completion report as soon as they have completely expended all ESSER lll funds. ESSER lll funds must be expended no later than 9/30/24, and the single completion report for ESSER lll is due no later than 12/30/24.

A Reminder About Fiscal Monitoring

If an LEA is selected for fiscal monitoring, they may be asked for a sampling of ESSER ll or lll expenditures as part of the monitoring even though the CR has not been completed. In this way, ADE can perform its ESSER funds fiduciary oversight responsibilities in a prudent manner.

Example Questions

1. My LEA has spent all of its ESSER l Funds. What is my next step?
   1. Complete the ESSER l CR now and submit it for approval in GME.
2. My LEA will expend all ESSER ll funds by 9/1/22. What should I do?
   1. The ESSER ll CR will open on 10/1/22.  At that time, the ESSER ll completion report and submit for approval in GME.
3. We project that our ESSER ll and lll funds will both be expended around 6/30/23. When should I do completion reports?
   1. CRs for both ESSER ll and lll will be open, so you will complete both CRs once all funds are expended and submit for approval in GME.

Please note: Completing CRs as soon as possible after grant funds are completely expended is highly recommended.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

ESSER Set-Aside

Data reporting requirements for ADE ESSER-funded projects are due July 31 

LEAs and community-based organizations that received a portion of funds from the Arizona Department of Education set aside allotment of ESSER I, II, and III funds need to meet specific data reporting requirements. Data from the 2021-2022 School Year is due Sunday, July 31, 2022. Learn more about data reporting requirements on our ESSER Data Reporting webpage. 

Upcoming Back-to-School Webinars from Discovery Education 

All month Discovery Education is hosting Back-to-School webinars for Arizona teachers to get acquainted with the platform and all the tools – including new features in Discovery Education's Studio – before classes start. View this flyer for the webinar dates, times, descriptions, and registration links. 

Greetings!

At the beginning of this month, the Arizona Department of Education began to announce the awardees of our competitive grant process for the ADE set aside funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) passed by President Biden in 2021. The awardee applications went through the rigorous state procurement process and all funded projects share the goal of supporting schools, students, educators, and families as they recover from the effects of the pandemic. 

These awardees known as the Arizona’s ARP School and Community Grantees comprise of local and national organizations with evidence-based programs that received a portion of our ARP set aside funding. ARP School and Community Grantees will be announced throughout the month. Thus far, we’ve funded programs that:

• Address students’ physical and mental wellbeing
• Support students with disabilities
• Fund STEM education
• Advance student literacy
• Support Native American students and families
• Support local education recovery efforts

You can view all the previously announced grantees on our new American Rescue Plan School and Community Grantee page.

For LEAs using ESSER Funds

Using ESSER funds as matching funds for AmeriCorps programs

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) recently issued a letter which states that grantees or subgrantees may use Federal funds, including annually appropriated funds and COVID-19 pandemic relief funds, as matching funds for AmeriCorps programs. The Department fully supports and encourages state and local partnerships with AmeriCorps programs, including many activities in support of student learning and success that are appropriate uses of education funds. For more information on how to use Federal funds for this purpose, please review the Department’s April 1, 2022 letter.

Arizona LEAs are encouraged to contact the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family to get more information on local AmeriCorps programs. Please contact: [email protected]

Summer Food Programs

If a summer school site is not area eligible for Seamless Summer Option (SSO) or Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), can the school provide meals to the students at no cost to the student?

Sites operating both a summer school and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) will serve and claim meals following NSLP program regulations which includes counting and claiming the meals served based on the student’s eligibility. Students certified as free will receive meals at no cost. The costs of meals served to students who are eligible for a reduced-price or full-price meal would need to be covered by the student/family or through other district funding, where permitted by the funding source.

ESSER III funds available through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides Federal resources to States, Tribal governments, and local partners with the intent of funds being used in the response and recovery from COVID-19. School Food Authorities (SFAs) are encouraged to work within their districts on opportunities with ARP ESSER funding that may be used to support Child Nutrition Programs (CNP).

If the state is giving funding for summer school, could that include money for feeding kids at sites that do not qualify?

ESSER funds may be used to provide meals at sites that do not qualify for summer meal operations.  This allowable activity would need to be placed in the budget as a revision if not already included in the plan for expending funds.  The normal approval process would follow.  The guidance for such funding clearly includes food assistance and CNPs. Allowable use of other school funds should be addressed with the funding source

ESSER Updates and Deadlines

ESSER III Grant Revisions

LEAs who have applied for their allocation of ESSER III funding may have to submit grant revisions. The following training PowerPoint and video will help guide LEAs through ESSER III grant revisions.  After watching the revision module, if you have questions or need additional support with ESSER grant revisions, please contact your assigned ESSER Specialist.

ESSER III Grant Revisions PPT

ESSER Grant Applications Due

FY21 ESSER l grant applications containing carryover funds from FY20 should be completed no later than 5/25/22.  These funds must all be expended prior to 9/30/22 or funds will be forfeited.

