Our office works cooperatively with the Office of Business Services, Teaching and Learning, individuals schools, and instructional support staff to ensure that federal funds are managed properly and that government funds are consistently utilized across offices and schools in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws, regulations, EDGAR, Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars, and specific grant terms and conditions. To support that effort, the Federal Funding Office develops policies, and procedures and provides operational support to program personnel for best practice grant management and compliance. The Federal Funding Office works closely with the Superintendent, her Cabinet, the Board of Education, the Department of Teaching and Learning, Family and Community Engagement, Title I schools, Title II PD office, and private schools to ensure the very best program for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Federal funding has been divided over three grant sources since 2020. The CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act), CRRSA Act (Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act), and ARP Act (American Rescue Plan) provide vital support to states, local education agencies (LEAs), and schools as we work to reopen schools safely, maximize in-person instructional time, and address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, educators, and families. These funds were designed to be used to implement actionable strategies to meet the urgent needs of students and educators as LEAs and schools work to return to and safely sustain in-person instruction, address the educational inequities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and address students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs.

Generally, in determining whether an activity is an allowable use of funds, a state or LEA (local education agency) must determine the following:

1. Is the use of funds intended to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its impact on the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students? 

2. Does the use of funds fall under one of the authorized uses of ESSER funds?

3. Is the use of funds permissible under the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR Part 200)? In particular, is it necessary and reasonable for the performance of the ESSER award?

These Federal emergency resources are available for a wide range of activities to address diverse needs arising from or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, or to emerge stronger post-pandemic, including responding to students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs and continuing to provide educational services as states, LEAs, and schools respond to and recover from the pandemic. 

The ESSER Guidance document linked below has more information about the CARES and ESSER relief funds and how they can be budgeted and utilized. See pages 10-12 for allowable use of funds.

ESSER Guidance Document

Return to Learn Plan

Springfield Public Schools will make planning and budget updates based on ESSER spending reports and input from stakeholders every 6 months (September 2022, March 2023, September 2023, March 2024, September 2024).

ISBE and community reporting will be accomplished through: Summary Status Reports, Monthly Expenditure Reporting, Bi-annual Board of Education Reports, Budget Amendments as needed, COVID Dashboard to monitor COVID cases, Learning Recovery Plan, and Air Quality Upgrades and Facilities Status Updates on spending / project updates.

Performance Updates will include budget tracking documents, Board of Education reporting, vaccination updates, learning recovery plans and results, planning documents, tracking of in-person vs remote learning days, and overall school data reporting. Our website will house information about our Return to Learn Plans.