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Q: How can districts use these funds?
- LEAs can use the funds for any of the following:
- Any activities authorized under ESSA, IDEA, Perkins, Subtitle B of McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act
- Coordinate emergency response
- Support local leaders
- Ensure preparedness and coordination
- Purchase cleaning supplies
- Purchase educational technology
- Mental health supports
- Summer learning
- Professional development
- Distance learning
Q: If a district purchases technology equipment and/or cellular data for students who could not get internet service, is this an allowable use of funds?
- Yes, this is an allowable use of CARES Act funds.
Q: Will districts be able to use CARES Act funds for salaries and/or benefits?
- Yes, this is an allowable use of CARES Act funds.
Q: We have an afterschool program and prek program that has now had to either end (afterschool), or resulted in a reduced tuition amount for prek, due to online learning. These programs now will operate at a net loss. Can we use CARES Act funds to cover lost revenue?
- Yes, this is an allowable use of CARES Act funds.
Q: I understand Pre-K salary would be allowable expense. Is this also true for After School Program wages? Want to clarify, this would be for wages paid during the closure for After school program, NOT for a summer ASP program going forward.
- Yes, these are both allowable expenses under ESSA.
Q: Can we utilize funds for parent or family engagement?
- Absolutely and family engagement should be considered a priority.
Q: If we need to have students and staff wear masks, where would we claim this expense?
- If you are unsure where to claim expenses, you can select the Other, with a justification.
Q: March 13th was our last day at school. Is it correct that we can claim any allowable expenses after that date?
- Correct.
Q: We are operating a no charge daycare for essential emergency workers can the costs for that be claimed? If so, which category does that fall?
- Yes. Any emergency costs can be claimed and would fall into the “other” category on the Use of Funds document (Appendix B).
Q: Our fee based before and after school program didn't operate and those employees filed for & received unemployment, are unemployment costs for that program eligible for this grant; what category would that be under?
- Districts would not be able to use ESSER funds to pay employees who received unemployment benefits, however, if there were costs for the program that were not covered form another source, districts could use ESSER funds.
Q: Because of the high cost resulting from the staffing needs and the manner in which meals were prepared and delivered our school lunch program lost money providing meals to students even after national school lunch program reimbursement. Can the net loss (during the covid-19 emergency) in the lunch program be claimed with these funds?
- Yes, this would be allowable in the “other” category.