ESSER Engagement

ESSER Engagement Opportunities

In summer 2021, CDE and the Colorado State Board of Education gathered feedback through a survey and series of public meetings to ensure the State Board made the most impactful use of federal funds to support students, teachers and schools recovering from the interruptions to our schools resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resulting report of these engagement activities, Colorado Department of Education ESSER Funds Listening Tour, was presented to the Colorado State Board of Education on August 12, 2021, and informed the focus areas approved by the State Board on August 24, 2021.

Public Meetings

Keystone Policy Center, on behalf of CDE, hosted virtual meetings to share information about the federal funds the state received through the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) fund and heard directly from attendees about the pandemic’s impact on students and educators to inform the use of these one time federal funds.

View the PowerPoint Presentation shown at every stakeholder meeting (PDF).

Past meetings

Teachers: Thursday, July 1, 2021
Parents: Thursday, July 1, 2021
Community Organizations: Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Students: Thursday, July 8, 2021

Principals: Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Administrators: Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Advocacy Organizations: Monday, July 19, 2021
Educator Preparation Programs: Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Background

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has passed three stimulus bills which include funding for education: the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (March 2020), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act (December 2020), and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (March 2021). Each stimulus bill provided funding for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund. The ESSER fund directs 90% of the total state allocation to local education agencies (LEAs) based on the Title I formula and the remaining 10% for a state reserve fund. CDE is seeking stakeholder input on the use of state ESSER funding (10%). In Colorado, this amounts to approximately $134 million that has not yet been allocated.

CDE submitted to the U.S. Department of Education our plan for the use of ARP ESSER funds in August 2021 which was approved in November 2021. To help CDE prepare this proposal and maximize the impact of these one-time funds to advance transformational changes and directly address challenges created, exacerbated or highlighted by the pandemic, CDE heard from those directly affected–students, parents, teachers, school and system leaders along with community organizations, teacher preparation program leaders and CDEstaff who support educators across the state.

Antecedentes Adicionales:

En respuesta a la pandemia de COVID-19, el Congreso aprobó tres proyectos de ley de estímulo que incluyen fondos para la educación: la Ley de Ayuda, Alivio y Seguridad Económica por Coronavirus (CARES) (Marzo de 2020), la Ley de Asignaciones Suplementarias de Respuesta y Alivio al Coronavirus (CRRSA). (Diciembre de 2020) y la Ley del Plan de Rescate Americano (ARP) (Marzo de 2021). Cada proyecto de ley de estímulo proporcionó fondos para el fondo de Ayuda de Emergencia para Escuelas Primarias y Secundarias (ESSER). El fondo ESSER dirige el 90% de la asignación estatal total a las agencias de educación locales (LEA) según la fórmula del Título I y el 10% restante para un fondo de reserva estatal. El CDE está buscando la opinión de las partes interesadas sobre el uso de los fondos estatales ESSER (10%). En Colorado, esto asciende a aproximadamente $134 millones que aún no se han asignado.

El CDE debe presentar al Departamento de Educación de EE. UU. Nuestro plan para el uso de los fondos de ESSER al final del verano. Para ayudarnos a preparar nuestra propuesta y maximizar el impacto de estos fondos únicos para promover cambios transformacionales y abordar directamente los desafíos creados, exacerbados o resaltados por la pandemia, queremos escuchar a los directamente afectados. Durante Junio y Julio, estaremos escuchando a los estudiantes, padres, maestros, líderes escolares y del sistema junto con organizaciones comunitarias, líderes del programa de preparación de maestros y nuestro propio personal que apoya a los educadores en todo el estado.