Georgia's ARP ESSER State Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity (June 7, 2021)
Summary
Georgia's ARP ESSER State Plan, titled Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity, listing Richard Woods, State School Superintendent, as the Chief State School Officer with a date of June 7, 2021 and ARP ESSER award number S425U210012. The plan follows the U.S. Department of Education template and states Georgia's commitments in narrative responses. It describes a focus on compassion over compliance during the pandemic, strategies for safety and wellbeing, access to devices, broadband and school meals, and innovative instruction, and a roadmap to reimagine K-12 education. The text is the state's own plan; contact details are omitted.
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
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- Department Of Education Pdf Www Ed Gov F64A4Ec8Fa
Cite this document
“Georgia's ARP ESSER State Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity (June 7, 2021).”
Original at www.ed.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/department-of-education-pdf-www-ed-gov-f64a4ec8fa/
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Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports,
and Promoting Opportunity
Georgia’s ARP ESSER State Plan
Richard Woods, State School Superintendent
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 1
Grantee and Contact Information
ARP ESSER PR Award Number: S425U210012
SEA Contact: Matt Cardoza
Telephone: 404-550-7298
Email address: mcardoza@doe.k12.ga.us
By signing this document, I agree to each of the assurances listed in Appendix C and
further assure that:
To the best of my knowledge and belief, all information and data included in this plan
are true and correct.
Chief State School Officer or Authorized Representative (Printed
Name)
Richard Woods
Signature of Authorized SEA Representative Date:
June 7,
2021
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Note: The format of the application (sections, question content/wording, and structure) are provided by the United
State Department of Education (USED). Georgia’s commitment is outlined in the narrative responses (navy text) of
this document.
----
A. Describing the State’s Current Status and Needs
The Department recognizes the extraordinary efforts made by States, LEAs, and educators to support
students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this section, SEAs will describe the progress they have made,
the priorities and student needs guiding their ARP ESSER funding decisions, and their current and
projected operating status.
1. Progress and Promising Practices: Provide your assessment of the top 2-3 strategies that have been
most effective in supporting the needs of students in your State during the COVID-19 pandemic,
especially for students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please include, if applicable, how
your State will submit and encourage its LEAs to submit lessons learned and best practices to the
Department’s Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse so that they can be shared
with other States and LEAs.
Focusing on Compassion Over Compliance
From the onset of the pandemic, State School Superintendent Richard Woods set the tone of
focusing on "compassion over compliance" in the agency’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This child-focused, classroom-centered approach sought to transform traditional education systems,
programs, and structures in order to meet the challenges of the moment. Under the leadership of
Superintendent Woods, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) focused on three core
strategies during the pandemic: (1) ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students and educators, (2)
preserving and expanding access (i.e., devices, broadband, school meals, etc.), and (3) supporting
innovative instructional practices (i.e., in-person, virtual, or hybrid learning).
Reimagining K-12 Education
Emerging out of the pandemic, Superintendent Woods released A Roadmap to Reimagining K-12
Education. This document lays out a positive vision for education in our state, outlining our goals for
the years and months ahead. We will work to ensure access to a well-rounded education for every
child, create multiple diploma pathways, continue the reduction of high-stakes testing, develop an
accountability system that lifts up -- rather than labels -- our schools, modernize the state’s K-12
funding formula, establish a “21st Century Standard of Learning” for bandwidth, devices, training,
and outfitting classrooms, and much more.
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Sharing Best Practices
Working with partners, GaDOE will identify lessons learned and best practices from districts and
schools across the state. These innovative practices will be shared out and curated via agency
communications, conferences, and panel discussions, as well as submitted to USED’s Clearinghouse
to spotlight Georgia’s efforts and maximize dissemination and adoption.
2. Overall Priorities: Provide your assessment of the top 2-3 issues currently facing students and
schools across your State as a result of or in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including, to the
extent possible, data illustrating why these are the most critical and/or most widespread issues
facing schools and students.
Hearing from those on the Frontlines During the Pandemic
Though we are just closing out the school year in Georgia, State School Superintendent Richard
Woods has been in schools and classrooms since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year,
hearing firsthand from students, school leaders, and educators. In those deep discussions with
education stakeholders, GaDOE has identified three top issues facing students and schools across
our state:
1. Accelerate Learning
2. Personalize Supports
3. Promote Opportunity
Millions of meals have been prepared and delivered. Millions of lessons have been taught virtually.