FY21 ESSER ll and ESSER lll applications must be submitted no later than June 1, 2022.  If you have not submitted your LEA application, please complete it as soon as possible.

If you have questions or need support contact Allison Barbor, ESSER Director @ 602-542-3068 or Devon Isherwood, Deputy Associate Superintendent @ 602-364-0379.

If you have questions or need support with an ESSER revision, please contact your assigned ESSER Specialist.

Reimbursement Requests

Accounting best practices require regular submission of reimbursement requests.  Personnel costs should be reimbursed monthly and other items at least quarterly.

• ESSER l funds should be almost all expended. 
• ESSER ll funds should be approximately 33% - 50% drawn down.
• ESSER lll funds should be approximately 20% - 25% drawn down.

If you have not submitted a reimbursement request in the last three months, please submit one immediately.

Safe Return to In-Person Learning

All Safe Return to In-Person Learning plans were due in EMAC by May 6, 2022.  If you have not submitted your plan in EMAC, please do so immediately.  After submitting your plan, please check EMAC weekly for communication from your specialist regarding your plan. 

If you need assistance with EMAC, please see the resources below:

• EMAC Portal User Guide
• How to add new users in EMAC

To access EMAC, please follow the steps below:

1. Sign into ADEConnect (adeconnect.azed.gov) 
2. Go to View Applications/Applications 
3. Click EMAC from your ADEConnect application menu

How to assign a user role:

1. Home
2. Assign Monitoring Cycle
3. Select Organization Name from drop down menu
4. Select Monitoring Program (Safe Return to In-Person Learning)
5. Cycle (select group that is in the dropdown menu)
6. There are two tabs ‘Assignment’ and ‘EdOrg Users”
7. View the ‘EdOrg Users’ tab
   1. You must have the role ‘Organization EMAC Administrator’ to assign roles
   2. Who ever has ‘LEA User’ role next to their name may be assigned to complete the Safe Return to In-Person Learning task.
8. View the ‘Assignment’ tab
   1. If you have the ‘Organization EMAC Administrator’ role there will be a gray dropdown menu under the ‘Assignment’ tab. 
   2. Click on the dropdown menu and you will see a list of names that have the ‘LEA User’ role.  Select the name of the person who you want to complete the Safe Return to In-Person Learning task
   3. Click the ‘Add’ button
   4. The person now has access to the task that needs to be completed

How to complete the task:

Please log into EMAC and complete the Safe Return to In-Person Learning task (online form).  Once completed, please make sure to click the submit button.  Your specialist will then be able to review your plan.

Additional Assistance

If you need additional assistance with EMAC, please reach out to your assigned specialist.  LEA are assigned alphabetical by LEA name.

• A-Desert Sky: Kelly Curtin  602-642-9551
• Desert Star -Mes: Gina Tignini 602-364-0224
• Mex-Y: Teresa Morales  602-542-5711

If you need further assistance, please email [email protected] or call at 602-542-3068.

ESSER lll and Evidence-Based Interventions, Practices and Programs

ESSER lll places an emphasis on evidence-based practices, and it requires that funds are used to respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs, address disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented students’ groups and present an opportunity to build staff capacity.  The initial selection of the best evidence-based strategies, practices and programs for your specific context was critical to the success of those programs implemented.  Next step will be monitoring and evaluation those selected.

As you begin to examine the impact of ESSER funded evidence-based interventions, practices and programs on student outcomes, this resource from RELWEST and the Comprehensive Center Network will be very helpful. This resource walks you through process and outcome measures; setting targets or benchmarks, short, medium, and long-term; and identifying what data to collect and analyze. Selecting and Measuring the Effectiveness of Evidence Based Interventions

More tools and resources will be available this summer. Visit our Addressing Disrupted Learning page to learn more about the resources available and how schools are meeting this requirement.  

Upcoming ESSER Set-Aside Opportunities

The following opportunities are funded and supported by the Arizona Department of Education’s ESSER set aside investments:

Stay Cool for Summer School with Discovery Education

Make this summer one to remember with Discovery Education! Tune in to the Discovery Education Summer of Learning Webinar to hear more about the time-saving resources available for summer school. No matter what your summer school goals are, Discovery Education has you covered! From curated interactives and at-home activities to Virtual Field Trips and on-demand professional learning, these helpful resources will make summer learning memorable and fun.

May 25, 2022 – 1:00 pm- 1:30 pm

• Stay Cool for Summer School with Discovery Education
• Registration Link

May 26, 2022 - 08:30 am- 9:00 am

• Stay Cool for Summer School with Discovery Education
• Registration Link

Education Forward CAP Training

Education Forward College Access Professional (CAP) Training is being offered for free to help education professionals develop a college-going mission for all students. All courses are designed for anyone who provides direct service to students, no matter their role.

The curriculum includes readings, activities, and online discussions, allowing professionals from all over the state of Arizona to interact and learn from each other. Each module takes approximately 4-6 weeks and 20 hours to complete, consisting of 1-2 hours per day. Participants who successfully complete a module are eligible for 20 continuing education units. Those who complete the three core modules become an Arizona College Access Professional.

Register for Free Today