​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ESSER/GEER Extra

Charter School Tuition

As a reminder, ESSER funds may not be used to directly pay charter school tuition, because it is not an allowable use of funds under the ARP Act and does not constitute an obligation under 34 CFR § 76.707. However, school districts facing shortfalls in other budget areas due to increases in charter school tuition can use ARP ESSER funds to cover shortfalls where they represent an allowable use under section 2001(e)(2) and the expenditure meets all components of the three-part test for allowability (YouTube) (e.g., an allowable use under the ARP Act; the expenditure assists the LEA with preventing, preparing for, or responding to COVID-19; and the expenditure is reasonable and necessary under Uniform Guidance).

For example, if an LEA commits to paying a certain number of staff but because of the number of students who enroll in a charter school due to COVID-19, the LEA has insufficient state funds to pay those staff, the LEA may use ESSER funds to meet that obligation. Review ARP ESSER FAQs.

ESSER Questionnaire

Thank you to all education entities that submitted their 2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaires, which were due on June 28, 2024.  It is imperative that all entities that are overdue submit their questionnaire in FedMonitor as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

ESSER Town Hall

The next ESSER Town Hall will be held on July 24, 2024, from 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM, and the topic will cover 2024-2025 ESSER Monitoring.  An overview of the monitoring cycle will be provided, along with helpful tips entities can use to prepare for upcoming ESSER monitoring visits. To join the meeting, please use the following Zoom Meeting Link.

ESSER Questionnaire

Thank you to all education entities that summitted their 2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaires, which were due on June 28, 2024. As a reminder, the completion of this questionnaire is required, and late submission may impact your entity's risk score. It is imperative that all entities that are overdue submit their questionnaire in FedMonitor as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

SAM.gov

Please be aware of sophisticated emails and communication that appear to be from SAM.gov that will solicit payment to renew registration. SAM.gov is free and will never ask for payment. Please see this article from GSA: Don't Take the Bait: Beware of Misleading Marketing, Imposters, and Phishing for more information.

Save the Date

The next ESSER Town Hall will be held on July 24, 2024, from 1:30PM – 3:00PM, and the topic will be 2024-2025 ESSER Monitoring. An overview of the monitoring cycle will be provided, along with helpful tips entities can use to prepare for upcoming ESSER monitoring visits.

ESSER Questionnaire

The 2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaire must be completed by June 28, 2024. The completion of this questionnaire is required, and late submission may impact your entity's risk score. If you have any questions, please contact ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Health and Safety Plan

As a reminder, the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act requires each local education agency (LEA) that receives funding under Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) to review its Health and Safety plan at least every six months during the grant period and post them on the LEA's publicly available website. Visit Health and Safety Plans for specific requirements.

Save the Date

The next ESSER Town Hall will be held on July 24, 2024, from 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM, and the topic will be 2024-2025 ESSER Monitoring.  An overview of the monitoring cycle will be provided, along with helpful tips entities can use to prepare for upcoming ESSER monitoring visits.

​Upcoming Deadline - ESSER Questionnaire

The 2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaire is now available in FedMonitor. Entities must complete the questionnaire by June 28, 2024. As a reminder, completing this questionnaire is required, and late submission may impact your entity's risk score. For helpful instructions on accessing FedMonitor, please visit Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Integrated Monitoring System (pdeims.com).  Here you will find step-by-step instructions on IMS, adding new users in FedMonitor, sharing access to questionnaire (user assignment) and more. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

ARP ESSER Set-Asides

If you have unspent set-aside funding, please attend an upcoming ESSER Weekly Office Hours to ask a question or reach out to your Regional Coordinator.  As a reminder, ARP ESSER expenditures must be obligated by September 30, 2024, and liquidated by December 29, 2024. If you have questions on spending your remaining funding, please reach out soon since these deadlines are approaching.

Program and Budget Revisions

An Interim Revision is required for significant changes to the ESSER application, such as adding a new expenditure not included in the approved application and removing an expenditure from the approved application. Education entities can visit PDE's website for detailed instructions on submitting a Budget Revision Request for ESSER II (PDF) and ARP ESSER (PDF).

CDC Releases Guidance

On May 17, 2024, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released consolidated, evidence-based guidance for preventing the spread of infections in K-12 schools.​

​2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaire

The 2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaire is now available in FedMonitor. Entities must complete the questionnaire by June 28, 2024. Entities are strongly encouraged to complete the questionnaire as soon as possible.  As a reminder, the completion of this questionnaire is required, and late submission may impact your entity's risk score. If you have any questions, please contact ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Assigning Additional Questionnaire Users in FedMonitor Instructions

If you have FedMonitor access but cannot access the questionnaire, your entity's FedMonitor Administrator would need to grant you access to the individual application in the FedMonitor system. Please see detailed instructions below.

• FedMonitor Admin login to https://www.pdeims.com.
• Select the Bureau of Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction/Division of Federal Programs and click on FedMonitor.
  • Select Administration
  • Click on User Accounts
  • Select the username from the list
  • Select FedMonitor Applications access for the user
  • Click ESSER Questionnaire
  • Click Update User

Updating Chief School Administrator (CSA): Each entity must have one FedMonitor Administrator assigned. An entity's CSA or Superintendent is the default LEA Administrator when another user has not been assigned. If your entity's CSA has changed, please email ra-edims@pa.gov.

Updating Password: PDE receives many requests for support in updating login information or managing access in IMS for FedMonitor, which will be necessary to access the ESSER Questionnaire. If you need assistance, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov​​

2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaire
The 2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaire will be available in FedMonitor on June 10, 2024.  Entities will receive further communication with instructions to complete the questionnaire by June 28, 2024. Entities are strongly encouraged to complete the questionnaire as soon as possible.  As a reminder, the completion of this questionnaire is required, and late submission may impact your entity's risk score. If you have any questions, please contact ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
 
Equipment and Property Town Hall
If you missed a Town Hall Meeting, please visit PDE's website​ to view previous presentations and recordings under the PDE ESSER Technical Assistance Training section. The Equipment and Property Town Hall slides from May 22, 2024, are now available on PDE's website.

Coming Soon - 2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaire

The Pennsylvania Department of Education ESSER Monitoring team anticipates sharing the 2024-2025 ESSER Questionnaire in June 2024. Entities will receive formal communication with instructions to complete the questionnaire in FedMonitor. More information will be available soon.  
 
Accessing FedMonitor – PDE receives many requests for support in updating login information or managing access in IMS for FedMonitor, which will be necessary to access the ESSER Questionnaire. If you need assistance, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.
 
Cybersecurity Preparedness
The Office of State and Grantee Relations was made aware that some education entities may be vulnerable to fraud and cybersecurity threats involving their ESSER, GEER, and EANS programs. The Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center has resources available for state and local entities to ensure they are well prepared to address cybersecurity in their emergency management planning efforts and manage a potential cybersecurity incident.

Conquering ESSER Monitoring

If you are preparing for an upcoming monitoring visit, please review the Pennsylvania Department of Education's website for useful information.  Available on the website are resources for on-site and virtual monitoring, along with training materials and a checklist to prepare for an ESSER monitoring visit (PDF). If you have questions about your upcoming monitoring visit, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Updating FedMonitor Password Reminder
Please note that FedMonitor requires an update to your password credentials every 60 days to continue accessing the monitoring website and all resources available to your entity. If you need assistance, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Procurement

The Pennsylvania Department of Education ESSER Monitoring Team recently presented The (Pro) Cure to Federal Procurement Compliance at the Pennsylvania Federal Programs Coordinator Annual Conference.  Additional information and resources on procurement are available on PDE's website under the PDE ESSER Technical Assistance Training section.

Davis-Bacon Act

In February 2024, the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) shared a letter to grantees in follow-up to their webinar in December 2023 (PDF) that outlines responsibilities for state and local education entities in monitoring Davis-Bacon wage requirements, along with possible remedies for non-compliance.

Upcoming ESSER Townhall Meetings

The next ESSER Townhall Meeting is scheduled for May 22, 2024, from 1:30 – 3:00 PM, Join Zoom Meeting: Zoom Link. The topic is Equipment and Property Management.

ARP ESSER Closeout

The Pennsylvania Department of Education recently presented Finishing Strong: ARP ESSER Program and Closeout at the Pennsylvania Federal Programs Coordinator Annual Conference.  The presentation slides are a helpful resource for timelines, allowable uses, and closeout.  Additional information and resources on closeout are available on PDE's website under the PDE ESSER Technical Assistance Training section.

Important ARP ESSER Dates:

• Period of Performance: March 13, 2024 – September 30, 2024
• Obligation Deadline: September 30, 2024
• PDE Liquidation Deadline: December 29, 2024 

Upcoming ESSER Townhall Meetings

The next ESSER Townhall Meeting is scheduled for May 22, 2024, from 1:30 – 3:00 PM, Join Zoom Meeting: Zoom Link. The topic is Equipment and Property Management.

