Education Stabilization Fund: ESSER Data Collection Tool User Guide, Release 3.0 (April 2023)
Summary
The U.S. Department of Education Education Stabilization Fund, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) Data Collection Tool User Guide, Release 3.0, dated April 2023. The guide states that it is intended to assist users of the ESSER Data Collection Tool and addresses system access, navigation and the steps required to complete the ESSER Annual Performance Report. The document history lists version 1.0 in January 2021, version 1.1 in March 2021, version 2.0 in May 2022 for Year 2 Reporting, and version 3.0 in April 2023 for Year 3 Reporting. Its contents cover logging in, downloading and uploading subgrantee templates, validation errors and warnings, submitting the report and exporting submitted data.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Education Stabilization Fund: ESSER Data Collection Tool User Guide, Release 3.0 (April 2023).”
Original at api.covid-relief-data.ed.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2023-department-of-education-esf-esser-user-guide-year-3-api-covid-rel-14952d9d61/
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Education Stabilization Fund -
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency
Relief Fund (ESSER) Data Collection Tool User
Guide
Release 3.0
April 2023
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
This technical guide was produced under U.S. Department of Education Contract No. 91990021F0043
with Applied Engineering Management Corporation. Brian Fu served as the contracting officer’s
representative. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product,
commodity, service, or enterprise mentioned in this publication is intended or should be inferred.
This technical guide is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is
granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: Education
Stabilization Fund – Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) Data Collection
Tool User Guide, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC. Retrieved [date] from the ESF Public
Transparency Portal.
On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille, large print, or CD ROM. For
more information, please contact the Department’s Alternate Format Center at (202) 260–0852 or (202)
260–0818.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
DOCUMENT CONTROL
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Education Stabilization Fund – Elementary and Secondary School Emergency
Title:
Relief Fund (ESSER) Data Collection Tool User Guide
Issue Date: April 2023
Security Level: Unclassified – For Official Use Only
DOCUMENT HISTORY
Version
Date Summary of Change
Number
1.0 January 2021 This is a new technical User Guide for the ESSER Data Collection
Tool
1.1 March 2021 • Updated the CARES Act Reporting Help Desk email address
for ESSER grantees
• Updated the limited reopen dates
• Added Section 6.0 – Uploading a LEA or Non-LEA file
• Reference of “Annual Report” has been changed to
“Annual Performance Report
2.0 May 2022 Updated for Year 2 Reporting
3.0 April 2023 Updated for Year 3 Reporting
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
PREFACE
This User Guide is intended to assist users of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency
Relief Fund (ESSER) Data Collection Tool. This guide addresses the basic mechanics of the Data
Collection Tool system access and navigation for this process as well as the specific steps
required to complete the ESSER Annual Performance Report.
This guide will be updated if major system modifications affect user procedures.
Data entered into the Data Collection Tool are authorized by the Elementary and Secondary
School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) Recipient Reporting Data Collection Form (OMB Control
Number 1810-0749, expires 05/31/2025).
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a
collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Send
comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 ATTN: Brian Fu or email
ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.
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CONTENTS
PREFACE .................................................................................................................................... iv
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1
Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 1
ESSER Annual Performance Report Important Dates ......................................................................... 1
Year 3 APR Data Collection Open Period ............................................................................................ 2
Data Collection Tool ................................................................................................................... 3
Data Collection Tool User Roles .......................................................................................................... 3
Types of Users ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Concurrent Users ................................................................................................................................ 3
Logging In and Out of the Data Collection Tool .................................................................................. 3
Logging Into the Data Collection Tool ................................................................................................. 3
Viewing Account Information ............................................................................................................. 7
Logging Out of the Data Collection Tool ............................................................................................. 8
Accessing the ESSER Annual Performance Report ................................................................ 9
Data Collection Tool Features ............................................................................................................. 9
Navigation and Data Entry Tips ......................................................................................................... 10
Data Entry Response Types ............................................................................................................... 12
Downloading Subgrantee Templates ...................................................................................... 16
Uploading Subgrantee Templates ........................................................................................... 18
Validation Errors and Warnings .............................................................................................. 21
Submitting the ESSER Annual Performance Report ............................................................. 23
Exporting Submitted Data ........................................................................................................ 27
Resources and Technical Assistance ..................................................................................... 28
Grantee Help Page ............................................................................................................................ 28
Education Stabilization Fund Reporting Helpdesk ............................................................................ 29
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Introduction
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Annual Performance Report is
collected using the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) Data Collection Tool. The Data Collection
Tool is a web-based application that allows State Education Agencies (SEA) to report
information that constitutes the Annual Performance Report for ESSER grantees.
