June 2024 ESSER Compass Bulletin

ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) 

June 2024 ESSER Compass Update

ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) 

ESSER Close-Out Process will begin in June, contact Kimberly Kelly at kimberly.kelly@mt.gov or (406) 594-9295 to schedule an appointment. Note this process is different than the E-Grants Final Expenditure Report (FER). It includes a full review of ESSER I, II & III Budget Pages and other relevant documentation. Please complete a Return Funds form if you are returning awarded funds for any reason.

ESSER System of Support includes 6 days/week via Zoom, phone, email, text, and in person.

ESSER III Funding Requests (expenditures, cash requests, request for reimbursements):

• Schools can NOT submit expenditures/Cash Requests embedded in Final Expenditure Reports (FER)
• No Cash Requests can be processed in July due to Fiscal Year-end
  • Standard Cash Requests are due by the 25^th of each month and paid on the following 10^th
• Cross-reference E-Grants Cash Requests and FERs with their onsite accounting. Excel File provided by Corvallis Business Manager may be helpful: E-Grants Prep & Processing - Amendments & Cash Requests OPI Oct22 (pdf), (video), (Excel workbook)

ESSER Compliances (delays may occur in ESSER III if below are incomplete)

Thank you to all entities that have completed their ESSER Compliances.

• Self-Assessment is past due November 30^th, 2023.
• ESSER Budget pages detailing salaries and large projects/purchases  
• Annual Data Collection is past due on April 15^th, Thank you for submitting, we are currently reviewing the data.

ESSER ELO (Extended/Expanded Learning Opportunity) Grant (Summer 2024, Math/Reading Literacy).

• Please contact Allison Agostino at agostino@mt.gov .
• See additional examples here.

OPI Posted Resources:  

• Broadband: OPI Broadband Information or Digital Opportunity Plan or  Connectmt@mt.gov
• OPI ESSER webpage
• Department of Education ESSER FAQs
• All previous Compass newsletters (2021-22) (2023) (2024)
• The liquidation extension for CARES, CRRSA, has been extended to ARP (CCSSO Summary of DOE Liquidation, Department of Education FAQs for liquidation extensions and Template).

For further information please contact:

Wendi Fawns, ESSER/EANS Director at wendi.fawns@mt.gov  (406) 437-8595   

Rebecca Brown, ESSER Program Manager at rebecca.brown@mt.gov (406) 437-4795

Allison Agostino, Project Communication Specialist and Broadband at allison.agostino@mt.gov (406) 202-7685

Kimberly Kelly, Administrative Specialist at Kimberly.Kelly@mt.gov (406) 594-9295

Questions? Contact: 

Wendi Fawns, ESSER/EANS Director at wendi.fawns@mt.gov

Rebecca Brown, ESSER Program Manager at rebecca.brown@mt.gov

The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.