Accessing FedMonitor FAQs

Password

Please note that FedMonitor requires an update to your password credentials every 60 days to continue accessing the monitoring website and all resources available to your entity. If you need assistance, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Adding New Users

If an entity needs to add users to the FedMonitor system, the Chief School Administrator (CSA) would need to add team members to the system under the “Admin Functions" tab by selecting “My Team".  For detailed instructions or assistance, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Updating Chief School Administrator (CSA)

If your entity's CSA has changed, please email ra-edims@pa.gov.

Training Materials

Copies of slides from recent Townhall Meetings and conference presentations are posted at the bottom of the Pennsylvania Department of Education website, in the section titled PDE ESSER Technical Assistance Trainings.

Upcoming ESSER Townhall Meetings

The next ESSER Townhall Meeting is scheduled for May 22, 2024, from 1:30 – 3:00 PM, Join Zoom Meeting: Zoom Link. The topic is Equipment and Property Management.

Financial Reporting

As a reminder, to produce clear, accurate, uniform, and consistent financial reporting, the Pennsylvania School Code requires entities to maintain financial records in accordance with the Pennsylvania Chart of Accounts, which is consistent with financial reporting guidance provided in the Manual of Accounting and Financial Reporting.  Additionally, 2 CFR 200.302(b)(3) requires non-Federal entities to maintain records that identify adequately the source and application of funds for federally funded activities.

The Manual of Accounting and Chart of Accounts (PDF) are available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education's web​si​te​.

Upcoming ESSER Townhall Meetings

The next ESSER Townhall Meeting is scheduled for May 22, 2024, from 1:30 – 3:00 PM, and the topic is Equipment and Property Management. Join Zoom Meeting: ESSER Townhall Zoom Link.

Updated Uniform Grant Guidance

The Office of Management and Budget released in April 2024 an updated version of the Uniform Guidance and issued an accompanying implementation memorandum as well as reference guides. Entities should become familiar with the updated guidance and ensure compliance with the revisions by October 1, 2024.

ESSER Townhall Meetings

The next ESSER Townhall Meeting is scheduled for May 22, 2024, from 1:30 – 3:00 PM, Join Zoom Meeting: Zoom Link. The topic is Equipment and Property Management. If you missed a recent Townhall Meeting, please visit PDE's website to view previous presentations and recordings under the PDE ESSER Technical Assistance Training section.​

Internal Controls

As a reminder, non-Federal entities are required to maintain effective internal control over Federal awards. Internal controls are the processes designed and implemented by entities to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of objectives in the following categories: effectiveness and efficiency of operations, reliability of reporting for internal and external use, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. A few examples of internal controls are segregation of duties, regular audits, maintaining accurate and complete financial records, and confirming proper authorizations and approval of transactions. These controls help to prevent errors, detect fraud, and provide a clear audit trail of financial activities.

For more guidance on this topic, please review 2 CFR 200.303 and the Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) website.

Common Observations

The most common observation categories that PDE's Monitoring Team observe are procurement and financial management. Please be aware of the guidance by reviewing resources on PDE's website for financial management (PDF) and procurement (PDF), along with Uniform Grant Guidance.

Mitigating Duplication of Benefits

An education entity's paid portion of Pennsylvania State Educators Retirement System (PSERS) retirement benefits is an allowable expense to be allocated to ESSER. Since PSERS reimburses entities on a quarterly basis on a pre-determined percentage of employee retirement contributions, entities must proactively deduct the PSERS reimbursement amount from the overall grant allocation amount for each employee. For example, if the entity contributed $2,000 in PSERS contributions, and the LEA's reimbursement rate is 50%, then $1,000 should not be included in the grant allocation amount. For more information on salaries and benefits (PDF), visit the Pennsylvania Department of Educat​ion's website.

Updating FedMonitor Password Reminder

Please note that FedMonitor requires an update to your password credentials every 60 days to continue accessing the monitoring website and all resources available to your entity. If you need assistance, please email RA-EDESSERMonitor@pa.gov.

Contract Provisions

A common observation by the PDE Monitoring Team is entities not having the required written contract terms and conditions with vendors. Best practices include training staff on required provisions; requesting in the initial Request for Proposals and public advertisements that contracts are to require the terms and conditions set forth in 2 CFR 200.327 where applicable; and implementing steps to confirm that these terms and conditions are included in the contract. Entities that do not have these terms and conditions as part of vendor contracts must work with vendors to create a contract amendment that include the required terms and conditions and archive the amendment in their files. Failure to comply with required procurement procedures could result in having to return funding or loss of funding. For additional information, please view 2 CFR 200.327 and Appendix II.

Davis-Bacon Act

As a reminder, per 40 U.S.C. 3141 et seq., the Davis-Bacon Act is a federal law that requires the local prevailing wage on federally funded contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alternation, and/or repair, including painting and decorating, of public buildings or public works (PDF).  For more information, please visit PDE website.

Cross Checking for Debarment

The U.S. Government's System for Award Management (SAM.gov) registration and cross checking for debarment is required for government contracts and to receive grants. SAM.gov is a free website that allows businesses and government entities to register on to do business with the U.S. Government.

Education entities must use SAM.gov to reduce the risk of awarding contracts to debarred or suspended vendors in accordance with 2 CFR 200.214. Debarred or suspended vendors are excluded from doing business with the Federal government. Any payment for goods or services to excluded vendors is subject to clawback provisions.

Since entities receiving Federal funds are required to have an active registration, there is no cost associated with the website. Beware of third-party vendors offering to register your entity on SAM.gov.  Registering is free, quick, and easy.

To check an entity's status on SAM.gov, login using your login.gov credentials and use the search tab to run the entity's name against the database. Information that will appear regarding the entity includes registration status, Unique Entity Identification (UEI), debarment/suspension status, and other important entity information.

ESSER Town Hall Meetings

The next ESSER Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for May 22, 2024, and the topic is Equipment and Property Management. There will be no ESSER Town Hall Meeting in March and April due to the ESSER Monitoring Team providing trainings at Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials' (PASBO) Conference in March and the Pennsylvania Federal Programs Coordinator's (PAFPC) Annual Conference in April.

If you missed a recent Town Hall Meeting, please visit PDE's​ website to view previous presentations and recordings under the ​PDE ESSER Technical Assistance Training section​. If you have suggestions for upcoming ESSER Town Hall Meeting topics, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

PAFPC Conference

It's not too late to register for the PAFPC Annual Conference.  The conference will be held at The Westin in Pittsburgh from April 14, 2024, through April 17, 2024. The conference will provide all the necessary content education entities need to manage and run all programs related to federal funding.

Upcoming Deadline

As a reminder, education entities must submit their ESSER 2022-23 Fiscal Year Report no later than March 8, 2024. The ESSER 2022-23 Fiscal Year Report was developed and is required by the United States Department of Education. Completion and submission of this report are conditions of continued receipt of ESSER funds.  Please visit The Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) Reporting website for detailed instructions and more information.

Program and Budget Revisions

An Interim Revision is required for significant changes to the ESSER application, such as adding a new expenditure not included in the approved application and removing an expenditure from the approved application. During the monitoring process, the PDE Monitoring Team has seen an increase in the following observation: the Subrecipient did not submit a budget revision where variances to the approved budget exceeded twenty percent by function code. Education entities can visit PDE's website for detailed instructions on submitting a Budget Revision Request for ESSER II (PDF) and ARP ESSER (PDF). If you are unsure if you need to complete the process, please email your Regional Coordinator for more information. 

Salaries and benefits – this includes wages and the corresponding fringe benefits paid to employees during the period of performance under the federal award for allowable services.

Employees' salaries and employer paid benefits can be allocated to the ESSER grants if the activities are permitted and align with the LEA's payroll policy. Also, please ensure that these activities are properly documented.

Reimbursable activities include: Staff salaries; individual school needs; preparedness/response efforts; sanitization; learning loss for at risk students; planning and coordinating long-term closures; summer learning and after school programs.

Please see 2 CFR 200.430(i) and 200.431 for more guidance here: eCFR :: 2 CFR Part 200 -- Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards

Want to hear more about Salaries and Benefits? Tune in to our Townhall discussion with the ESSER Monitoring Team on February 21, 2024!

Reminder: The 2024 Annual PAFPC Conference will be held this year at the Westin in Pittsburgh, PA. You'll have an opportunity to learn more about ESSER during the conference.

Conference dates are April 14-17, 2024. Register at www.pafpc.org.

ESSER 2022-23 Fiscal Year Reporting

Education entities can begin submitting the ESSER 2022-23 Fiscal Year Report beginning Monday, February 12th, 2024. Entities are encouraged to submit their report as soon as possible and no later than March 8th, 2024. The report is required by the U.S. Department of Education. Completion and submission of this report are conditions for continued receipt of ESSER funds. For detailed instructions and more information, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) Reporting website. 