This document is intended to guide users in submitting the ESSER Annual Performance Report.
Overview
The U.S. Department of Education awarded ESSER grant funds to SEAs through three different
programs, CARES (ESSER I), CRRSA (ESSER II), and ARP (ARP ESSER) – ALN 84.425D for ESSER I
and II and 84.425U for ARP ESSER. States determined how to disseminate funds within their
state to best meet the needs of students, schools, and other educational organizations affected
by COVID-19.
ESSER Annual Performance Report Important Dates
The following are the reporting periods for the current and future Annual Performance Reports:
ESSER I under Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
Annual Report Due Date Applicable Reporting Period
Year 3 Annual Report May 4, 2023 State Fiscal Year 2022 *
Year 4 Annual Report Early 2024 State Fiscal Year 2023**
Table 1 – ESSER I Performance Report Important Dates
ESSER II under Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act
Annual Report Due Date Applicable Reporting Period
Year 2 Annual Report May 4, 2023 State Fiscal Year 2022
Year 3 Annual Report Early 2024 State Fiscal Year 2023
Year 4 Annual Report Early 2025 State Fiscal Year 2024**
*
States may choose as their reporting period their state fiscal year, the federal fiscal year (October 1 – September
30), or the fiscal year aligned to the state’s F33 reporting to NCES. Whatever is chosen by the state must remain
the reporting period for the remainder of the grant. In this User Guide, we will refer exclusively to the State Fiscal
Year.
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Table 2 – ESSER II Performance Report Important Dates
ARP ESSER under American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act
Annual Report Due Date Applicable Reporting Period
Year 2 Annual Report May 4, 2023 State Fiscal Year 2022
Year 3 Annual Report Early 2024 State Fiscal Year 2023
Year 4 Annual Report Early 2025 State Fiscal Year 2024
Year 5 Annual Report Early 2026 State Fiscal Year 2025**
Table 3 – ARP ESSER Performance Report Important Dates
**Note: Annual performance reports are required until all funds have been liquidated. Given
the variation in State Fiscal Year closes and the rate at which states and subgrantees expend
funds, some states may be required to submit an additional annual report(s) to cover activities
that occur between the close of State Fiscal Year 2023 and the end of the respective grant
period for ESSER I, ESSER II, and/or ARP ESSER.
Year 3 APR Data Collection Open Period
For the CARES – Year 3 Annual Reporting period of State Fiscal Year 2022 and CRRSA/ARP ESSER
– Year 2 Annual Reporting period of State Fiscal Year 2022, the Data Collection Tool will open
on Monday, April 10, 2023 and close on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
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Data Collection Tool
Data Collection Tool User Roles
Types of Users
The ESSER Annual Performance Report collection through the Data Collection Tool supports the
following user roles:
Editor Role: Allows State user to view, enter, and update their own State’s data via the
Data Collection Tool. They cannot submit the Annual Performance Report. They can
view and print the Annual Performance Report.
Submitter Role: Allows State user to view, enter, update, and submit their own State’s
Annual Performance Report. They can view and print the Annual Performance Report.
This person must be authorized to certify the completeness and accuracy of the entire
submission and submit the report on behalf of the State.
Note! ESF Annual Reporting Data Collection Tool system users with Submitter access
have access to add, update, and remove user accounts for contacts within their State.
