Dear Commissioner Watson — ARP ESSER State Plan, Kansas (July 22, 2021)

Summary

Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson receives Secretary Cardona's July 22, 2021 approval of Kansas' ARP ESSER State plan, which the letter calls consistent with all ARP ESSER statutory and regulatory requirements and addressing all of the plan elements. The Department commits to release the remaining one-third of the allocation immediately and to post the plan. Kansas must still provide the URLs where the public can find its instruction-mode and enrollment data and the LEA plans, and the letter warns that approval is not a civil rights determination. Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D. signs.

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Issuer: Congressional materials
Document type: Department Of Education Pdf Www Ed Gov 9052618291
Case: Department Of Education Pdf Www Ed Gov 9052618291

Cite this document

“Dear Commissioner Watson — ARP ESSER State Plan, Kansas (July 22, 2021).” Original at www.ed.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/department-of-education-pdf-www-ed-gov-9052618291/, SHA-256 3c510a4b6349db5e64292cb2472c5f5141d9b0743f24493071b0f8d5cede2261.

Full text

                                       THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
                                            WASHINGTON, DC 20202




                                             July 22, 2021


The Honorable Randy Watson
Commissioner of Education
Kansas Department of Education
900 S.W. Jackson Street, Room 600
Topeka, KS 66612-1220

Dear Commissioner Watson:

I am pleased to approve Kansas’ 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.

Kansas’ 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 Kansas’ 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.

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 State educational agency (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 email to your State mailbox at Kansas.OESE@ed.gov.

Please be aware that approval of Kansas’ 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 Kansas’
responsibility to comply with these civil rights requirements.

Page 2 – The Honorable Randy Watson
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 support 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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Our copy: department-of-education-pdf-www-ed-gov-9052618291.pdf
Original: www.ed.gov