On January 18th, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education announced that every state education agency (SEA) received approval of their American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) plan before the end of December 2021. That’s $122 billion of ARP ESSER funds that school districts across the country are using to address the urgent needs of their schools with ventilation improvements, staff hiring and retention, mental health services, high-dosage tutoring programs, after-school and summer learning partnerships, and more.

This year, summer learning is going to be especially important as students are beginning to catch up and build momentum after years of disrupted in-person learning. How can you use these ESSER resources to build summer learning opportunities for your students so they can avoid the “summer slide” and continue to stay engaged when the school year ends?

This funding resource guide helps navigate ESSER and other Federal Funding sources while highlighting how Future Genius can help you secure that funding through programming that directly correlates to the initiatives of those funding sources.

ESSER I/II/III

In 2020 and 2021, Congress passed three stimulus bills that provided nearly $190.5 billion to the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). States receive funds based on the same proportion that each state receives under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title-IA. States must distribute at least 90% of funds to local education agencies (LEAs) based on their proportional share of ESEA Title I-A funds. States have the option to reserve 10% of the allocation for emergency needs as determined by the state to address issues responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), passed on March 27, 2020, provided $13.5 billion to the ESSER Fund.
• The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA), passed on Dec. 27, 2020, provided $54.3 billion in supplemental ESSER funding, known as the ESSER II fund.
• The American Rescue Plan Act passed on March 11, 2021, provided $122.7 billion in supplemental ESSER funding, known as the ESSER III fund.
• The SEAs are required to reserve their allocations to carry out activities: 5% to address learning loss, 1% for afterschool activities, and 1% for summer learning programs.
• The LEAs must reserve at least 20% of the funding they receive to address learning loss.
• Two-thirds of ESSER funds are immediately available to states while remaining funds will be made available after states submit ESSER implementation plans. The U.S. Department of Education is reviewing and approving submitted state plans. *As of January 10, 2022, all states have had their plan approved.

Using ESSER I/II/III funding for Future Genius:

Future Genius offers summer learning programs that directly correlate to ESSER I, II, & III funding intentions, including addressing learning loss, authentic assessment, professional development, and summer enrichment activities.

The Every Student Succeeds ACT (ESSA)

ESSA is our K-12 education law, which provides guidelines for how states may use federal dollars to support education programs. It offers multiple funding streams that states and districts can employ to support improvements in education. The following Titles, in particular, are important for summer enrichment programming:

TITLE I PART A: IMPROVING BASIC PROGRAMS OPERATED BY STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES

• Allocates funds to improve basic programs and ensures that economically and socially disadvantaged students receive equal opportunities to access quality education.
• Title I funds can be used in a variety of ways to help students meet state academic standards including investing in additional teachers, intervention programs, supplemental programs, technology, and professional development.

Using Title I Part A funding for Future Genius:

Future Genius delivers Project-Based Learning (PBL) that allows every student to shine in their own area of interest. Our programming also serves as Professional Development (PD) for educators interested in incorporating technology and PBL projects in their own classes after utilizing our programming in the summer. Offering summer learning to all students over the summer creates equitable opportunities for schools to close the achievement gap between lower and middle-class students.

TITLE II: PREPARING, TRAINING, AND RECRUITING HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS OR OTHER SCHOOL LEADERS

• Allocates funds to increase academic achievement by improving the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders.
• Increase the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement in schools.
• Provide low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders.

Using Title II funding for Future Genius:

Future Genius programming is designed to be accessible to teachers with minimal experience incorporating technology into PBL activities. Our training resources ensure that Future Genius instructors deliver powerful enrichment to students while building foundational and advanced knowledge of PBL—making it possible for schools to utilize summer learning for PD and increase teacher capacity.

TITLE IV PART A: STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT GRANTS (SSAE)

• Designed to help schools invest in programs that support safe and healthy students, well-rounded curriculum, and effective use of technology.
• Funds are distributed to local education agencies (LEAs) based on their Title I allocation.
• Districts must submit applications to the State describing how they plan to use the funds.

Using Title IV Part A funding for Future Genius:

Future Genius enrichment is excellent for SSAE-funded programs. All our programs are designed to be accessible, well-rounded educational summer experiences that boost academic achievement, digital literacy, and foster social and emotional well-being.

TITLE IV PART B – ​​21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS

• Serves as a supplementary program that can enhance State or local reform efforts to improve student academic achievement and to support their overall development.
• 21st CCLC funds create and expand local afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs at schools and community-based organizations.
• Supports afterschool and summer learning programs to students attending high-poverty, low-performing schools.
• Funds academic enrichment activities that help students meet state and local achievement standards.
• Designed for a broad array of additional enrichment services designed to reinforce and complement regular academic programs such as STEM programs, career and technical programs, art and music programs, and drug and violence prevention programs.
• Grant awards are for 3-5 years.

Using Title IV Part B funding for Future Genius:

Future Genius programs support this initiative providing content that can be utilized in any 21st CCLC programming. Aligned to the Common Core State Standards Initiative in both Mathematics and English Language Arts, as well as the ISTE Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards, Future Genius enrichment programs provide middle school students with a well-rounded education like no other—a summer experience designed to boost academic achievement, foster social and emotional well-being, and kickstart civic engagement in 21st-century sustainability.

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act

Perkins CTE is the principal source of federal funding to states to improve secondary and postsecondary career and technical education that fully supports the academic, career, and technical skills of secondary and post-secondary students who elect to enroll in career and technical education programs.

• The current Perkins CTE law allows the use of funds or resources in afterschool and summer programs.
• Community-based organizations serve as eligible entities and partners, supporting students in the 7th grade and above, and many states use early exposure to careers and job pathways in middle grades as a key component of their CTE programs.

Using Perkins CTE funding for Future Genius:

Future Genius programs provide early exposure to careers in game development, computer science, marketing, graphic design, environmental science, entrepreneurship, and much more! Future Genius offers alternate pathways that reduce barriers to exciting STEM careers.