The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, which passed in March 2021, continues support to Nonpublic Schools through the Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS) program. This program is often referred to as EANS II or ARP EANS. This program provides funding for emergency assistance to nonpublic schools. North Dakota's EANS II award is $4,151,371.
Regulations for EANS II require the state educational agency (SEA) to only provide services or assistance to nonpublic schools that enroll a significant percentage of low-income students AND are most impacted by the COVID-19 emergency. Additionally, it does not allow the state to use EANS II funds to provide reimbursements directly to nonpublic schools.
A nonpublic school may apply to receive services or assistance through a public partner to address educational disruptions resulting from COVID-19 for:
A. Supplies to sanitize, disinfect, and clean school facilities
B. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
C. Improving ventilation systems, including windows or portable air purification systems
D. Training and professional development for staff on sanitization, the use of PPE, and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases
E. Physical barriers to facilitate social distancing
F. Other materials, supplies, or equipment recommended by the CDC for reopening and operation of school facilities to effectively maintain health/safety
G. Expanding capacity to administer coronavirus testing to effectively monitor and suppress the virus
H. Educational technology
I. Redeveloping instructional plans for remote or hybrid learning or to address learning loss
J. Leasing sites or spaces to ensure social distancing
K. Reasonable transportation costs
L. Initiating and maintaining education and support services or assistance for remote or hybrid learning or to address learning loss
Note:
- Under EANS II, the NDDPI is prohibited from providing reimbursements to nonpublic schools. No funds are directly provided to nonpublic schools.
- A public agency gains title to materials, equipment, and property purchased under this program and must be labeled as property of the public entity.
- 34 C.F.R. § 76.661 requires that equipment and supplies purchased with EANS II funds must be able to be removed from a nonpublic school without remodeling the school facility.
- None of the services or assistance requested in the application can have already been supported by state or federal program funds.
- All services or assistance requested, including any materials, equipment, and other items used to provide such services or assistance, must be utilized for secular, neutral, and non-ideological purposes.
- Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) - U.S. Education Department's website for the ARP EANS (EANS II) program.
- OESE Frequently Asked Questions - U.S. Education Department's website for the ARP EANS (EANS II) frequently asked questions.
- Dickinson Trinity North ($120,045.20)
- Dickinson Trinity West ($19,234.47)
- St. Bernard Mission School ($86,936.32)
- St. Michaels Elem School ($215,600)
Per section 312(d)(6) of the ARP, the remaining $3,659,555 of unobligated funds were returned to the North Dakota Office of the Governor for any authorized use under the GEER II Fund. These funds will be administered by the North Dakota Office of the Governor.
- February 14, 2022: U.S. Department of Education awards EANS II funding to North Dakota
- February 24, 2022: NDDPI posts low-income threshold, COVID-19 data requirements, and EANS II information
- March 14, 2022: NDDPI posts EANS II nonpublic school application and notifies nonpublic schools via email
- March 16 – April 7, 2022: EANS II Webinar Series
- April 21, 2022: Application deadline (Extended due to snowstorm)
- May 14, 2022: Last day for NDDPI to approve/deny applications
- May 30, 2022: NDDPI notifies nonpublic schools of their approval
- August 14, 2022: NDDPI obligates EANS II funds (i.e., NDDPI contracts with public partners as service providers) no later than six months after receiving the funds
- July 1, 2022 – September 30, 2024: Nonpublic schools receive services and assistance
The NDDPI hosted a series of webinars for the EANS II program.