ESSER I 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act designated $13.5 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding for K-12 entities. Henry County Schools was allocated $5.9 million but was required to reserve $0.2 million to provide equitable services to non-public school systems that service Henry County residents.

Henry County Schools’ Executive leadership assembled a planning team to support the prioritization of the CARES funds. An update on the planning approach and methodology for CARES Act funds was provided to the Board of Education in May 2020. Subsequent information regarding declines revenue projections for FY21 as outlined here, necessitated use of CARES funding of $4.0 million to support school operations during the 2020-2021 school year as approved by the Board in the adoption of the FY21 budget.

All CARES Act – or ESSER I – grant funds were obligated as of September 30, 2022. These funds were available to support expenditures from March 13, 2020 through September 30, 2022. The publically discussed budgetary plans were submitted to the Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) for approval and authorization of drawdown reimbursements. The ESSER I funds supported the following initiatives and resources for Henry County Schools:

• instructional resources and replacement devices to support virtual learning,
• personal protective equipment,
• funding to allow for continuity of school nutrition services
• cleaning supplies,
• Summer 2020 Recovery Learning School,
• funding for continuity of school operations in FY21, and
• equitable services for non-public schools.
  
  In addition to the $5.9 million ESSER I grant allocated to Henry County Schools by formulas prescribed in the CARES Act, GADOE issued additional grants from the 10% reserve it was allowed to retain when sub-granting the ESSER funds. Each additional grant was authorized for a specific programmatic purpose and was subject to equitable services. In total, Henry County Schools received ten incremental grants from funding authorized by the CARES Act totaling approximately $350,000 as follows:  
  
  

All ESSER I SEA Reserve grant funds were expended towards their prescribed purpose as of September 30, 2022.  

RESOURCES