View a tutorial video and instructions document on the Grantee Help Page.
Concurrent Users
Multiple users may have access to the Data Collection Tool. If multiple users are entering data
on the same page of the Annual Performance Report at the same time, only the most recent
data entry updates will be captured by the system. If, however, multiple users are working on
different pages within the Data Collection Tool at the same time, one user’s save will not
overwrite the other’s. Users should coordinate internally to ensure multiple users are not
saving updates to the Annual Performance Report concurrently.
Logging In and Out of the Data Collection Tool
Logging Into the Data Collection Tool
To access the Data Collection Tool login screen, go to the Education Stabilization Fund Public
Transparency Portal.
Recommended Web Browser: The Data Collection Tool will work in all browsers, but for
optimal performance, Google Chrome is recommended.
Select the login icon button in the top right of the page (see fig. 1).
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Figure 1 – Login Button on Education Stabilization Fund Public Transparency Portal
Select Login after entering your User Name (email address) and Password in the appropriate
sections (see fig. 2). If you need to reset your password, go to the Resetting Account Password
– Forgot Password section.
NOTE! The Data Collection Tool password is case sensitive.
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Figure 2 – Data Collection Tool Login Screen
A warning banner approved by the U.S. Department of Education will be displayed. By selecting
the I Accept The Terms option, you can read and accept the Terms of Use before using the
application (see fig. 3).
Figure 3 – Terms of Use Screen
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Resetting Account Password – Forgot Password
If you are unable to log into your account, click the Forgot Password link on the login screen to
reset your password (see fig. 4).
Figure 4 – Data Collection Tool Login Screen - Forgot Password Link
After clicking the link, type in your User Name and click Submit (see fig. 5).
Figure 5 – Password Reset Email Initiation
An automated email containing a verification code will be sent to the user’s email address
linked with the Data Collection Tool account. Return to the login screen and enter the
verification code, after which the user will be able to enter a new password.
NOTE! Passwords must be at least 12 characters long, contain one uppercase letter, one
lowercase letter, a number, and a special character, and must not be the same as the previous
password.
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Resetting Account Password When Logged In
Select Change Password from the navigation dropdown menu to reset the account password
after successfully logging into the Data Collection Tool.
Follow the prompts to create a new password by entering the old password (the same one used
to log in initially), and create a new password by entering it twice. Select Save (see fig. 6).
Figure 6 – Resetting Data Collection Tool Password
Viewing Account Information
Select the navigation dropdown menu to view your Data Collection Tool account information
after you have logged in (see fig. 7).
Figure 7 – Data Collection Tool Dropdown Menu
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To see your User Name, Role, and the collection(s) to which you are responding, go to My
Account (see fig. 8). On this page, you will also find the Helpdesk’s contact information.
Figure 8 – Data Collection Tool - My Account
NOTE! If the information displayed in the My Account section is inaccurate, contact the
Helpdesk for assistance.
Logging Out of the Data Collection Tool
To reduce security risks, log out of the Data Collection Tool once you have finished editing the
Annual Performance Report. Before logging out, ensure all changes are saved to avoid losing
work. Select the Log Out button on the top right-hand corner of the screen to log out (see fig.
9).
Figure 9 – Log Out Link
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
Accessing the ESSER Annual Performance Report
The ESF Reporting landing page will be displayed after logging onto the Data Collection Tool
(see fig. 10).
Select Enter for the Year Three Annual Report to access the ESSER Annual Performance Report
(APR).
NOTE! If you do not see your Year 3 APR as an option on the system, either select the
Application Updated - Click here or reload page for latest version link at the top of the page or
manually refresh your page by pressing Ctrl + F5.
Figure 10 – ESF Reporting Landing Page
NOTE! After thirty minutes of inactivity, the system issues a warning. To avoid losing data,
select a field inside the Annual Performance Report form, or select Continue when the inactivity
warning message is displayed.