Importance of Proper Fiscal Management

During the monitoring process, the PDE Monitoring Team has observed several issues related to procurement and financial management, such as missing purchase orders, general ledgers not being reconciled, and incomplete budget revisions.  Please be aware of the financial management guidance by reviewing resources on PDE's website and ensure that your entity follows Uniform Grant Guidance.  Accurate financial management is an expectation of all federal funding. 

Townhall Trainings

Did you miss the recent ESSER Town Hall Training?  If so, copies of slides and training recordings are posted at the bottom of the Pennsylvania Department of Education website in the section titled PDE ESSER Technical Assistance Trainings.

Interest Earned from Federal Grants

Grantees and sub-grantees must remit interest earned on federal advance payments to the federal agency (2 CFR 200.305).

Grantees and sub-grantees may retain interest amounts up to $500 per year for related administrative expenses. Interest earned greater than $500 on federal advance payments deposited in interest-bearing accounts must be remitted annually to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System (PMS) through an electronic medium using either Automated Clearing House (ACH) network or a Fedwire Funds Service payment.

For instructions on returning interest earned, please visit United States Department of Health and Human Services website. To learn more on interest earned from federal grants, please review the financial management (PDF) information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education website.

Save the Date

The Annual Pennsylvania Federal Programs Coordinator (PAFPC) Conference will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from April 14^th, 2024, through April 17^th, 2024.  Please visit PAFPC's website for more information on upcoming events.

ESSER 2022-23 Fiscal Year Reporting

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) requires all entities receiving Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to report on their use of funds annually.

The ESSER Report seeks to assess the expenditures of ESSER funds, identify the interventions and activities implemented with ESSER funds, and understand planned uses of funds in the next fiscal years. This report has been developed by and is required by USDE. Completion and submission of this report is a condition of continued receipt of ESSER funds.

The ESSER Report instructions and template are now available. For detailed instructions and more information, please visit The Pennsylvania De​partment of Education Reporting website.  Education Entities can access the District Fact reporting template for year 4, designated by v4 in the heading, via the PIMS Excel Reporting Tools website. ​

The ESSER Report must be submitted by March 8th, 2024.  Please be aware of the following timelines:

• PIMS Sandbox will open on January 29th, 2024
• PIMS Production will open on February 12th, 2024
• Collection will close on March 8th, 2024

Conquering ESSER Monitoring

If you are preparing for an upcoming monitoring visit, please review the Pennsylvania Department of Education's website for useful information.  Available on the website are resources for on-site and virtual monitoring, along with training materials and a checklist to prepare for an ESSER monitoring visit (PDF). If you have questions about your upcoming monitoring visit, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Personally Identifiable Information

As a reminder, please ensure that all personally identifiable information (PII) is redacted before uploading supporting documentation. Per 2 CFR 200.79, PII means information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, either alone, or when combined with other personal identifying information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual.

Examples of PII include, but are not limited to, any combination of the following personal identifiable attributes:  Name; Date and Place of Birth; Mother's Maiden Name; Biometric Records; Social Security Numbers (which includes the last four digits); Driver's License/State ID Number; Passport Number; Medicare ID; Student Addresses/Healthcare Records/Social Security Number (which includes student's name on invoices for services); Financial Account Numbers; & Personal Bank Account/Credit Card Numbers.

Properly Redacting Personally Identifiable Information

If your organization has a copy of Adobe Pro, you can use the “Redact" tools found within the program. If you are sending digital files, but do not have a copy of Adobe Pro, you will need to remove the data from the file before you create a PDF. This may involve deleting columns of information or deselecting items to include in auto-generated reports. If you are sharing physical files, you can use a permanent marker to black out the information. However, you should hold it up to a light to confirm that the data is redacted. You may need to use a permanent marker on both sides of the paper. If this does not work, you may need to cut out the sections that contain PII.  Redaction is not using a black sharpie to cross out numbers, but they're still legible, along with covering documents with shapes that are able to be deleted.

To learn more about PII, please review General/Entity Level Standards (PDF) information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education's website.

Questionnaires

Thank you to all ​​education entities that submitted their 2023-2024 ESSER Questionnaires, which were due in October 2023.  As a reminder, late submissions of questionnaires affect risk scores.  Therefore, it is imperative that all education entities that are overdue submit their questionnaire in FedMonitor as soon as possible.  If you have questions or need assistance, please email ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Report​​ing

ESSER Reporting i​​​s coming soon! United States Department of Education has shared updates to expect for ESSER Fiscal Year Reporting.  The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is updating processes for collecting ESSER data to reflect those changes and will issue guidance and due dates for reporting to school entities soon.

Program Closeout

PDE has received many​​ questions regarding program closeout for ESSER II.  A great resource for information is the Tech​nical Assistance Program Closeout (PDF) presentation slides on PDE's website. It is important to note that ESSER II Closeout Documentation can be uploaded to the “General – Mod/High for any Program" folder in FedMonitor.  The documentation for ESSER II that must be uploaded is a finalized general ledger, final expenditure report, and most recent approved budget.  

Technical Assistance Train​​​ings

Recent technical assistance presentation slides are available on the Pennsylvania Depart​​ment of Education's (PDE) website. If you missed any of the following topics or would like the slides for reference, please visit the following links:

• Procurement Train​ing (PDF)
• Financial Management Training (PDF)
  
• Program Closeout Training (PDF)

Do you have suggestions for technical assistance training topics? If so, please email your feedback to ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Misleading & Phishing Emails
Please be aware of sophisticated emails that appear to be from SAM.gov that will solicit payment to renew registration. SAM.gov is free and will never ask for payment. Please see this article from GSA: Don't Take the Bait: Beware of Misleading Marketing, Imposters, and Phishing for more informatio

​
​

Important Reminder – If you have not submitted your Final Expense Report (FER) or late liquidation request for ESSER II, please contact your Regional Coordinator as soon as possible. 

Accessing FedMonitor – We have received many requests for support in updating login information or managing access in IMS for FedMonitor. If you need assistance, please email RA-EDESSERMonitor@pa.gov.  Please note that FedMonitor requires an update to your password credentials every 60 days to continue accessing the monitoring website and all resources available to your entity. 
 
How can we help you?  Did you know that ARP ESSER FAQs are on Pennsylvania Department of Education website, along with Q&A session notes from the Pennsylvania Federal Programs Coordinator Conference.  These are great resources for additional information.   

As a reminder, please make sure you are familiar with cost allowability u​​​nder Uniform Grant Guidance, 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E - Basic Considerations.

1. Factors Affectin​​g Allowability of Costs
   Costs must be necessary and reasonable, conform to limitations or exclusions, be consistent with policies and procedures, be accorded consistent treatment, be determined in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), not be included as a cost share portion of any other federal program, be adequately documented, and incurred during the budget period. For more information, please review CFR 200.403 - Factors Affecting Allowability of Costs.
   

2. Unallowa​​ble Cost
   Payments made for costs determined to be unallowable must be refunded, as indicated in 2 CFR 200.410 - Collection of Unallowable Costs. To view unallowable cost guidance, please visit Pennsylvania’s Department of Education website.
   

3. Prior Written​ Approval
   Another factor in allowability may be the requirement for prior written approval. Please review 2 CFR 200.407 - Prior Written Approval to ensure compliance.

When Did You Last Review Your Health and Safety Plan?

As a reminder, the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act requires each local education agency (LEA) that receives funding under Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) to review its Health and Safety Plans at least every six months during the grant period. The Act also requires LEAs to review and update their plans whenever there are significant changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for K-12 schools. Revisions must be informed by comm​unity input and reviewed and approved by the governing body prior to posting on the LEA's publicly available website. See Health and Safety Plans for specific requirements. ​

Federal Procureme​​nt Guidance

What is procurement? The act ​of purchasing goods or services from an external organization. Procurement requirements standards in 2 CFR 200.318 through 200.327 apply to non-federal entities using federal funds. Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding. See  General procurement standards. Remember, there are training materials to help you better understand procurement located on Monitoring of LEAs' Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs.

2023-2024 ESSER​​​ Monitoring, Cycle Timeline

The current cycle of ESSER monitoring began in October 2023 and will conclude in July 2024. The first p​eriod of visits (Oct. 2023 – Feb. 2024) is reserved for subrecipients deemed currently ready for ESSER II closeout.

Criteria used to determine closeou​​t readiness:

• ESSER II Final Expenditure Report (FER) has been submitted.
• ESSER II FER has not been submitted but is due for submission because ESSER II was fully expended per quarterly reports as of 6/30/23. 

Scheduling letters for this population were sent on Sept. 21, 2023. The remaining population receiving v​​isits will be monitored during the second period of the upcoming cycle (March through July 2024). Please note that this population will also be receiving ESSER II closeout reviews during monitoring. The next round of scheduling letters is expected to be sent in November 2023 once the first scheduling group is complete.​

Using ESSER II and ARP ESSER funds for multi-year contracts.  