Millions of phone calls, texts, and FaceTimes have occurred. Millions of extra hours have been
logged, and millions of small gestures of dedication, sacrifice, and compassion continue to add up to
show the best of who we are as Georgians.
Common themes of issues facing students and schools that arose during the review of the
stakeholder input submitted to ARP_ESSER@doe.k12.ga.us included mental health; literacy;
interpretation and language support; shortfall of resources; delayed development; internet access in
rural communities; transportation; childcare; and adaptability. We continue to seek out
opportunities to tackle these shared challenges with SEA and LEA ARP ESSER funding.
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3. Identifying Needs of Underserved Students: Describe your State’s 2-3 highest priority academic,
social, emotional, and/or mental health needs for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year (if
applicable) and for the 2021-2022 school year related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on
each of the following student groups:
i. Students from low-income families,
ii. Students from each racial or ethnic group (e.g., identifying disparities and
focusing on underserved student groups by race or ethnicity),
iii. Gender (e.g., identifying disparities and focusing on underserved student groups
by gender),
iv. English learners,
v. Children with disabilities (including infants, toddlers, children, and youth with
disabilities eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(“IDEA”)),
vi. Students experiencing homelessness,
vii. Children and youth in foster care,
viii. Migratory students, and
ix. Other groups disproportionately impacted by the pandemic that have been
identified by the SEA (e.g., youth involved in the criminal justice system,
students who have missed the most in-person instruction during the 2019-2020
and 2020-2021 school years, students who did not consistently participate in
remote instruction when offered during school building closures, and LGBTQ+
students).
Serving the Needs of All Students
For the 2021-2022 school year, GaDOE’s three major priorities to support all student groups are:
1. Accelerate Learning: Identifying unfinished learning and barriers to learning;
2. Personalize Supports: Personalizing supports for students and educators, and districts; and
3. Promote Opportunity: Preserving and promoting access to opportunities.
GaDOE is committed to increasing academic outcomes and removing the non-academic barriers to
learning for all students in Georgia. Per federal law, GaDOE makes available subgroup-level academic
and accountability data for all districts and schools and provides improvement plan processes and
templates for districts and schools to identify and close gaps. Locally, districts and schools administer a
variety of formative assessments and screeners to provide more real-time information to address the
academic needs of all students. Tools like the Georgia Student Health Survey provide districts and
schools with a way to identify non-academic barriers to learning.
GaDOE’s Federal Programs team closely coordinates the activities and efforts of our agency’s numerous
federal programs in unison with our School Improvement and Teaching and Learning teams. Georgia has
received national recognition for its work with the consolidation of funds that forms the foundation of a
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 5
student-focused, improvement approach to empowering school districts and leveraging local, state, and
federal dollars to increase student achievement.
In addition to increased academic outcomes, our agency has focused on increasing opportunities by
expanding CTAE, fine arts, world language, dual enrollment, gifted, AP, IB, health and physical
education, STEM/STEAM, computer science, work-based learning/apprenticeships, and industry
credentials/certified programs across the state, particularly in rural areas.
A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t effectively support our districts, schools, students, or educators.
GaDOE’s efforts must continue to meet them where they are by uniquely responding to regional,
district, school, and classroom needs. Each and every child has unique unfinished learning and has
experienced different learning models throughout the pandemic. Each and every educator needs unique
professional learning to support their content areas and academic disciplines, as well as training to
support 21st Century learning and instruction.
GaDOE plans to utilize ARP funds for a robust professional learning platform that can be utilized by
districts and schools across the state to deliver quality, on-demand professional learning to all educators
and support staff. In addition to providing personalized supports, we will create online Professional
Learning Communities (PLCs) supporting content areas and courses, facilitated by virtual specialists who
are experienced Georgia classroom teachers, and providing an online space for educators to collaborate,
ask questions, share resources, and network with peers across the state.
4. Understanding the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Describe how the SEA will support its LEAs in
identifying the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning and student
well-being, including identifying the groups of students most impacted by the pandemic. Where
possible, please identify the data sources the SEA will suggest its LEAs use in thoughtfully diagnosing
areas of need, including data on the academic, social, emotional, and mental health impacts of lost
instructional time.
Leveraging Formative Tools
Since the start of the 2020-2021 school year, GaDOE has provided – and will continue to provide –
various formative assessment tools and professional learning in formative instructional practices at no
charge to all districts in our state. A survey of districts showed that nearly all of them planned to utilize
formative assessments, whether those are provided by the state or purchased locally, to identify
learning gaps and opportunities to accelerate learning. In addition to the Georgia Student Health Survey
that captures discipline, school climate, and absenteeism, districts may select additional tools to identify
non-academic barriers to learning.
