Legislative Affairs

Ask Congress for USED to Issue ARP ESSER Liquidation Guidance ASAP

  • 1.  Ask Congress for USED to Issue ARP ESSER Liquidation Guidance ASAP

    Posted 10-21-2022 10:13
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    ASBO International and AASA are advocating for the U.S. Department of Education (USED) to quickly issue guidance about how states/districts can apply for an extension for spending ARP ESSER III funds. However, we need your help to ask Congress to urge USED to move quickly on this issue!

    Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) is circulating a "Dear Colleague letter" to other members of Congress for signatures which would urge USED to issue ARP ESSER liquidation guidance within 60 days. Please ask your members of Congress to sign Rep. Kuster's letter (attached), by contacting her legislative correspondent, Tamar Epps, at tamar.epps@mail.house.gov.

    If you need help contacting your officials, please email us. Below is an email template you can customize to send to your Congressional delegation.

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    Email Subject: Constituent Request: Sign Dear Colleague Letter re: ARP ESSER K-12 COVID Funds

    Attachment: [Include the Dear Colleague letter attachment from this post with this message]

     

    Hello,

    My name is [FIRST & LAST NAME], I am a constituent who serves as the [YOUR TITLE] for [YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT/ORGANIZATION NAME] in [CITY, STATE]. I am contacting you to ask for your support of a Dear Colleague letter from Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) about school district spending of American Rescue Plan ESSER III funds. 

    The letter urges the U.S. Department of Education to quickly issue guidance for states and school districts about how to apply for a late liquidation extension for ARP ESSER III funds. You can learn more about the letter and sign on by contacting Rep. Kuster's Legislative Correspondent, Tamar Epps, at tamar.epps@mail.house.gov.

    As states and districts continue to address the challenges of COVID-19 to meet the needs of students and teachers, the ESSER program has provided vital resources to schools across the country. School districts are using ARP ESSER funds to support learning recovery for students by investing in tutoring programs, summer school, professional learning, and online instructional materials. The staggering social-emotional and mental health needs of students require continued staffing and programming, and the ability for districts to continue procuring instructional materials and technology and provide ongoing professional development and support for educators and staff. Additional time to liquidate ARP ESSER funding ensures that districts can maintain these critical pandemic-related services students required to overcome the challenges of the past three academic years.

    Some school districts are also using ARP ESSER funds on facility upgrades, such as repairing and replacing heating ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) systems to improve indoor air quality and mitigate viral spread so students can learn in healthier environments. However, schools are subject to supply chain factors and labor shortages out of their control that are delaying these projects, and they need more time to spend these funds. If the ARP ESSER timeline isn't extended, then crucial school facility upgrades to protect the health and safety of students and educators may not be possible for districts across the country. Without clarity from the U.S. Department of Education on how to apply for a spending extension or any assurance that delays will not be held against districts, education leaders will be unable to move forward with these critical structural upgrades using ARP funds.

    [ADD HOW LATE LIQUIDATION GUIDANCE WOULD HELP YOUR DISTRICT SPEND ESSER FUNDS AND SUPPORT STUDENTS; EXPLAIN WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET THIS GUIDANCE SOONER THAN LATER.]

    Thank you for your time and consideration. We appreciate [YOUR OFFICIAL'S NAME] for recognizing the challenges facing our nation's public schools and urge you to sign Congresswoman Kuster's letter.


    Sincerely,
    [YOUR NAME]

     



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    ASBO USA
    asbousa@asbointl.org
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