Local education agencies (LEA) should review the June 26th guidance from the U.S. Department of Education before determining whether their circumstance meets the criteria for a multi-year contract. See TA-on-activities-continuing-beyond

2022-2023 ESSER Monitoring ended September 30, 2023

Accomplishing ESSER monitoring of this magnitude was no easy task for the PDE team or subrecipients. Over the past 12 months, the monitoring team and many other talented individuals monitored all subrecipients using a questionnaire and on-site or virtual visits. Pennsylvania has not previously dealt with educational grants of this dollar value. The combined funding provided through ESSER grants (ESSER II, ESSER II, and ARP ESSER) is more than $8 billion.   

Feedback collected from PDE subrecipients during the monitoring process helped PDE to identify areas of success and improvement. In the coming months, the team will share what they learned with schools with the hope of enhancing existing practices and processes. The Department also will use subrecipient feedback to improve the monitoring process. 

2023-2024 ESSER Monitoring - What to Expect

The process for subrecipients to submit data and have it reviewed for 2023-2024 monitoring will be the same as 2022-2023. However, thanks to your feedback and suggestions (we heard you!), the Department is changing the method our analysts use to view processes, procedures, and data.  For example, the 2022-2023 procurement sampling criterion was based on a number of procurement actions; the 2023-2024 procurement sampling criteria will be based on dollars spent. ​

Prior Approvals for Expenditures

Under any given federal award, the reasonableness and allocability of certain items of costs may be difficult to determine. In order to avoid subsequent disallowance or dispute based on unreasonableness or non-allocability, the non-federal entity may seek the prior written approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs or the federal awarding agency in advance of the incurrence of special or unusual costs. Prior written approval should include the timeframe or scope of the agreement. The absence of prior written approval on any element of cost will not, in itself, affect the reasonableness or allocability of that element, unless prior approval is specifically required for allowability.

Regulatory Information: 2 CFR 200.407 - Prior written approval (prior approval)

Using Grant Funding for Licenses, Subscriptions, and Memberships

The use of grant funding for licenses, subscriptions, and memberships is allowed in most cases. Grant funding cannot be for a single user/person - it must be for a group.  There are also limitations on duration of licensing reasonableness. According to the following link grant funding cannot be used to purchase licenses, subscriptions, and memberships for more than four years past the end in the grant period.

The provision of UG related to license and membership allocability.

FedMonitor

FedMonitor for PA was developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) and other entities in complying with the monitoring requirements of federal grants applied for through the eGrants system. This site allows all entities to complete a self-assessment that will be reviewed by PDE staff prior to and during a virtual or onsite review.

To ensure FedMonitor is an effective tool for all users should at least annually review their self-assigned users' security preferences. Accomplishing this task will ensure no delay exists in utilizing FedMonitor to its full extent.

Upcoming Important Dates

Obligated funds report for ARP and EANS due September 30, 2023.

ESSER II and GEER II obligation period ends October 01, 2023.​

Over the past several volumes, we covered Top 10 observations from ESSER monitoring conducted by PDE during the 2023 calendar year. Top 11 observations presentation.

Interest Earned from Federal Grants

2 CFR 200.305 requires grantees and sub‑grantees to remit interest earned on federal advance payments to the federal agency.

Grantees or sub-grantees may retain interest amounts up to $500 per year for related administrative expenses. Interest earned greater that $500 on federal advance payments deposited in interest-bearing accounts must be remitted annually to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System (PMS) through an electronic medium using either Automated Clearing House (ACH) network or a Fedwire Funds Service payment.

(i) To return interest on federal awards paid through PMS, the refund should:

(A) Provide an explanation stating that the refund is for interest

(B) List the PMS Payee Account Number(s) (PANs)

(C) List the federal award number(s) for which the interest was earned

(D) Make returns payable to: U.S Department of Health and Human Services

(ii) To return interest on federal awards not paid through PMS, the refund should:

(A) Provide an explanation stating that the refund is for interest

(B) Include the name of the awarding agency

(C) List the federal award number(s) for which the interest was earned

(D) Make returns payable to: Department of Health and Human Services

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

In accordance with Guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor, Personally Identifiable Information includes, but is not limited to, any combination of the following personally identifiable attributes:

• Name                                                                   
• Date and place of birth
  
• Mother's maiden name
• Biometric records
• Social Security Number
• Driver's license number or a state identification card number issued in lieu of a driver's license
• Passport Number
• Medicare ID​

Over the next several volumes, we will cover Top 10 purchasing observations from monitoring events conducted by PDE during the 2023 calendar year. ESSER/GEER Extra Volume 83 through 85 covered observation numbers 4 through 10 and Volume 85 will cover numbers 1 through 3.

Observation 3: No Quotes (Services) (44% of LEAs monitored did not have three or more price quotations.)

• Regulatory requirements: 2 CFR 200.320(a)(2)(i)
• Associated Risk: Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
• Leading Practice: The subrecipient must document at least three price quotations for procurements over $10,000.

Observation 2: No Mi​​nority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Steps (58% of LEAs monitored did not take the required affirmative steps to engage MWE.)

• Regulatory requirements: 2 CFR 200.321(a)
• Associated Risk: Failure to take affirmative steps to solicit and use MWE businesses when possible could result in de-obligation or loss of the subrecipient's funding.
• Leading Practice: The subrecipient should ensure that affirmative steps to solicit and use MWE businesses when possible.
  

Observation 1: No PO​ and/or Invoices (65% of LEAs monitored could not produce purchase orders or invoices when requested.)

• Regulatory requirements: 2 CFR 200.403(g)
• Associated Risk: Failure to follow required internal purchasing procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of the subrecipient's funding.
• Leading Practice: The subrecipient must adequately document all costs claimed against the federal award.

Over the next several volumes, we will cover Top 10 purchasing observations from monitoring events conducted by PDE during the 2023 calendar year. ESSER/GEER Extra Volume 83 and 84 covered observation numbers 7 through 10 and Volume 85 will cover numbers 4 through 6.

Observation 6: No Contract Terms and Conditions (30% of LEAs monitored had contracts that did not have the required terms and conditions)

• Regulatory Requirements: 2 CFR 200.327;2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II
• Associated Risk: Contracts procured using federal funds that do not have the required terms and conditions could result in de-obligation or loss of the subrecipient's funding.
• Leading Practice: The subrecipient must ensure that all contracts financed by federal funds include all the required terms and conditions as per 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II.
  

Observation 5: No Sole Source Justification (33% of LEAs monitored used noncompetitive procurement but did not document their decision to do so)

• Regulatory Requirement: 2 CFR 200.318(i) and 2 CFR 200.320(c)
• Associated Risk: Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
• Leading Practice: The subrecipient should maintain procurement records including why the sole sourced contract was necessary.
  

Observation 4: Competitive Procurement (36% of LEAs monitored could not demonstrate competitive procurement of contracts for goods). Additional information on non-competitive procurement (sole source) (PDF)

• Regulatory Requirement: 2 CFR 200.318(i) and PDE Uniform Grants Guidance (UGG) Procurement Thresholds.
• Associated Risk: Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
• Leading Practice: The subrecipient should maintain copies of the necessary procurement documentation readily available to verify compliance with formal procurement methods.​

Over the next several volumes, we will cover Top 10 purchasing observations from monitoring events conducted by PDE during the 2023 calendar year. ESSER/GEER Extra Volume 83 covered observation number 10 and Volume 84 will cover numbers 9, 8 and 7.

Observation 9: No or Bad Proof of Payment (18% of LEAs monitored could not produce satisfactory proof of payment)

• Regulatory Guidance: 2 CFR 200.403(g)
• Associated Risk: failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in de-obligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
• The subrecipient should keep payments adequately documented and reconciled to avoid improper purchase of goods or services. 

Observation 8: No policy against fraud, waste, and abuse (21% of LEAs monitored did not have a documented procedure for reporting improprieties in contracting)

• Regulatory Guidance: 2 CFR 200.303(a)
• Associated Risk: Failure to maintain a reporting system for fraud and other improprieties could lead to financial and reputational loss because of misuse of grant funding.
• Leading Practice: The subrecipient should have a policy in place for whistleblower mechanisms to report such instances.

Observation 7: No SAM.gov Debarment Check (29% of LEAs monitored did not conduct debarment checks in SAM.gov as required)

• Regulatory Guidance 2 CFR 200.214
• Associated Risk: Failure to perform debarment and suspension and active registration checks before awarding contracts could result in de-obligation or loss of funding if the contractor is determined to be barred or suspended.
• Leading Practice: The subrecipient should proactively perform SAM.gov testing on its contractors before award.​

Additional information on SAM.Gov registration

SAM.gov registration: Grantees and subrecipients may contact the Federal Service Desk for assistance with grantee or subrecipient SAM.gov registration renewal or UEI assignment. Please share the assigned Incident Number with your SGR program officer for issue escalation. See the UEI Fact Sheet on the ESF Grantee Help page.

