Michigan schools face a critical deadline with only three months remaining to use $650 million in remaining ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds to address the evolving educational challenges brought on by the pandemic. The deadline for spending these funds is September 30, 2024.

A total of $5.63 billion was received by Michigan schools, with the largest allocation coming from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ESSER III). These school rescue funds have played a pivotal role in aiding schools in navigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from ensuring the safety of students and educators to providing academic interventions.

Check out MEA.org/ARP for a variety of stories about how these funds have been used.

You can find out how much money is left for your school district by visiting the Michigan Department of Education COVID-19 Spend Dashboard.

Initially, schools widely used American Rescue Plan funds to mitigate the COVID-19 virus and keep students and staff safe with supplies such as masks, air filters, and cleaning supplies. These funds were also instrumental in helping schools provide necessary technology enhancements and connectivity resources for all students.

With increased need for mental health interventions and services, funds have expanded access to counseling and social work, aided in implementing social-emotional learning programs, and provided essential resources to meet students’ behavioral needs.

Furthermore, schools are investing in professional development opportunities for educators to directly address the needs of students, including technology integration, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, and specialized academic support.

Michigan schools are also using American Rescue Plan funding to counteract learning setbacks due to the pandemic and provide specialized support to students through tutoring, educational materials, and academic interventions. Other uses of the funding have included enhancing facilities and infrastructure, improving ventilation systems, and addressing maintenance needs.

These federal funds have started to address the long-standing issue of underfunding schools, emphasizing the importance of consistent and adequate funding beyond the COVID-19 relief period.