Federal afterschool policy update: Seizing the funding opportunities in the CRRSA

When the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act passed Congress and was signed into law in late December, the clock started ticking on a number of potential funding opportunities that can be used at the state and local level to support afterschool and summer learning opportunities for students. The education sections of the CRRSA in particular are focused on supporting students: since afterschool and summer programs are key to students’ recovery this spring, summer and fall, there are multiple points of entry into the funding opportunities in the law. Specifically, afterschool programs are well positioned to make the case that they provide the following types of supports that are called out in the law:

• Learning loss and recovery – Academic support, as well as whole child and overall wellbeing supports that supplement in-classroom or virtual learning can be provided through afterschool and summer learning programs.
• Social and Emotional Support – Afterschool and summer learning programs, as well as community learning hubs operating during virtual school days, can provide social and emotional learning and support to students
• Addressing inequity – Providing additional enrichment, engagement and support through out-of-school time programs can help address disparities.

Four significant funding opportunities to tap in the CRRSA for afterschool and summer are:

1. GEER (Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funds):$4 billion, with $2.75 billion set aside for non-public schools, leaving $1.3 billion available to be distributed to public schools nationally. The CRRSA Act provides that $1,303,060,000 be used to supplement the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II Fund) awarded to each State with an approved GEER application under the CARES Act enacted on March 27, 2020. Under the first CARES bill, states were successful in accessing hundreds of millions of dollars for afterschool and summer learning programs, however with the smaller amount available through CRRSA, it is unclear how much support may be accessible. Main decision maker: Governor’s Office

Key resources:

• Cover Letter to Governor https://oese.ed.gov/files/2021/01/FINAL_GEERII_EANS_Coverletter_1.8.211.pdf
• CRRSA GEER II and EANS Methodology and Allocation Table https://oese.ed.gov/files/2021/01/FINAL_GEERII_EANS-Methodology_Table_1.8.211.pdf
• GEER II Fact Sheet 2 https://oese.ed.gov/files/2021/01/FINAL_-GEER_FactSheet_1.8.211.pdf

2. Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund (ESSER II) K-12 funds: This increased from the $13 billion in the CARES Act to $54.3 billion, although 90% of funds that go to states will flow to school districts following the Title I Part A formula. Like in CARES, of the remaining 10%, states can use one half of one percent for administrative costs at the state education agency, which leaves  up to 9.5% for state education agencies to spend at their discretion. The law says that 9.5% can be used “for emergency needs as determined by the state educational agency to address issues responding to coronavirus, including measuring and addressing learning loss, which may be addressed through the use of grants or contracts.” Additionally, afterschool and summer learning remain allowable uses of the funds called out in the law: “planning and implementing activities related to summer learning and supplemental afterschool programs, including providing classroom instruction or online learning during the summer months and addressing the needs of low-income students, children with disabilities, English learners, migrant students, students experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care.” Main decision makers: 90 percent of the funds will be controlled by local school districts, making relationships with superintendents and principals important. For the 9.5% of funds that do not have to flow to districts, state education agencies likely will make those decisions --although we could also see state legislatures play more of a role on directing federal COVID relief fund spending, especially for education.

Key resources:

• Letter to State Education Commissioners: https://oese.ed.gov/files/2021/01/Final_ESSERII_CoverLetter_1.5.21.pdf
• Table with state breakdown of ESSER II funds: https://oese.ed.gov/files/2021/01/Final_ESSERII_Methodology_Table_1.5.21.pdf
• Fact sheet on ESSER II funds from ED: https://oese.ed.gov/files/2021/01/Final_ESSERII_Factsheet_1.5.21.pdf

3. Child Care funds - $10 billion, more than triple what was available in CARES. Funds will follow the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) formula. School age child care is eligible under the CCDBG definition of programs serving students up to age 13. Rules for these funds are similar to those under the CARES Act. Funds can be spent as stabilization grants to support child care providers open or closed, or as vouchers to parents. The law makes clear that licensed, regulated, or registered providers are eligible for the funds whether or not they have received funds through CCDBG in the past. We are still waiting for HHS to post information about this new round of relief. Main decision maker: state child care/human services agency.

Key resources:

• Table with state breakdown of child care funds: https://www.clasp.org/publications/fact-sheet/covid-relief-stimulus-child-care-state-estimates
• Guidance from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) calls out the need to support license exempt programs as well: https://www.clasp.org/blog/covid-relief-package-child-care-providers

4. Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) for states and counties: while no new funds were provided under CRRSA, the recent law does extend the deadline for using those $160 billion provided through the CARES Act until December 30, 2021, making this fund an opportunity as well. Decision makers: state and county government agencies.

TIMING: The CRRSA law says education funds should be distributed within 30 days of approved application by the Secretary of Education for GEER and EESER. The Department of Education is asking that states spend any remaining CARES funds first before spending new relief funds. Child Care funds can be provided by states to providers until the end of the Public Health Emergency that was declared last March. Appropriations for the Education Stabilization fund (GEERII and ESSERII) in the new bill are to remain available for obligation by SEAs and sub recipients through September 30, 2023; with the original CARES ESSER funds available for obligation by state educational agencies (SEAs) and sub recipients through September 30, 2022.