Davis-Bacon Act

Fact Sheet #66: The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)
The Davis-Bacon Act applies to each federal government or District of Columbia contract in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works. Many federal laws that authorize federal assistance for construction through grants, loans, loan guarantees, and insurance are Davis-Bacon "Related Acts."

Purchasing

When using cooperative purchasing networks, if evidence of competitive procurement is provided, then no additional quotes are necessary. This will fulfil the requirement of competitive procurement if evidence is provided by the cooperative purchasing group.

Competitive Procurement (Services)

• Regulatory Citation 2 CFR 200.318
• Associated Risk
• • Failure to follow required procurement procedures could result in deobligation or loss of subrecipient funding.
• Leading Practice
• • The Subrecipient must ensure that bids are publicly solicited, contracts are awarded to the responsible bidder lowest in price, and that a cost price analysis is conducted for all contracts over $250,000.​

SAM.gov Account

During recent ESSER monitoring events, it was discovered some LEAS are paying private companies a fee for SAM.gov registration. We want everyone to know SAM.gov does not charge a fee for registration. However, private companies can charge a fee to perform the registration for an LEA.

Documents to Maintain for Audits and Monitoring Auditors
Monitoring auditors will request and review documentation to verify that program funds were obligated in compliance with fiscal, program, and other applicable grant requirements. Auditors will review the LEA's financial management system, internal controls, cash management, budgetary controls, allowability of costs, period of availability, and set-asides. Additionally, auditors will request and review source documentation supporting both payroll and non-payroll costs to determine that expenditures charged to grant funds were allowable, allocable, reasonable, and necessary to meet program requirements.

At a minimum, LEAs should maintain the following documentation to demonstrate compliance with program requirements:

• Policies and procedures
  
• Procurement records (e.g., contracts, leasing agreements)
  
• Personnel records including job descriptions, salary authorizations, payroll and time and effort records (if applicable) reconciled to payment
  
• Needs assessment and/or planning documents describing the need for the use of program funds
  
• Inventory records of equipment purchased with grant funds
  
• Source documentation supporting expenditure of grant funds (e.g., purchase orders with accompanying Invoices, receipts, canceled check/check registry/screenshot from accounting system, proof of electronic payment/payment screenshots,(as applicable, indicating that payment was made
  
• Spreadsheet or other documents with relevant supporting documentation reconciling payment documentation to dollar amount that includes description of how funds were used, a unique payment number, the date payment was recorded, and a signatory approval
  

The next several volumes of ESSER GEER Extra will focus on acquisition strategies and processes to be followed by all PDE grant recipients and subrecipients.

PDE grant recipients and subrecipients should have internal controls in place to ensure procurement practices are consistent. This includes policies and procedures related to the following:

• Method of procurement used
• Signature authorities (e.g., who has authority to approve acquisitions and at what dollar value)
• Document retention (e.g., sole source justification, quotes, POs, requisitions)

Non-competitive procurement for Goods/Supplies and Services

Appropriate only when these circumstances apply:

• Available only from a single source (sole source)
• Public emergency
• Expressly authorized by awarding or pass-through agency in response to a written request from district
• After soliciting a number of (minimum of three) sources, competition is deemed inadequate

*Note: the LEA, recipient or subrecipient must keep documentation supporting the chosen method of procurement.

Reference: 2 CFR 200.​320

When using cooperative purchasing networks, if evidence of competitive procurement is provided by the network, no additional quotes are required. However, supporting documentation of the competitive procurement must be maintained by the subrecipient and provided upon request.

2023 Pennsylvania Asso​ciation Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) conference

PAFPC conference pr​​esentations hosted by the PDE Monitoring Team have been posted to​ the PDE website.

• Top 10 ESSER monitoring observations
• Ace ESSER monitoring
• Conquering monitoring

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on requirements when utilizing federal funds for transportation, Public School Employee's Retirement System contributions, and closed entity requirements.  

Requirements when Utilizing Federal Funds for Transportation

PDE reminds school entities that Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) requirements apply when utilizing federal funds to contract for transportation. This includes requirements regarding competitive procurement. School entities are advised to work with their solicitor to ensure adherence to federal requirements. For more information, see 2 CFR 200 Subpart D.

PSERS Contributions

Be sure not to "double dip" ESSER funds when contributing to the Public-School Employee's Retirement System (PSERS). PDE ESSER monitors are reviewing PSERS contributions to ensure that when ESSER is used for PSERS contributions, that the PSERS reimbursement is deducted from the ESSER allocation.   Questions regarding this requirement can be directed to ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov. 

Closed Entity Requirements

Entities that have received federal funds, such as ESSER and GEER, are required to participate in monitoring and reporting regarding those funds. Reporting requirements still exist even if an entity closes. Entities that have closed or are planning to close are required to prepare for monitoring and reporting participation. Questions regarding these requirements, or updates to closed school contact information, can be directed to ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.  

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on the Pennsylvania Federal Program Coordinator's Conference ESSER presentations, cooperative purchasing tips, and personally identifiable information. 

PAFPC ESSER Presentations Available Soon!

The Pennsylvania Federal Program Coordinator's Conference PDE ESSER Monitoring Team presentations will be available to view online in the coming days. You will be able to access the presentations, which contain key information regarding the top ten ESSER monitoring observations, how to ace ESSER monitoring, and how to leverage ESSER monitoring to get audit ready, on PDE's ESSER Monitoring webpage. 

Cooperative Purchasing Tips

When procuring supplies or services with federal funds utilizing cooperative purchasing programs, school entities are advised to:

• Ensure that methods of procurement utilized by the cooperative purchasing program are in compliance with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200).
• Maintain documentation of procurement and contracts.
• Seek guidance from your solicitor to ensure compliance. 

What is PII?

Per 2 CFR 200.79, personally identifiable information (PII) means information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, either alone, or when combined with other personal identifying information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual. Examples of PII include, but are not limited to, any combination of the following personally identifiable attributes: name; date and place of birth; mother's maiden name; biometric records; Social Security Number; driver's license number or a state identification card number, in lieu of a driver's license; passport number; financial account number, credit or debit card number, in combination with any required security code, access code or password; medical information; health insurance information; and username or email address, in combination with a password or security question and answer.

Each LEA should consult its local policy and solicitor concerning safeguarding PII. Furthermore, school entities must not upload PII into FedMonitor. 

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on and prior approvals for expenditures, whistleblower policy requirements, and ​​EANS reporting. 

Prior Approval Requirements

PDE requires prior approval for ​​ESSER construction and capital expenditures, including equipment, with a per unit cost of $5,000 or more, or the entity's capitalization threshold, whichever is less. See the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR §200.407 and 2 CFR §200.439. When completing ESSER application revisions, remember to complete and submit the prior approval forms which are available on the PDE ARP ESSER Facil​ities/Construction/Transportation web page.   

Prior approval forms will be reviewed with your ESSER application revisions. Please be sure to: 1) identify the allowable use under ARP ESSER; 2) explain how the expenditure meets the overall purpose of the ESSER funds, which is to prevent, prepare for, or respond to COVID-19; and 3) describe how the proposed expenditure is "reasonable and necessary" in compliance with the Cost Principles in 2 CFR Part 200, subpart E (2 CFR §§ 200.403-200.404). 

Whistleblower Policy Requirements

Under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), entities in receipt of federal funds must maintain a policy with mechanisms in place to report potential cases of fraud, misdeeds, or improprieties in contracts. Failure to maintain a reporting system for fraud and other improprieties could lead to financial and reputational loss.  For more information see 2 CFR §200.303 (a), the "Green Book",  and the "Internal Contro​l Integrated Framework".   

EANS Reporting Closed

PDE thanks all IUs that have submitted EANs reporting on time.  Intermediate Units that received EANS funds were required to submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.  Those IUs that have not yet submitted must do so as soon as possible. 

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on health and safety plans, EANS reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference.

Health and Saf​ety Plans

ARP ESSER requires that LEAs review their health and safety plans at least every six months during the entire period of the school entity's ARP ESSER grant.  LEAs also must review and update their plans whenever there are significant changes to the CDC recommendations for K-12 schools. Like the development of the plan, all revisions must be informed by community input and reviewed and approved by the governing body prior to posting on the school entity's publicly available website.

LEAs should be reviewing and documenting the review of their Health & Safety Plan.  If no changes are required, make note of the date, and post the plan publicly.  Please maintain all edits on file locally and post to your LEA's website. 

EANS Reporting Closing Soon!

PDE thanks all IUs that have already submitted EANs reporting.  Intermediate Units that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.

Thank you for​ joining PDE at PAFPC!

The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference took place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023.  PDE staff thank all Federal Program Coordinators and other school representatives that participated.  The event was quite a splash! 

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on cost price analysis requirements, cooperative purchasing, EANS reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. 

