Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER)

On August 5, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education approved the ARP ESSER State Plan for Montana. This gave OPI an approved roadmap for helping our great Montana schools and communities use this large influx of Federal funding to innovate and improve instruction for our Montana students. The Montana State Plan recognizes local control, removes obstacles and barriers for schools, and enhances accountability.

Montana State and District Plans

• Montana State Plan (pdf)
• Montana State Homeless Children and Youth Plan (pdf)

 

• District Plans as of August 2023 (pdf)
  • MT OPI School District ARP ESSER Plan Template (pdf)
  • Model Safe Return to Schools and Continuity of Services Plan (pdf)
• Maintenance of Equity Section 2004(c) FY2023 (pdf)
• Maintenance of Equity Section 2004(c) FY2022 (pdf)

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Stories Coming Soon

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General

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ESSER Training

• ESSER II Final Expenditure Report (FER) Close-Out May23 (pdf) | (video)
• ESSER Overview & Compliance MASBO Presentation April 3&5 (pdf)
• ESSER Allowable Reasonable Update Overview March 2023 (pdf)
• Transition Planning OPI Feb23 (pdf) | (video)
• Annual Federal Data Reporting, and School Plans OPI Feb23 (pdf) | (video)
• Grant Management 101 OPI Jan23 (pdf) | (video)
• Transition Planning OPI Jan23 (pdf) | (video) 
• School Plans and Federal Data Reporting OPI Jan23 (pdf) | (video)
• Updating School Plans, & Annual Federal Data Reporting OPI Dec22 (pdf) | (video)
• E-Grants and ESSER Grant Challenges/Errors OPI Dec22 (pdf) | (video)
• Education Connectivity & Broadband OPI Dec22 (pdf) | (video)
• New Superintendent & Clerk Tips OPI Nov22  (pdf) | (video)
• Meaningful Stakeholder Consultation & Communication OPI Nov22  (pdf)  |  (video)
• Final Expenditure Reports (FERs) OPI Nov22  (pdf)  |  (video)
• E-Grants Error Messages OPI Oct22 (pdf)  |  (video)
• E-Grants Prep & Processing - Amendments & Cash Requests OPI Oct22 (pdf)  |  (video)  |  (Excel workbook)
• Audit Trail Reports & Compliance OPI Oct22 (pdf)  |  (video)  |  (pdf Process After an Audit Finding)
• Allowable Use of Funds OPI Sep 22 (pdf) |  (video)
• E-Grants Amendments OPI Sep22 (pdf)  |  (video)
• E-Grants Cash Requests OPI Sep22 (pdf)  |  (Video)

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Specific

• ESSER II Closeout Overview Recap (video) and (pdf)
• ESSER Additional Allocation Fund Distribution Feb23 (pdf)
• Lost Instructional Time Guidance from DOE/USED (pdf)
• Recruitment and Retention DOE Aug22 (pdf)
• ESSER II Liquidation Extension DOE May23 (pdf)
• ESSER II Liquidation Extension Template DOE May23 (Excel)
• ESSER I Liquidation Extension FAQ DOE Dec22 (pdf)
• Construction and Late Liquidation DOE May 2022 (pdf)
• Construction Preventing, Preparing for or Responding to Covid CCSSO Dec 2021 (pdf)
• Construction Slide DOE Sep 2021 (pdf)
• Construction & Capital Expenditure DOE Oct 2021 (Video)
• DUN UEI Fact Sheet DOE May 2022 (pdf)
• Staffing Labor Shortages DOE Dec 2021 (pdf)
• FAQ Use of Funds for Student Transportation DOE 2021 (pdf)
• ESSER Fund Review Chart Comparison (pdf)
• ESSER I Grant Guidelines (pdf)
• ESSER II Guidance Document (pdf)
• ESSER III Guidance Document (pdf)
• MOEquity Level of Maintenance Section 2004 C October 2023 (Downloaded Excel)
• MOEquity Level of Maintenance Section 2004 C FY 2022 (Downloaded Excel)
• FAQ MOEquity DOE and Chart February 2022 (pdf)
• FAQ MOEquity DOE August 2021 (pdf)
• FAQ MOEquity DOE June 2021 (pdf)
• Lead Remediation Reimbursement Grant (pdf)
• Lead Remediation Letter (pdf)
• Lead in School Program Timeline (pdf)
• Lead Map of School Building Tests as of July 25, 2022 (pdf)
• ESSER Funding Use Pannel Discussion Jan23 (video)