Data Collection Tool Features
The following functionalities are available on each page of the Data Collection Tool. Select the
bar to open and close each feature:
Instructions Provides general information for ESSER reporting
Definitions Provides ESSER terms and their definitions as used within the ESSER
reporting
Annual Reporting Contains the annual reports and applicable reporting periods
Burden Statement Full text of the Burden Statement
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• To open and close the burden statement, select the Burden
Statement bar
Page Navigation A list of sections within the report
• To navigate between sections, select the desired number
Status Indicator Shows the current status of the Annual Performance Report
• Not Started: Annual Performance Report has not been started
• In Progress: Annual Performance Report has been saved at least
once
• Submitted: Annual Performance Report has been submitted
Last Modified Shows who last modified the report including the date and time it
was modified
Table 4 – Data Collection Tool Features
Figure 11 – Data Collection Tools Features
Navigation and Data Entry Tips
The Annual Performance Report consists of a General Information page and ten (10) numbered
pages, which include the Review Page (Page 9) and the Submission Page (Page 10).
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On each page you have the following buttons (see fig. 12):
Previous Navigate to the previous page
Cancel Exit back to the ESF Reporting Landing Page
Reset This selection removes the responses entered on the current page
Save Saves any data entered on the page, staying on the page
Save & Continue Saves any data entered on the page and navigates you to the next
page
Next Navigates you to the next page without saving any data
Table 5 – Navigating to Sections
Figure 12 – Navigating to Sections
NOTE! A pop-up notice will be displayed if the Previous, Cancel, Reset or Next button is clicked
before selecting the Save or Save & Continue button, warning the user that they are leaving the
page without saving (see fig. 13).
Changes made since selecting Save or Save & Continue will be undone if the Leave without
saving option is clicked. The modifications are still visible but not stored if the Stay button is
selected. Make sure the Save or Save & Continue button is selected.
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Figure 13 – Unsaved Changes Warning Message
Data Entry Response Types
Data are entered into the Annual Performance Report in the following ways:
Manual Data Entry Data should be entered using the options available in the Data
Collection Tool.
Toggle Buttons Questions responded to by selecting the Yes or No buttons.
Prefilled Data The system will prefill award data for the reporting period of
January 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022 from the U.S.
Department of Education’s G5 System.
Auto-Calculated The system will calculate the value for the data element.
Cascading Questions Sets of questions that result in additional questions depending on
the response to the previous question.
Table 6 – Data Entry Response Types
Manual Data Entry
The character limit will be displayed under the text field for sections of the Annual Performance
Report that need text responses (see fig. 14). Review the text field for accuracy if you are
copying and pasting chunks of data, as the content will be truncated once the character limit is
reached.
NOTE! Do not spend time formatting the text parts in Word, because they will be saved as plain
text with no formatting.
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Figure 14 – Text Response
Fields that collect numbers will allow only a numerical value. Text cannot be entered in a
number field.
Toggle Buttons
When the Yes or No buttons are selected, the buttons will change from white to dark blue.
Select the Yes or No option to respond (see fig. 15).
Figure 15 – Yes or No Toggle Buttons
Prefilled Data
Data are prefilled into the following pages as noted below. These data are prepopulated based
on G5 and grantee-submitted data from the Year 2 data collection. The grantee can and should
edit prepopulated data that are editable to ensure that it is accurate.
General Information State, State Educational Agency, State
Name, State Director, Email, and award
numbers are prefilled from G5 and are non-
editable. Office, Mailing Address, Telephone
are also prefilled but are editable.
Page 1: Section 1: State Fiscal Year The SEA’s state fiscal year is prefilled from
the fiscal year dates provided in the FY 2021
APR.
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Page 1: Section 2: Overall ESSER Fund Grants Total grant amount allocated to the SEA
for SEA (non-editable) and the total amount of grant
expended (editable) by the SEA for CARES,
CRRSA, and ARP.
Page 4: CARES Template Name of Entity, DUNS #, UEI (SAM)#, NCES
ID #, Is this entity an LEA?, Total amount
awarded to the LEA or non-LEA from the
ESSER I SEA Reserve, Total ESSER I SEA
Reserve Expenditures in Prior Reporting
Periods , Total ESSER I Mandatory Subgrant
Amount Awarded to LEA, ESSER I Mandatory
Subgrant Expenditures in Prior Reporting
Periods.
Page 5: CRRSA Template Name of Entity, DUNS #, UEI (SAM)#, NCES
ID #, Is this entity an LEA?, Total amount
awarded to the LEA or non-LEA from the
ESSER II SEA Reserve, Total ESSER II SEA
Reserve Expenditures in Prior Reporting
Periods, Total ESSER II Mandatory Subgrant
Amount Awarded to LEA, ESSER II
Mandatory Subgrant Expenditures in Prior
Reporting Periods.
Page 6: ARP Template Name of Entity, DUNS #, UEI (SAM)#, NCES
ID #, Is this entity an LEA?, Learning Loss
Activities Set-Aside - Awarded, Learning Loss
Activities Set-Aside - Expended in Prior
Reporting Periods, Summer Enrichment Set-
Aside - Awarded, Summer Enrichment Set-
Aside - Expended in Prior Reporting Periods,
Afterschool Programs Set-Aside - Awarded,
Afterschool Programs Set-Aside - Expended
in Prior Reporting Periods, Other SEA
Reserve Award - Awarded, Other SEA
Reserve Award - Expended in Prior
Reporting Periods, Total ARP ESSER
Mandatory Subgrant Amount Awarded to
LEA, ARP ESSER Mandatory Subgrant
Expenditures in Prior Reporting Periods
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(exclusive of amount expended toward
required set-aside to address learning loss),
Total Mandatory Subgrant Amount
Expended Toward Required Set-Aside to
Address Learning Loss in Prior Reporting
Periods.
Page 7: Cross-Act Template Name of Entity, DUNS #, UEI (SAM)#, NCES
ID #, Is this entity an LEA?, Full-time
equivalent (FTE) positions as of September
30, 2018, Full-time equivalent (FTE)
positions as of September 30, 2019, Full-
time equivalent (FTE) positions as of March
13, 2020, Full-time equivalent (FTE)
positions on September 30, 2020, Full-time
equivalent (FTE) positions on September 30,
2021.
Table 7 – Prefilled Data
Auto-Calculated
These values will auto-calculate on the screen as the grantee enters information and cannot be
edited. Auto-calculations will occur on the following pages:
Page 1: Section 2: Overall ESSER Fund Grants 2.1d. The total amount of remaining grant
for SEA (CARES, CRRSA, ARP) funds
Table 8 – Auto-calculations
Cascading Questions
Cascading questions are sets of questions that result in additional questions depending on the
response to the previous question (see fig. 16). These are called “skip logic” questions in the
OMB-approved form.
Figure 16 – Cascading Questions
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Downloading Subgrantee Templates
When grantees download a template from the system, many aspects of the template
will already be in the correct format needed to pass validation. Do not do any of the following
to a template after downloading:
• Change the file name
• Make any changes to rows 1-6
• Add columns
• Delete columns
• Change the order of existing columns
Within each template, some fields are required for every entity that is listed. Every row of data
should have a value entered for the fields listed below. Note that any completely blank rows
between entities are not allowed; they will trigger a form validation error since they will appear
to have missing data in a required field.
Collection Template(s) Required Fields (Refer to row 6 for
field name)
ESSER CARES entityName, dunsNumber*,
CRRSA ueiNumber*, isLea
ARP
Cross-Act
ESSER Schools entityName, dunsNumber,
ueiNumber, schoolName*
* indicates fields that must have a unique value in each row
Grantees should start their data entry in Row 7 of each template. Rows 1-6 should remain
unchanged. Any grantee data entered before row 7 will not be captured by the system and will
also trigger a format validation error. When entering data into the template, grantees should
pay special attention to the information provided in row 4 (expected data type) and row 5
(sample values). Data that do not meet the expected data type may trigger format validation
errors when the grantee attempts to upload a template (see fig. 17).
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Figure 17 – Template Rows 1-7
Data type definitions:
• String: Except for the fields listed below, string fields may contain any letter,
number, or character (e.g. “This LEA used funds to …”, etc.). Row 4 will indicate
the character limit for the field. Strings should not contain carriage returns. 3
o All UEI Numbers are listed as strings and must be 12 characters long, and
only contain numbers 0-9 and letters A-Z.
o All DUNS numbers are listed as strings and must be 9 characters long,
and only contain numbers 0-9. When entering data, take care to ensure
that leading 0s in DUNS numbers are not being dropped.
o All NCES IDs are listed as strings and must be 7 characters long, and only
contain numbers 0-9.
• Decimal (2): A numeric value with up to two decimal places (e.g., 65, 90.1,
30.25).
o Dollar amounts will be indicated as decimal (2) fields.
o Percentages will be indicated as decimal (2) fields, and should not exceed
100.
• Decimal (1): A numeric value with up to one decimal place (e.g., 60, 40.5).
• Integer: A numeric value that must be a whole number and may not have any
decimal places (e.g., 12345).
Note: No numeric value can be less than 0 (i.e., negative numbers are not permitted).
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Uploading Subgrantee Templates
The Data Collection Tool provides a file upload option in lieu of adding subgrantee data
manually. These instructions provide a high-level overview of the file upload process for Page 4
- CARES, Page 5 - CRRSA, Page 6 - ARP, Page 7 - Cross-Act, and Page 8 - Schools.
1. Navigate to Page 4 - CARES of the Annual Performance Report (see fig. 18).
Figure 18 – Page 4 - CARES
2. In order to use the file upload option, the Excel template file provided (on the respective
pages within the Data Collection Tool, from the File Checker, or from Grantee Help
page) must be used. If you need a new copy of the CARES template, select the hyperlink
from the page to download a copy (see fig. 19).
Figure 19 – Template Download
3. When you are ready to upload your completed CARES file, click the Upload File button
(see fig. 20), then choose the completed CARES Excel file named esser-2021-cares-
XX.xlsx from your computer.
NOTE! XX should be replaced with the state’s abbreviation.
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Figure 20 – Upload File Button
4. Once the file is successfully uploaded, the online screen will display the file name,
status, file size, and last modified date and time (see fig. 21). The uploaded file can be
removed at any time using the Remove control button.
Figure 21 – Information on File Uploaded
5. Upon successful upload, templates will first undergo a series of format validation checks
within the system (see fig. 22). The file must pass all format validation before the data
will be evaluated for the business rules.
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Figure 22 – Format Violation
6. After format issues (if any identified) are resolved, the business rules validations will
run. Any validation errors and/or warnings that were triggered will be listed (see fig. 23).
Please refer to the ESSER Business Rules Guide to assist with resolving business rule
violations.
Figure 23 – Business Rule Violations
7. The file upload capability is also available for Page 5 - CRRSA, Page 6 - ARP, Page 7 -
Cross-Act, and Page 8 - Schools.
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Validation Errors and Warnings
Validation errors and warnings run within the data collection tool. When navigating to a new
page, a message will be displayed at the bottom of the page: Checking Validation Status… (see
fig. 24)
Figure 24 – Checking Validation Status
Once the check is complete, all initial errors and warnings for that section will be displayed at
the bottom of the page. Validation errors are in red and must be resolved in order to submit
the APR. Warnings are in brown and provide information on a potential data issue, but do not
need to be resolved in order to submit the APR. As data are entered and errors and warnings
are resolved, the page will continue to check the validation status and remove an error or
warning if resolved.
In addition to the initial validation rules that run on each page, additional rules will run once
data are entered. All rules are available in the ESSER Business Rules Guide located on the
Grantee Help Page. Every rule is listed in the ESSER Business Rules Guide, along with its location
on the Data Collection Tool, whether it is an Error or Warning, the Definition, Resolution,
Additional Information, and Logic used. Please reference this document with any questions
related to errors and warnings.
Because the templates contain multiple header rows (rows 1-6) that should not be edited,
being able to sort and filter grantee-entered data based on row 6 will be useful. To do so,
highlight all of column 6 (see fig. 25).
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Figure 25 – Manipulating Data Within Templates
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Submitting the ESSER Annual Performance Report
After all 8 pages have been completed, go to Page 9 to review all of the information supplied
(see fig. 26). Select each section to expand.
Figure 26 – Review Page
Page 10 is the Submission page and contains all unresolved Errors and Warnings (see fig. 27).
Select the related page link to navigate to the page that contains the error or warning. There
are rules that apply to related data elements that span across multiple pages. For those pages,
the rule will be displayed on the first page with the relevant data element. Scroll to the bottom
of Page 10 to download all errors and warnings as an Excel file.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
Figure 27 – Submission Page
Once all errors are resolved, the Submit button will be displayed for users who are assigned the
Submitter role and will have the ability to select Submit to officially submit the ESSER Annual
Performance Report (see fig. 28).
Figure 28 – Submit Button
After clicking the Submit button, the user will see a confirmation notice stating that the form
will no longer be editable once it has been submitted. Users must select Submit on this window
to complete the submission process (see fig. 29).
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
Figure 29 – Submit Confirmation Window
IMPORTANT! The ESSER Annual Performance Report may not be resubmitted. Once a
submission is made within the Data Collection Tool, that submission will be marked as final.
Please ensure data are accurate and complete before submission.
After clicking the Submit button on the confirmation window, the user will see a message on
the Submission page that their ESSER Annual Performance Report has been successfully
submitted (see fig. 30). Any warnings that still exist, will remain on the page.
Figure 30 – Submission Message
Users can review responses but are not able to make any changes once the form has been
submitted. The buttons for Reset, Save, and Save & Continue will become disabled (see fig. 31).
Figure 31 – Form After Submission
The status will now show Submitted on the ESF Reporting Landing page (see fig. 32).
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
Figure 32 – ESF Reporting Landing Page Status
If users log back in to the ESSER Annual Performance Report, the top banner will show the
status is Submitted (see fig. 33).
Figure 33 – Top Banner Status
All users associated with the ESSER Annual Performance Report will receive an email confirming
their submission (see fig. 34).
Figure 34 – Email Confirmation
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
Exporting Submitted Data
To generate a PDF of the Annual Performance Report responses at any point during data entry,
navigate to Page 9 – Review. Select Expand All to view all data. In your browser, select Print
and Print to PDF. Due to the size of the file, it may take a minute to generate before you can
select the Print button (see fig. 35).
Figure 35 – PDF of APR
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
Resources and Technical Assistance
Grantee Help Page
There are several technical assistance documents located on the ESSER Grantee Help Page:
• ESSER Reporting Data Collection Form (OMB-approved Form)
• Year 3 ESSER – Data Dictionary
• Year 3 ESSER Uploads – CARES, CRRSA, ARP, Cross Act, Schools
• ESSER Year 3 Annual Performance Review Webinar
• ESSER Year 3 Form Review Webinar Q&A
• ESSER Reporting Resources and Expectation Letter
• ESSER Business Rules Guide
• File Checker Overview
• Formatting Upload Templates for APRs
Definitions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are located under the FISCAL YEAR 2022
(YEAR 3) ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORTING RESOURCES section (see fig. 36). Access these
FAQs on a regular basis as they will be updated as the collection continues.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
Figure 36 – Grantee Help Page
Education Stabilization Fund Reporting Helpdesk
The ESF Reporting Helpdesk is open Monday through Friday (excluding federal holidays) from
8:00 a.m. ET to 6:00 p.m. ET.
Email: ESSER.GEER.EANS.AnnualReport@ed.gov
Telephone: 1-866-890-0913
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ESSER DATA COLLECTION TOOL USER GUIDE
The Department of Education's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global
competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
www.ed.gov
April 2023 1 ESSER Annual Performance Report
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