Under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, established via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (March 27, 2020), and further funded under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, 2021 (December 27, 2020) and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 (March 11, 2021), the U.S. Department of Education (USED) awarded grants to states for the purpose of providing local education agencies (LEAs) that receive funds under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) with emergency relief funds to address the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the nation.
The ARP ESSER funds provides nearly $122 billion to states and LSSs (of which approximately $1.95 billion has been allocated to Maryland) to meet the urgent needs of schools and students. In March 2021, USED made available to each state the first two-thirds of its ARP ESSER allocation, or about $81 billion in immediate support nationwide (of which Maryland received approximately $1.3 billion). The remaining one-third of each state’s ARP ESSER allocation – totaling another $41 billion in funding nationwide (of which Maryland is allocated approximately $600 million) – was released upon USED’s approval of each state’s APR ESSER plan.
Each state was required to submit a state plan which promoted comprehensive planning by states and LEAs for the effective use of ARP ESSER funds to reopen schools safely beginning in spring 2021; support sustained access to in-person instruction throughout the spring, summer, and into next school year; and to address the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students.
Maryland's initial state plan was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education for review on July 30, 2021. A revised version of the state plan was submitted on October 4, 2021, and was approved by USED on October 14, 2021. A copy of the final approved state plan can be found below.
The MSDE did extensive outreach to stakeholders. The Maryland American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund Stakeholder Engagement Report contains a description of Maryland's outreach.
July 30, 2021; Updated October 4, 2021
June 21, 2021
In accordance with the requirements promulgated by USED for the allocation of federal funds under the ARP ESSER Fund, the MSDE, as part of its state plan application, is posting enrollment, attendance, and mode of instruction data for the most recent time period available.
Contact:
Mary L. Gable
Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Student Support, Academic Enrichment & Educational PolicyOffice: (410) 767-0275
mary.gable@maryland.gov