Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief III (ESSER III) Fund

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, was enacted on March 11, 2021. The ARP Act provides additional funding for school districts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Education portion of ARP is known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III or ARP ESSER) Fund. The purpose of the ESSER III fund is to support the safe reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools while meeting students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

State ESSER III Plan

• ARP ESSER Massachusetts State Plan — Approved by USED 7/7/2021

Massachusetts' ARP ESSER (ESSER III) plan was approved by the U.S. Department of Education on July 7, 2021. For those of you who gave feedback, thank you. You made our plan stronger. The ESSER III program runs through September 30, 2024. Should you wish to provide new or additional feedback between now and then, please email federalgrantprograms@mass.gov with subject line: "ESSER III feedback."

District ESSER III Plans

• List of District ESSER III Plans
  Each district was required to consult with local stakeholders to create a plan for how it would use ESSER III funds, and then to post that plan on its public website.

ESSER III Resources for Program Directors

• All materials needed to apply for ESSER III funds are posted with the grant RFP

• ESSER III allocation amounts by district

• Quick Reference Guide: District Preparation for ESSER III — July 2021

• ESSER III Webinar

• USED ARP ESSER Fact Sheet

• USED ESSER FAQs (Use of Funds) — Revised December 7, 2022

• USED ESSER FAQs (Use of Funds for COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing)

• USED ESSER FAQs (Prevent, Prepare for or Respond to COVID-19 Pandemic)

• USED ESSER FAQs (Use of Funds for Student Transportation)

• Letter from Secretary Miguel A. Cardona, December 16, 2021 (Re: Use of ESSER III funds to support educators)

ESSER III Late Liquidation

• ESSER III Late Liquidation Quick Reference Guide

• Instructions for Completing an ESSER III Late Liquidation Request in GEM$

Maintenance of Equity

• FY23 Maintenance of Equity for Massachusetts Schools

• FY23 Maintenance of Equity for Massachusetts Districts

• Massachusetts ESSER-III FY23 District-Level Maintenance of Equity Policy

• FY22 Maintenance of Equity for Massachusetts Schools

• FY22 Maintenance of Equity for Massachusetts Districts

• Massachusetts ESSER-III FY22 District-Level Maintenance of Equity Policy

• USED ESSER FAQs (Maintenance of Equity Requirements) — Revised December 29, 2021

Last Updated: August 22, 2024