Are you looking for funding to help cover costs for Social and Emotional learning in your school or district? The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund may be the answer.

In 2020 and 2021, Congress passed three stimulus bills that provided almost $190.5 billion to the ESSER Fund. The funds were distributed proportionally across states in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title-IA.

States are charged with distributing at least 90% of these funds to local education agencies. The other 10% may be used by the state to address emergency needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To receive the full funding, states had to submit plans for how they intended to use the funds. All state plans were approved in January 2022. View all state plans here.

According to the Department of Education’s Frequently Asked Questions ESSER document:

“These Federal emergency resources are available for a wide range of activities to address diverse needs arising from or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, or to emerge stronger post-pandemic, including responding to students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs.

The Everyday Speech SEL Curriculum meets the definition of eligible expenses under ESSER I and II and the American Rescue Plan. Ask your school leaders if you can apply your ESSER funds to the purchase of Everyday Speech’s SEL Curriculum to support your learners’ social and emotional wellbeing.

ESSER funds are available for obligation by local education agencies and other subrecipients through September 30, 2022.

For more questions related to ESSER, view this document here.