• 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• Accreditation & Educator Preparation
• English Language Arts
• Indian Education for All
• Social Emotional Learning Competencies
• Title Program
• Tribal Relations & Resiliency

Allocation Updates

• ESSER Additional Allocation Fund Distribution - HB630, HB632, etc. 2023 (pdf)
• ESSER HB630&32 Distribution Chart Jan23 (pdf)
• ESSER HB630&32 Increase BASE 2023 (pdf)
• ESSER HB630&32 Distribution Chart 2022 (pdf)
• ESSER HB630&32 Additional Support Payment Mar22 (pdf)

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Status Updates

• District August 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• District July 2023 Status Report(pdf)
• District June 2023 Status Report (Fiscal year closeout status same as May) (pdf)
• District May 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• District April 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• District March 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• Trustee March 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• District February 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• Trustee February 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• District January 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• Trustee January 2023 Status Report (pdf)
• District December 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• Trustee December 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• District November 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• Trustee November 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• District October 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• Trustee October 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• District September 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• Trustee September 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• District August 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• Trustee August 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• June 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• May 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• March 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• February 2022 Status Report (pdf)
• December 2021 Status Report (pdf)

• E-Grants Amendment Template OPI Dec22 (pdf)
• E-Grants Budget Template OPI Dec22 (pdf)
• E-Grants Cash Request Template OPI Dec22 (pdf)
• Fund Coding Categories (object codes and funding categories) (pdf)
• Transition from DUNS to UEI Number (pdf) (FSD.gov)
• Turning off Pop-Up Blockers (pdf)
• E-Grants Public Access Manual 2022 (pdf)
• E-Grants How to Delete an Amendment (pdf)
• E-Grants Finding Feedback on Amendments & Cash Requests (pdf)
• E-Grants Security User Guide (new users, modifying/updating Authorized Representative) (pdf)
• E-Grant How to Access (pdf)
• E-Grant Creating Amendments User Guide (pdf)
• MT OPI School District ARP ESSER Plan Template (pdf)
• Desk Audit Manual with Forms (pdf)
  • ESSER Audit Information OPI Dec22 (pdf)
  • ESSER Audit Process After a Finding OPI Dec22 (pdf)
  • ESSER Criteria and Data Points
  • ESSER Criteria and Data Points Response Sheet
  • ESSER Monitoring Point of Contact Final
  • MT OPI ESSER Internal Control and Subrecipient Monitoring Plan

General

• ESSER Funding Timeline (pdf)
• FAQ ESSER and GEER Use of Funds DOE May 2021 (pdf)
• Accelerated & Evidence-Based Resources OPI (pdf)
• Lost Instructional Time Guidance DOE Aug 2021 (pdf)
• Strategies to Utilize ESSER FutureEd Jun 2021 (pdf)

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Specific

• ESSER I Liquidation Extension DOE Sep22 (pdf)
• ESSER I Liquidation Extension Template DOE Sep22 (Excel)
• Construction Preventing, Preparing for or Responding to Covid CCSSO Dec 2021 (pdf)
• Construction Slides DOE Sept 2021 (pdf)
• Construction & Capital Expenditure DOE Oct 2021 (video)
• FAQ Maintenance of Equity DOE June 2021 (pdf)
• Staffing Labor Shortages DOE Apr 2021 (pdf)
• FAQ Use of Funds for Student Transportation (pdf)
• Montana Broadband Access (video)

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ESSER Training

Guidance

• ESSER/EANS Providing Equitable Services Under the Cares Act Programs (pdf)
• ESSER Equitable Share Calculation Template (pdf)
• Determining Equitable Share for Private and Home Schools for the ESSER Grant (pdf)
• Maintenance of Equity Section 2004(c) FY2023 (pdf)
• Maintenance of Equity Section 2004(c) FY 2022  (pdf)
• FAQ Maintenance of Equity DOE July 2022 (pdf)
• Mode of Equity MOE and Chart February 2022 (pdf)
• Mode of Equity MOE FAQ August 2021 (pdf)
• Mode of Equity MOE FAQ June 2021 (pdf)
• Montana State HCY Application (pdf)
• Stakeholder Engagement Full Report (pdf)
• ARPA Internal Control & Subrecipient Monitoring Plan (pdf)
• MT OPI School District ARP ESSER Plan Template (pdf)
• Accelerated & Evidence-Based Instruction (pdf)
• Sample Stakeholder Survey for LEAs (pdf)
• Sample District Meaningful Stakeholder Consultation Bulletin for LEAs (pdf)
• Lost Instructional Time Guidance from USED (pdf)