BLOGS > JULY 29, 2021
BY LAURA BYARS, MANAGER ACADEMIC CONSULTANTS
What is ESSER?
Since March 2020, Congress has signed into law three COVID-relief plans directing $190.6 billion to state education agencies through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund.
States are required to distribute 90% of ESSER funds to local school districts. Each plan also provides funding for non-public schools, either as part of ESSER funding or under separate assistance programs.
How can I use ESSER funding?
The most recent DOE ESSER FAQ notes that ESSER funding can be spent on allowable uses identified for ANY of the three ESSER funds and provides a consolidated list. Broad categories include:
Where would my ESSER funds make the most impact?
To accelerate learning due to lost instructional time, teachers will need access to high-quality content. Resources will be needed as districts provide extended learning opportunities such as after-school programs and summer school.
School and district leaders will need books for at-home reading – for parents to read aloud to their children and for children to read independently. To address gaps in Grades K-2 early literacy, teachers will need access to resources, such as science and social studies books, that help teach and reinforce important foundational literacy skills.
Denise Cobb-Williams, Director of Elementary Curriculum at Walton County School District in Georgia, is addressing the COVID gap in literacy skills. For her, the need is especially great for students in Grades K-2 where foundational literacy skills like letter sounds are not easily taught and learned via Zoom.
Also, while no child has been untouched by COVID-19, the impact is greater for some student groups. Culturally relevant and inclusive resources will be needed to help teachers create positive learning environments and engage all students in learning.
How long do I have to spend ESSER funds?
The following chart identifies deadlines for states to award ESSER funds to districts along with dates by which districts must obligate funds. According to the May 2021 DOE ESSER FAQ, ESSER funds do not need to be spent in a particular order. Rather, districts are encouraged to be mindful that each ESSER fund has a different period of availability. The activities the funds are spent on can extend beyond the date by which the funds must be obligated.
We have answers and resources to help get you started with ESSER Funding. Speak to a representative today.
Laura Byars
Laura Byars has been with Follett for seven years and is the manager of the Follett Academic Consultants. She is a former educator with a master’s degree in teaching and a master’s degree in reading and literacy. Before Follett, Laura taught science, middle school language arts, and a summer reading intervention program in a high-performing school district in the western Chicago suburbs. In her free time, Laura enjoys cooking, traveling, running, and biking with her husband and family.
Six Fall Releases Patrons Are Asking For
September 2, 2026
Preorder now for a discount on this season’s high-demand library titles.Six of fall’s most-anticipated titles by best-selling authors are now available individually for preorder in Titlewave®. Why order now? For a limited time, you’ll get up to 25% off these...
Read more
Getting Started with Titlewave for NYC School Libraries
September 2, 2026
Building and maintaining your ideal library collection is easier than ever with Follett Content, an approved vendor for New York City (NYC) school libraries. Yes, Titlewave® helps simplify book ordering in FAMIS, but our goal goes beyond placing orders. We...
Read more
Enter the FlutterBee Fall Book Giveaway from Follett Content!
September 1, 2026
Celebrate the season by adding captivating fall-themed titles to your library’s collection – at no cost to your budget. Enter the FlutterBee Fall Book Giveaway for a chance to win one of three seasonal book bundles curated for young readers – 15...
Read more
5 Ways to Refresh Your School Library Collection
August 21, 2026
Before students return for a new school year, many librarians focus on weeding shelves and ordering new books. But a truly effective collection refresh starts with understanding what your data, circulation trends, and community needs are telling you.During a recent...
Read more
An Author Interview with Bao Phi
August 21, 2026
From the Caldecott Honor-winning creators of A Different Pond comes a new picture book that encompasses three generations, two languages, and one universal experience. Receiving a starred review from Publishers Weekly, Ride/Dap Xe is a bilingual story in English and Vietnamese that explores...
Read more
Fall Library Planning Checklist for NYC Schools
August 14, 2026
The era of the “budget dance” is over for New York City’s school libraries thanks to the newly established baseline budget, giving librarians and media specialists greater budgetary confidence when planning collections. This summer, take advantage of this stability to...
Read more