Cost Price Analysis Requirem​​ents

School entities are reminded to comply with Uniform Guidance requirements regarding cost price analysis. Non-federal entities (e.g., school entities) must perform a cost or price analysis in connection with ​every procurement action in excess of the applicable procurement threshold, including contract modifications. For more information, see 2 CFR §200.324 and procurement thresholds for federal funds. 

Cooperative Pu​​rchasing

Cooperative purchasing programs may be utilized using ESSER funds where compliance with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) is met. When procuring supplies or services with federal funds, school entities must ​verify that the organization conducting the procurement complies with applicable procurement methods, requirements, and standards of the Uniform Guidance. Furthermore, using the cooperative purchasing mechanism does not, itself, comply with bid requirements. It is the responsibility of the school entity to retrieve the minimum number of quotes or solicited bids required and to keep a record of procurement documentation. PDE advises school entities to seek guidance from their solicitor when planning procurement to ensure compliance with federal requirements.

EANS Repo​​rting

PDE thanks all IUs that ha​​​​​ve already submitted EANs reporting.  Intermediate units that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.

Last Chance to Join PDE at​​ PAFPC!

The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023.  PDE staff look forward to​​ seeing you there! There is still time to regi​ster and book lodging, although special discounted pricing for lodging is no longer available. For questions regarding the conference, contact PAFPC Executive Director Janice Joyce at pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.   

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on FedMonitor for ESSER monitoring, appropriate funding source codes, return of interest, EANS reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. 

FedMonitor for ESS​​ER Monitoring

Each school entity has a district administrator account holder for FedMonitor use. Only the district administrator account holder can grant FedMonitor access to other assigned staff members. Please note: FedMonitor users that have access to other programs need to be granted access for ESSER by the district administrator account holder. The district administrator account holder is likely to be a federal programs coordinator, superintendent, or business manager. If you need to find out who your school entity's FedMonitor district administrator is, please contact ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov.

Appropriate Funding Source Codes

PDE advises schools to utilize the appropriate funding source codes. Find the codes in the Chart of Accounts (PDF) for PA Local Education Agencies. Failure to keep adequate documentation of costs by federal award could result in loss of funding. 

Return of I​​nterest

School entities must maintain a procedure to report and return interest earned on federal funds over $500 to the awarding agency as required by 2 CFR §§200.305(b)(8),(9). Failure to track and monitor interest earned with ESSER grants could result in deobligation or loss of funding.     

EANS Re​porti​​ng

PDE thanks all IUs that have already submitted EANs reporting. Intermediate Units that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.

Come See P​DE at PAFPC!

PDE staff and the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team are proud to be presenting a number of exciting sessions at The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to regist​er and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on debarment and suspension checks, contract terms ​​and conditions, EANS reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. 

Under federal Unifo​​​rm Guidance, a school entity may not subcontract with or award subgrants to any person or company who is debarred or suspended. See 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II.  To search for suspensions and debarments, also known as exclusions, search on the SAM.gov exclusions web page. The SAM.gov exclusions web page includes a number of helpful resources including information on how to understand and download exclusion extracts and a Frequently Asked Questions document.  

Contract Terms and Condi​tions Reminder

All contracts made by an entity under a federal award must contain contract terms and con​ditions outlined in the Uniform Guidance.  For more information see 2 CFR Part 200 Appendix II.  PDE advises school entities to have all contracts reviewed by their solicitor to ensure compliance with federal requirements.

EANS ​​Reporting

PDE thanks the IUs th​at have already submitted EANs reporting.  Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.

Come See PDE at PA​​FPC!

PDE staff and the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team are proud to be presenting a numb​er of exciting sessions at the Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference.  The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Poco​​​no Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023.  Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to register and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.   

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on sole source procurement, EANS reporting, ESSER reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. 

Sole Source Procurement Reminder
Procurement by noncompetitive proposals, also referred to as sole source procurement, is procurement through solicitation of a proposal from only one source.  Sole source procurement may be used only when one or more circumstances listed within 2 CFR §200.320(c) apply.  Note that all applicable Uniform Guidance requirements apply to sole source procurement, including 2 CFR §200.318 and 2 CFR § 200.324.  PDE advises LEAs to discuss any proposed procurement activities with their solicitors to ensure federal requirements will be met.

EANS Reporting Open
EANS reporting is now open.  Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.

ESSER Reporting
PDE sincerely thanks all school entities that submitted their 2021-22 ESSER Funding Status Reports by the due date of March 9, 2023. The few school entities that have not submitted their reports error-free are directed to do so as soon as possible.  For further assistance, immediately contact the Ed ARP ESSER Team at ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.  Note that delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.

Come See PDE at PAFPC!
PDE staff and the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team are proud to be presenting a number of exciting sessions at The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference.  The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023.  Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to register and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.   ​

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on Davis Bacon Act compliance, interest earnings, EANS reporting, ESSER reporting, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference.  

Davis Bacon Act Compliance Reminder
ESSER projects are subject to the payment of prevailing wage under the federal Davis-Bacon Act (see 40 USCS §3142). While the PA Prevailing Wage Act (43 P.S. §§165-1 – 165-17) and accompanying state regulations would normally apply to a public body conducting a public work project, the PA Prevailing Wage Act states that it shall have no application to any public works subject to the federal Davis-Bacon Act (43 P.S. §165-15). 

Interest Earnings
The Uniform Guidance requires grantees and sub-grantees of federal funds to remit interest earned on advances back to the federal agency. Grantees or sub-grantees may retain interest amounts up to $500 per year for related administrative expenses. For more information see 2 CFR §200.305. 

EANS Reporting Open
EANS reporting is now open.  Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023. 

ESSER Funding Status Reporting Window has Passed
PDE thanks all school entities that submitted their 2021-2022 ESSER Funding Status Reports by the due date of March 9, 2023.  School entities that have not submitted their reports or corrected errors are directed to do so as soon as possible.  Directions for report completion can be found on the PDE ESSER Reporting web page.  School entities must contact ra-edarpesser@pa.gov if assistance is needed.  Note that delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.

Annual PAFPC Conference Registration
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023.  Registration and rooms are filling quickly.  Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to register and book lodging as soon as possible.  For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.   

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on 2023 state procurement thresholds, requirements for procuring and selecting contractors and suppliers, EANS reporting, ESSER reporting, 2020-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. 

2023 State Procurement Thresholds
State procurement thresholds were updated for 2023. The 2023 state threshold for written/telephonic bids is $12,200, while the 2023 state threshold for public bids and separate bids is $22,500. 

The relationship between these state procurement thresholds and federal procurement rules for the use of ESSER funds is important. Under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), non-federal entities must comply with the more restrictive of federal, state, and entity level requirements for the acquisition of goods and services when using federal funds. The federal procurement thresholds are more stringent than state thresholds for micro-purchases ($10,000) and for small purchases ($10,000); however, the state threshold of $22,500 for the use of sealed bids is more stringent.  Access a table outlining procurement thresholds for purchases with federal funds. 

Small and Minority Businesses, Women's Business Enterprises, and Labor Surplus Area Firms
Under federal Uniform Guidance, when procuring and selecting contractors or suppliers, school entities must take all necessary affirmative steps to ensure that minority businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are used when possible. Read the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR §200.321, for more information on affirmative steps to be taken. Note that these steps must be a part of your entity's documented procurement procedures and consistent with standards of the Uniform Guidance. Failure to follow federal procurement requirements for ESSER funds may put school entities at risk of not receiving their full reimbursement or having obligated funds recouped. See the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR §200.339.

Procurement of Curriculum with ESSER Funds
School entities must follow requirements under Uniform Guidance, including 2 CFR §200.320, when purchasing curricula with federal funds.  For the limited circumstances when noncompetitive procurement can be awarded, see 2 CFR §200.320(c).   

EANS Reporting Opens Soon
EANS reporting will open March 15, 2023. Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.

ESSER Reporting Closed
PDE thanks all school entities that submitted their 2021-22 ESSER Funding Status Reports by the due date of March 9, 2023. School entities that have not submitted their reports are directed to do so as soon as possible following directions on the PDE ESSER Reporting web page. Note that delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.

2020-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification 
School entities that have identified errors in their previously submitted 2020-21 ESSER Funding Status Report are directed to contact the PDE Data Quality Office staff at RA-DDQDatacollection@pa.gov.   

Annual PAFPC Conference Registration
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) Conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023.  Registration and rooms are filling quickly. Individuals looking to attend the conference are advised to register and book lodging as soon as possible. For questions regarding the conference contact the PAFPC Executive Director, Janice Joyce at pafpcexecdir@gmail.com.   

This week's ESSER/GEER E​xtra focuses on EANS reporting, ESSER reporting, 20-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference registration. 

EANS Reporting Opens Soon

EANS reporting will open March 15, 2023. Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023. More information is coming soon.

ESSER Reporting Reminder

School entities can now submit their ESSER Funding Status Reports for the 2021-2022 reporting period. Each school entity that received ESSER funds must submit a report to PDE no later than March 9, 2023. Delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.

