Additional Training Sessions and Resources to Support ARP ESSER Spending

The New Jersey Department of Education recently sent out an advisory highlighting additional trainings and resources to support school districts in amending their federal American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds.

The funds, often referred to ARP ESSER or ESSER III, are the last of the federal relief funds meant to assist with COVID-19 recovery. The goal of ARP ESSER is to support local educational agencies in preparing for and responding to the impact of COVID-19 on educators, students and families. ARP ESSER funds must be obligated by September 2024 and completely spent by October 2024.

To support local educational agencies and school staff involved in reporting, filing and spending ESSER funding, the NJDOE has created additional trainings and resources.

• ARP ESSER “Spend” Sessions:
  • Maximizing federal funds technical assistance sessions will provide information on how different federal funds may be used to meet students’ specific, identified needs through guidance shared in the NJDOE’s web resource.

• Announcing New Funding Tables: Each April session will introduce a new priority area for the Maximizing Federal Funds webpage: Supporting Arts Education and Arts Integration on April 16, 2024 and Enhancing Inclusive Opportunities on April 23, 2024. Join these sessions to learn how to use federal funds to create and/or sustain successful programs and services beyond 2024.
• High-Impact Tutoring and High-Quality Summer Programs: On April 18, 2024, the session will focus on the NJDOE’s 2023 Summer Learning Program Development guidance and High-Impact Tutoring Initiative resources. Join this session to hear about ways to use remaining ARP ESSER funds this year and to learn to use federal funds to create and/or sustain successful programs beyond 2024. Federal funds can be used to support learning acceleration efforts and to help students who were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Review Amend Spend Webpage: The website is a guide to help LEAs spend ARP ESSER dollars in ways to best support students.

Visit the ESSER webpage for general ESSER information and resources, and for questions please contact the NJDOE via email.