ESSER I Fund | Nebraska Department of Education
The core purpose of the Elementary and Secondary school Emergency Relief Fund is to provide direct money to school districts to support areas impacted by the disruption from COVID-19, which includes both:
- Continuing to provide educational services while schools are closed, such as remote learning; and
- Developing and implementing plans for the return to normal operations.
Nebraska will receive $65,085,085 in ESSER funds from the CARES Act, of which 90 percent ($58,576,577) will flow through to LEAs as sub-grants based on the proportion that each LEA received under title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in school fiscal year 2019-2020. An LEA that did not receive Title I, Part A funds in school fiscal year 2019-20 (either because it was not eligible or because it declined funding) would not generate a share of ESSER Funds. LEA allocations will be calculated using the Title I formula however relief funds will not be subject to Title I requirements.
The Department will use the remaining 10 percent ($6,508,509) SEA reserve for emergency needs as determined by the Department to address issues related to COVID-19, which may be addressed through the use of grants or contracts. From this reserve, the Department may use not more than 1/2 of 1 percent ($325,425) of the SEA total reserve for administrative purposes.