More information is available at the links below:

Instructions for LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report

Instructions for NON-LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report

ESSER Data Reporting FAQs

School entities that have questions regarding ESSER Reporting are encouraged to send questions to the ra-edarpesser@pa.gov email account or attend ESSER/GEER Office Hours. For more information on ESSER/GEER Office Hours, see below.

20-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification

School entities that have identified errors in their previously submitted 2020-2021 ESSER Funding Status Report are directed to contact the PDE Data Quality Office staff at RA-DDQDatacollection@pa.gov.

Annual PAFPC Conference Registration

The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboration with PDE, has announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Registration is now open!

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on EANS reporting, ESSER reporting updates, Unique Entity Identifier status, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference registration.   

EANS Reporting Opens Soon
EANS reporting will open on March 15, 2023.  Each school entity that received EANS funds must submit a report via PIMS to PDE no later than April 26, 2023.  More information is coming soon.

ESSER Reporting Reminder
School entities can now submit their ESSER Funding Status Reports. Each school entity that received ESSER funds must submit a report to PDE no later than March 9, 2023.  Delayed or non-submission of required reporting will result in a higher-risk evaluation in the next monitoring cycle.

More information is available at the links below:

• Instructions for LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report
• Instructions for NON-LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report
• ESSER Data Reporting FAQs

School entities that have questions regarding ESSER Reporting are encouraged to send questions to the ra-edarpesser@pa.gov email account or attend ESSER/GEER Office Hours.  For more information on ESSER/GEER Office Hours, see below. 

New ESSER Reporting FAQ
A new addition has been added to the ESSER Reporting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding reporting of previously expended funds. School entities are advised to check the ESSER Reporting FAQ regularly for updates on answers to common questions. 

LEA ESSER Reporting Template Update
On February 13, the PDE Data Quality Office sent an email to LEA PIMS staff regarding an update to the LEA ESSER Funding Status Report template. LEAs that have already submitted their ESSER Funding Status Report templates are advised to run a PIMS report (PIMS Reports V2 > ESSER > ESSER Reporting Template Details) to review the Y/N responses. If any data is inaccurate, LEAs must submit a new report.  LEAs that have not yet submitted a report and LEAs that must resubmit can find the updated version at the PDE PIMS Excel Reporting Tools web page by clicking on the "ESSER Reporting Collection for PIMs-Reporting LEAs" link.  Questions regarding this matter can be directed to RA-DDQDatacollection@pa.gov.  

20-21 ESSER Reporting Error Identification 
School entities that have identified errors in their previously submitted 20-21 ESSER Funding Status Reports are directed to contact PDE Data Quality Office staff at RA-DDQDatacollection@pa.gov.   

Check Your Entity's Unique Entity Identifier Status
PDE advises school entities to check their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) status, and register or renew as soon as possible, if needed, in preparation for ESSER reporting.

If your school entity needs further assistance regarding UEIs, please send your inquiry to RA-EDESSERMONITOR@pa.gov.  

Annual PAFPC Conference Registration
The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboration with PDE, has anno​​unced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Registration is now open.

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on FedMonitor use for ESSER monitoring, ESSER reporting, U​nique Entity Identifier status, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference registration.  

FedMonitor Open for ESS​​ER Monitoring

FedMonitor is now open for school entities to upload files to support ESSER monitoring.  W​​hen preparing for in person or virtual ESSER monitoring visits, school entities are advised to follow the guidance sent from the PDE Monitoring Team provided prior to the visit for the type and quantity of information to be uploaded into FedMonitor.  Note that FedMonitor passwords need to be updated every 60 days.

ESSER Reporting R​eminder

School entities can now submit their ESSER Funding Status Reports. Each school entity that received ESSER funds must submit a report to PDE no later than March 9, 2023.

More information is available at the links below:

• Instructions for LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report
• Instructions for NON-LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report
  
• ESSER Data Reporting FAQs
  

Check Your Entity's Unique Entit​​​y Identifier Status

All school entities must maintain an active Unique En​​​tity Identifier (UEI) registration in order to access awarded federal grant funds. Once assigned, a UEI number will never expire, however, entity registrations expire on an annual basis.  School entities submitting the ESSER Funding Status Report must enter an active UEI. It is the responsibility of each grantee school entity to activate their registration (for new registrants) or access their SAM.gov account to complete the annual renewal process. PDE advises school entities to check their UEI status, and register or renew as soon as possible, if needed, in preparation for ESSER reporting because USDE has indicated that there may be delays in processing UEI registrations or UEI related tickets.

If your school entity needs further assistance regarding UEIs, please send your in​​quiry to RA-EDESSERMONITOR@pa.gov.  

The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboratio​n with PDE, has announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Registration is now open

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on ESSER reporting, FedMonitor usage for ESSER monitoring, Unique Entity Identifiers, and the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference registration. 

ESSER Reporting

The ESSER Funding Status Report submission window will be February 13, 2023 through March 9, 2023. The report must be submitted to PDE no later than March 9, 2023.

The ESSER Funding Status Report seeks to assess the expenditures of ESSER funds, identify the interventions and activities implemented with ESSER funds, and understand planned uses of ESSER funds in the next fiscal years. This report has been developed by and is required by USDE. Completion and submission of this report is a condition of continued receipt of ESSER funds.

This federal ESSER reporting requirement applies to all school districts, charter schools, intermediate units, career and technical education centers, approved private schools, private residential rehabilitative institutions, chartered schools for the deaf and blind, and entities providing educational programs to neglected, delinquent, and at-risk youth that receive ESSER funding under any of the following federal acts:

• Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (ESSER I)
• Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act (ESSER II)
• American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act (ARP ESSER)

More information is available at the links below:

Instructions for LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report

Instructions for NON-LEA completion of the ESSER Funding Status Report

FedMonitor Usage for ESSER Monitoring

FedMonitor will open next week to support ESSER monitoring. School entities that have already participated in this year's ESSER monitoring will receive a request from the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team to log in to FedMonitor and verify that documents uploaded on your behalf are complete and accurate. School entities preparing for in person or virtual ESSER monitoring visits are advised to follow directions for FedMonitor use that will be sent from the PDE Monitoring Team prior to the monitoring visit.

Unique Entity Identifiers

On April 4, 2022, the federal government stopped using the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number to uniquely identify entities. A school entity must maintain an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) registration to access any awarded grant funds; therefore, school entities submitting the ESSER Funding Status Report must enter an active UEI. Once assigned, a UEI registration will never expire; however, entity registrations expire on an annual basis. It is the responsibility of each grantee school entity to activate their registration (for new registrants) or access their SAM.gov account to complete the annual renewal process.

How to Check Registration Status

If you need to check the status of your school entity's registration or UEI assignment, visit the Federal Service Desk FAQ for directions regarding checking entity status.

How to View Your UEI

If your entity is registered in SAM.gov, your UEI has already been assigned and is viewable in SAM.gov. This includes inactive registrations. For directions on how to view your school entity's UEI, visit Federal Service Desk directions entitled "How can I view my Unique Entity ID?".

How to Update UEI Registration

If your school entity has an inactive UEI or expired registration in SAM.gov, this must be addressed prior to submitting the ESSER Funding Status Report. At SAM.gov, click on the "Get Started" tab under "Register Your Entity or Get a Unique Entity ID". Then click on "Go to your Entity Management Workspace to update or renew your registration" available under the "Already Registered?" box on the right side of the page to renew your entity registration.

How to Register

If your school entity does not yet have a UEI, go to the Federal Service Desk web page entitled "Getting Started with Entity Registration". There you will find several FAQs and quick start guides to assist in the registration process.

If your school entity needs further assistance regarding UEIs, please contact RA-EDESSERMONITOR@pa.gov.

Save the Date for the Annual PAFPC Conference

The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collabora​​tion with PDE, has announced dates for the 55th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. Registration is now open.

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on upcoming ESSER Reporting, the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, and the Annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference. 

ESSER Reporting

The ESSER Funding Status Report (ESSER Report) submission window will open February 13, 2023 and close March 9, 2023. The ESSER Report seeks to assess the expenditures of ESSER funds, identify the interventions and activities implemented with ESSER funds, and understand planned uses of funds in the next fiscal years. All entities that received funding under ESSER I, ESSER II, and/or ARP ESSER are required to submit a report. Completion and submission of this report is a condition of continued receipt of ESSER funds. Instructions for reporting can be found on the PDE ESSER Reporting web page.

ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire

In 2022, the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team sent ESSER Monitoring Questionnaires to all school entities that received ESSER funds. The questionnaires were due on January 27, 2023. If your school entity has yet to submit a questionnaire, do so as soon as possible. Completion of the questionnaire is a mandatory component of ESSER Monitoring.

Save the Date for the Annual PAFPC Conference

The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC) in collaboration with PDE has announced dates for the 55^th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. More details will follow. School entities receiving ESSER funds are required to attend at least one of the following trainings/conferences: Fall Regional Workshops, PAFPC Annual Conference, Improving School Performance Conference, and/or Summer Leadership Forum (SLF). These are excellent opportunities for knowledge building. Note that non-attendance will impact a school entity's risk assessment as all LEAs are required to participate in at least one sponsored training per year.

