Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund - Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Performance Report - December 2022

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai

Report detailing the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund administration and results for State Fiscal Year 2021, published December 2022 by the U.S. Department of Education. Describes federal efforts to support safe school reopening, expand afterschool and summer learning, and increase access to mental health supports, especially for historically underserved students. Notes data signals of recovery and addresses continued focus on maximizing ESSER impact and related education funding to meet student needs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Highlights

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Performance Report December 2022 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Annual Performance Report December 28 , 2022 U.S. Department of Education Miguel A. Cardona, Ed. D. Secretary of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development Roberto J. Rodríguez Assistant Secretary December 2022 This document is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be U. S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Performance Report, Washington, DC, 20202. This report is available on the Department’s website at [https://covid-relief-data.ed.gov/](https://covid-relief-data.ed.gov/) . Availability of Alternate Formats On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille or large print. For more information, please contact the Department’s Alternate Format Center at 202-260-0818 or via e-mail at [alternateformatcenter@ed.gov](alternateformatcenter@ed.gov). Notice to Persons with Limited English Proficiency If you have difficulty understanding English, you may request language assistance services for Department information that is available to the public. These language assistance services are available free of charge. If you need more information about interpretation or translation services, please call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (TTY: 1-800-877-8339), email us at [Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov](Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov), or write to U.S. Department of Education, Information Resource Center, 400 Maryland Ave. , SW, Washington, DC 20202. Introduction From day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has worked with Congress to support the safe re-opening of schools and address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives and learning of students. The impacts of the pandemic were widespread and fell hardest on the most underserved students and communities, including students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities. Numerous indicators – including the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress – reflect the toll taken by the tremendous disruption of the pandemic on students’ academic achievement and mental health. 1 Although there are some hopeful signs of recovery, communities and education leaders at the federal, state, and local levels must continue to focus on maximizing the impact of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds and other federal education funds, as well as state and local funding, to address the needs of students. This includes providing additional academic support using strategies such as high-dosage tutoring programs and high-quality summer learning and afterschool programs, ensuring schools are adequately staffed, providing professional development and investing in more mental health supports for students and educators. The U.S. Department of Education’s efforts to administer federal emergency relief funds and ensure strong public accountability for these resources has helped to ensure that all schools were able to safely reopen for in-person learning. It has also helped to ensure rapid expansion of afterschool and summer learning programs in all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico; and achieve double-digit percentage increases in the number of mental health professionals supporting our students and educators efficiently and effectively.2 As a result, schools and students are showing signs of recovery. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) School Pulse Panel (SPP) shows a double-digit drop in the estimated percentage of students that schools are reporting as behind grade leve

FAQs

What period does the Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Performance Report cover?

It covers spending that occurred in State Fiscal Year 2021, typically ending June 30, 2021, less than five months after the American Rescue Plan enactment.

Which major needs and program areas does the report emphasize?

The report emphasizes safe reopening, academic recovery supports such as high-dosage tutoring and summer/afterschool programs, adequate staffing, professional development, and increased mental health supports for students and educators.

What does the report say about evidence of recovery?

It cites data showing a double-digit drop in the estimated percentage of students reported as behind grade level in at least one subject from the beginning to the end of the 2021–2022 school year.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai