Dear Superintendent Ybarra — ARP ESSER State Plan, Idaho (September 13, 2021)

Summary

A letter dated September 13, 2021 from the Secretary of Education to Sherri Ybarra, Superintendent of Public Instruction, of the Idaho Department of Education approving Idaho's American Rescue Plan ESSER State plan and releasing the remaining one-third of the State's ARP ESSER allocation. The approval is conditioned on Idaho continuing to consult stakeholders representing children in foster care and children who are incarcerated, and amending its plan within 45 days to describe how it did so. It is also conditioned on Idaho describing the evidence-based interventions it will use for lost instructional time, summer learning and afterschool programs, because it had not yet identified them.

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                                         THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
                                              WASHINGTON, DC 20202




                                              September 13, 2021


The Honorable Sherri Ybarra
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Idaho Department of Education
650 West State Street
Boise, ID 83720-0027

Dear Superintendent Ybarra:

I am pleased to approve Idaho’s American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School
Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) State plan. This plan, together with the unprecedented funding
available under ARP ESSER, will help ensure that districts and schools in your State can
continue to reopen safely; support sustained access to in-person instruction throughout the
summer and into next school year; and address the social, emotional, mental health, and
academic needs of students due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19),
particularly those students most impacted by the pandemic.

Except as described below, Idaho’s plan is consistent with all ARP ESSER statutory and
regulatory requirements and addresses all of the ARP ESSER State plan elements. This letter,
along with Idaho’s approved ARP ESSER State plan, will be posted on the U.S. Department of
Education’s (Department’s) website, and the Department will immediately release the remaining
one-third of your State’s ARP ESSER allocation for your use.

In its ARP ESSER State plan, a State educational agency (SEA) must describe how it engaged in
meaningful consultation with several stakeholder groups on the development of its ARP ESSER
State plan. Idaho indicated that it has not yet meaningfully consulted with stakeholders
representing children in foster care and children who are incarcerated. As a result, this approval
is conditioned on Idaho continuing to engage in meaningful consultation specifically with
stakeholders representing the interests of children in foster care and children who are
incarcerated. Within 45 days of receipt of this letter, Idaho must amend its ARP ESSER State
plan to describe how it met the requirements in section C.1 of the ARP ESSER State plan
template, including how it incorporated feedback from stakeholders representing children in
foster care and children who are incarcerated into its ARP ESSER State plan.

Additionally, in its ARP ESSER State plan, an SEA must describe how it will use the funds it
reserves under sections 2001(f)(1)-(3) of the ARP Act on evidence-based interventions to
address: (1) the academic impact of lost instructional time, (2) summer learning and enrichment
programs, and (3) comprehensive afterschool programs; and must describe how the interventions
it identifies will address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of students.
In its ARP ESSER State plan, Idaho indicated that it has not yet identified its interventions. As a
result, this approval is conditioned on Idaho amending its ARP ESSER State plan to provide the
requisite descriptions to meet the requirements in section D.1.i-iii, D.2.i-iii, and D.3.i-iii of the
Page 2 – The Honorable Sherri Ybarra


ARP ESSER State plan template. In addition, Idaho must provide an update on its progress
selecting evidence-based interventions to meet these requirements within 30 days of receipt of
this letter, and additional updates as required by the Department.

As part of the ARP ESSER State plan, each State assured that it would provide the
Department the URLs for information related to ARP ESSER requirements. First, by June 21,
2021, each State was required to post publicly on its website, for the most recent time
period available, data on mode of instruction and enrollment for all students, disaggregated
by student subgroups. The State assured that it would provide to the Department the URL(s)
where the public can readily find this data. The Department will follow up separately with you
regarding this requirement, if necessary. Second, your State assured that it would provide to the
Department the URL(s) for the SEA and/or local educational agency (LEA) websites where the
public can find the LEA plans for: (a) the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of
services; and (b) use of ARP ESSER funds. Please submit the URL or URLs to the Department
via mail to your State mailbox at Idaho.OESE@ed.gov.

Please be aware that approval of Idaho’s ARP ESSER State plan is not a determination that all
the information included in the State plan complies with Federal civil rights requirements,
including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities
Act, and requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It is Idaho’s
responsibility to comply with these civil rights requirements.

The Department is committed to working in partnership with your State so that your ARP
ESSER funds are quickly put to work to ensure students have sustained access to in-person
instruction as well as the comprehensive supports they need to recover fully from the impacts of
the COVID-19 pandemic. As you implement this plan, we expect you to continue meaningfully
engaging with stakeholders and the public and revising your plan, as necessary, to best meet the
needs of students, parents, and educators. Ongoing engagement with all stakeholders is vital to
ensuring that implementation of your plan is transparent, effective, equitable, inclusive, and best
meets the needs of your State. The thoughtful, evidence-based, and timely use of ARP ESSER
funds will have a lasting impact on our Nation’s schools and help to address the inequities in
resources, services, and opportunities available to our students.


                                      Sincerely,

                                      /s/

                                      Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D.


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