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on ESSER reporting, a MOEquity interim reporting reminder, the annual Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators Conference dates, the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, and ESSER monitoring scheduling. 

ESSER Reporting

USDE released its ESSER data collection template earlier this month. USDE's final template outlines the obligations of PDE and LEAs in reporting ESSER fund use.

The template requires LEAs and other entities receiving ESSER funds (under the CARES Act, the CRRSA Act, and/or the ARP Act) to report detailed information about how the funds were spent, what percentage of the funds were spent, and how much of the funds are remaining, in addition to information about the student populations who participated in some of the programs developed or expanded with the funds.

While school districts and charter schools received the bulk of the ESSER dollars and have the greatest reporting burden, IUs, CTCs, approved private schools, private residential rehabilitative institutions, chartered schools for the deaf and blind, and entities offering educational programs to neglected, delinquent, and at-risk youth will also need to complete components of the ESSER Funding Status Report.

The report submission window will be February 13, 2023 through March 9, 2023, therefore, the report must be submitted to PDE no later than March 9, 2023. PDE is finalizing adjustments to the data collection template and will release it in the near future. The USDE Data collection template is accessible at the following link and should be reviewed to ensure the required reporting information is available. Access the USDE Template for ESSER Data Collection.

PDE is also updating the ESSER Reporting webpage instructions for completing the ESSER data collection template and for FAQs on ESSER reporting. PDE advises school entities to continue to read the ESSER/GEER Extra on a weekly basis for updates.

MOEquity Reminder

School district ARP ESSER MOEquity Interim Reporting was due on January 16. School districts that have not completed the MOEquity interim reporting are still required to do so. PDE staff is currently following up with school districts that have not yet completed a submission. Please note that charter schools were not required to complete the interim report.

Save the Date for the Annual PAFPC Conference

The Pennsylvania Association of Federal Program Coordinators (PAFPC), in collaboration with PDE, has announced dates for the 55^th PAFPC Annual Conference. The conference will take place at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Pocono Manor, PA from April 16 through 19, 2023. More details are to follow.

ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire Due January 27

In 2022, the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team sent ESSER Monitoring Questionnaires to all school entities that received ESSER funding. The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team recently sent out reminders to school entities that have not yet completed the questionnaire. If your school entity has not yet completed the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, which is a mandatory part of ESSER monitoring, please do so as soon as possible but no later than January 27, 2023.

ESSER Monitoring Scheduling

The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team thanks the school entities that have participated in monitoring or have scheduled their virtual or on-site monitoring visits. Those that requested to participate in virtual or on-site monitoring but have not yet scheduled monitoring dates should schedule as soon as possible so that they can choose the most amenable available dates.

This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on MOEquity Interim Reporting, the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, ESSER reporting, ESSER monitoring scheduling, ESSER monitoring goals, what to expect during onsite and virtual ESSER monitoring, and a procurement procedures reminder.  

MOEquity Interim Reporting

The PA Department of Education (PDE) would like to extend a thank you to all school districts that have completed their ARP ESSER MOEquity Interim Reporting, which was due on January 16.  PDE staff are currently following up with school districts that have not yet completed a submission.  Please note that charter schools were not required to complete the interim report.

ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire Due January 27

In 2022, the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team sent ESSER Monitoring Questionnaires to all school entities that received ESSER funding.  The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team recently sent out reminders to school entities that have not yet completed the questionnaire.  If your school entity has not yet completed the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, which is a mandatory part of ESSER Monitoring, please do so as soon as possible but no later than January 27, 2023.

ESSER Reporting

School entities are reminded that ESSER reporting will take place.  USDE has communicated that ESSER reporting will follow the same format as reporting for FY 2021 and has issued a summary of minor changes to expect this year.  School entities can utilize the SEA ESSER Recipient Data Collection Form regarding ESSER FY 2021 reporting to identify changes listed within the summary. PDE is updating the process for collecting ESSER data to reflect those changes and will issue guidance and due dates for reporting to school entities shortly.  PDE advises school entities to continue to read the ESSER/GEER Extra on a weekly basis for updates.

ESSER Monitoring Scheduling

The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team thanks those school entities that have participated in monitoring or have scheduled their virtual or on-site monitoring visits.  Those school entities requested to participate in virtual or on-site monitoring that have not yet scheduled monitoring dates should schedule as soon as possible so that they can choose the most amenable available dates. 

ESSER Monitoring Goals

The goals of ESSER monitoring are to help subrecipients maintain compliance with program requirements and to prepare for future audits. Some school entities may receive observations as part of the monitoring process.  The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team indicates observations to highlight how practice can be improved.  School entities are encouraged to utilize observations and corresponding leading practices and technical assistance as learning opportunities. School entities are also strongly encouraged to engage in the suggested practice improvements so that their school entity can maintain compliance.  Adopting the leading practices will lessen the risk of future audit findings, which may carry financial consequences.

Be Prepared-What to Expect for Virtual or On-Site ESSER Monitoring
Many school entities have already participated in ESSER Monitoring.  If you have not yet participated in ESSER Monitoring read below to know what to expect. 

If your school entity is set to participate in virtual ESSER Monitoring prepare for 5 days of virtual monitoring. If your school entity is set to participate in on-site ESSER Monitoring prepare for 3 days of on-site monitoring.  All school entities participating in virtual or on-site ESSER monitoring will receive an announcement letter approximately 30 days prior to monitoring review.  The letter will include contact information for the assigned monitoring manager.  School entities are encouraged to reach out to the assigned monitoring manager with any questions or concerns. 

Procurement Requirements Reminder

When using federal funds, including ESSER funds, it is essential that school entities follow proper procurement standards in accordance with federal Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200).  School entities should consult with their solicitors/ counsel to ensure compliance with procurement requirements. Adherence to Uniform Guidance requirements is currently being assessed as a component of ESSER Monitoring and will also be assessed in future audits.

​​​Happy New Year! This week's ESSER/GEER Extra focuses on the SY2023 MOEquity Interim Report submission, a new ESSER Monitoring Plan Summary, a new PDE ESSER Monitoring Team email contact, and ESSER monitoring visit scheduling. 

ARP ESSER MOEquity Interim Reporting due Monday, January 16

All school districts must file a MOEquity interim report in the eGrants system, even school districts that are exempt from MOEquity requirements. You will complete this under the Reporting and Guidelines section in your ARP ESSER application in eGrants by following the Interim Reports link and clicking "Create".

The ARP Act requires school districts receiving ARP ESSER funds to adhere to a Maintenance of Equity (MOEquity) requirement. The MOEquity requirement applies to both 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years and applies only to school districts; it does not apply to other LEAs or entities.

Under the MOEquity requirement school districts cannot disproportionately reduce state and local per-pupil funding or the number of full-time-equivalent (FTE) staff per pupil in high-poverty schools (schools identified in the top quartile of low-income student enrollment).

The ARP Act exempts all school districts that 1) enroll fewer than 1,000 students, 2) operate only one building, or 3) have only one building per grade span. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has provided an additional exemption for school districts that did not and will not implement an aggregate reduction in combined state and local per-pupil funding in FY 2023 [school year 2022-2023] (i.e., is not facing overall budget reductions).

In November of 2022, PDE emailed school district superintendents and business managers from the ARP ESSER RA account with instructions for completion and submission of an interim report related to the ARP ESSER application in eGrants. School districts should submit their information as soon as possible. The interim reporting must be completed by Monday, January 16, 2023. If your school district indicates that no exemption applies for 2022-23, PDE has already or will shortly reach out directly to assist with MOEquity requirements.

New ESSER Monitoring Plan Summary Available

An executive summary of PDE's ESSER Monitoring Plan is now posted for review on PDE's Monitoring of LEA's Coronavirus Associated Federal Programs web page. The plan includes a brief explanation of the ESSER grants, the risk assessment process, timelines for monitoring, expectations for monitoring reviews and subsequent responses, and where to find additional information/technical assistance.

Introducing New Contact for ESSER Monitoring Questions

PDE recently added a new resource email account for staff from school entities to contact the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team regarding ESSER Monitoring. If you have an ESSER Monitoring related question or comment please send your inquiry to ra-edessermonitor@pa.gov. All other questions regarding ESSER, such as questions regarding submissions of reports and acceptable uses of funding, can be directed to ra-edarpesser@pa.gov.

ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire

In 2022 the PDE ESSER Monitoring Team sent ESSER Monitoring Questionnaires to all school entities that received ESSER funding. The PDE ESSER Monitoring Team is sending out reminders to school entities that have not yet completed the questionnaire. If your school entity has not yet completed the ESSER Monitoring Questionnaire, which is a mandatory part of ESSER Monitoring, please do so by January 27, 2023.