August 2024 ESSER Compass Bulletin

ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) 

ESSER Close-Out Process began in July 2024, 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.

• An email on ESSER spending and compliances for each District was sent in July to start the Close-Out Process.
• If you did not receive an email by July 15, 2024, check your spam and contact ESSER Meet the Team.

ESSER III Closeout Deadlines

• Amendments are due by September 30, 2024.
• Cash Requests (final request for reimbursements) are due by October 25, 2024.
  • ESSER III FERs do not permit embedded expenditures.
• Final Expenditure Reports(FERs) due by November 10, 2024.

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

• ESSER Team regularly sends out reminder/status district reports. On the OPI website is posted a Monthly District Status Report on allocation and remaining balance.

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

• Schools can NOT submit expenditures/Cash Requests embedded in Final Expenditure Reports (FER)
• 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 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 III 20% Set-Aside - Schools cannot return Lost Instructional Time (LIT) funds

• Schools are required to spend 20% of ESSER III on Lost Instructional Time (LIT). 

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

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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.