As part of its federal waiver, GaDOE has agreed to report all traditional and additional data elements
required by USED in a publicly available data dashboard for community and school leaders to utilize to
identify and address achievement gaps.
All Georgia school districts should consult with and ensure buy-in from community members in an open
and transparent manner when making decisions to adopt and implement any assessment tools or
programs.
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Providing State- and Regional-Level Academic Recovery Specialists
GaDOE’s School Improvement team is working with all federally identified schools to ensure formative
data is a cornerstone of their improvement plans and goals. As part of GaDOE’s LEA ARP ESSER Plan
application, districts are asked to submit their formative assessment plans as well as which students to
target for intensive academic supports. We plan to aggregate the data and feedback from these plans to
serve as a needs assessment for our own agency’s efforts during the 2021-2022 school year.
ARP funds will be utilized by GaDOE to fund Academic Recovery Specialists at the state level as part of
the agency’s School Improvement team at a regional level in each of the state’s 16 Regional Education
Service Agencies (RESAs) to provide additional expertise and respond to the on-the-ground needs of
districts and schools.
5. School Operating Status: It is essential to have data on how students are learning in order to support
the goals of access and equity, especially for student groups that have been disproportionately impacted
by the COVID-19 pandemic. Describe the current status of data collection on operational status and
mode of instruction of all schools in your State. This description must include:
i. A description of to what extent, and how frequently, the State collects now and
will collect in the future data for all schools in your State on:
a. Mode of instruction: The number of schools in your State that are
offering fully remote or online-only instruction; both remote/online and
in-person instruction (hybrid model); and/or full-time in-person
instruction;
b. Enrollment: Student enrollment for all students and disaggregated for
each of the student groups described in A.3.i-viii for each mode of
instruction; and
c. Attendance: Student attendance for all students and disaggregated for
each of the student groups described in A.3.i-viii for each mode of
instruction.
ii. The data described in A.5.i.a. and b. using the template in Appendix A (and to
the extent available, the data described in A.5.i.c.) for the most recent time
period available. Please note that this data can be submitted separately within
14 calendar days after a State submits this plan. The SEA must also make this
data publicly available on its website as soon as possible but no later than June
21, 2021, and regularly provide updated available information on its website.
The Department will periodically review data listed in A.5.i on SEA websites.
iii. To the extent available, a description of the planned operational status and
mode of instruction for the State and its LEAs for Summer 2021 and for the
2021-2022 school year.
GaDOE is still in the process of collecting data for section A.5.i.a and will submit this data as permitted
by the application’s instructions separately within 14 calendar days. The results will be posted online as
permitted and required by June 21, 2021, at https://www.georgiainsights.com/cares-act.html.
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Returning to In-person Instruction
Given increased availably of effective vaccines and decreased COVID-19 case counts, Georgia is planning
a full return to in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year. Georgia is a local control state with
ultimate reopening and operational authority given to elected local boards of education, but districts
continue to signal their desire and commitment to full in-person instruction for the upcoming school
year.
B. Safely Reopening Schools and Sustaining their Safe Operations
The Department recognizes that safely reopening schools and sustaining their safe operations to
maximize in-person instruction is essential for student learning and student well-being, and especially
for being able to address the educational inequities that have been worsened by the COVID-19
pandemic. In this section, SEAs will describe how they will support their LEAs in this vital area.
1. Support for LEAs: Describe how the SEA will support its LEAs in safely returning to in-person
instruction and sustaining the safe operation of schools. This description must include:
i. How the SEA will support its LEAs implementing, to the greatest extent practicable,
prevention and mitigation policies in line with the most up-to-date guidance from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) for the reopening and operation of
school facilities to effectively maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and
other staff;
ii. Any Statewide plans, policies, estimated timelines, and specific milestones related to
reopening and operation of school facilities, including any mechanisms the SEA will use
to track, monitor, or enforce their implementation;
iii. To what extent the SEA and its LEAs consult with Federal, State, and local health
officials. This description should include, if available, whether the SEA and its LEAs have
received support for screening testing from their State or local health department based
on funding awarded by the CDC; and
iv. Any guidance, professional learning, and technical assistance opportunities the SEA will
make available to its LEAs.
Georgia’s K-12 Restart & Recovery Working Groups
In May 2020, Governor Brian Kemp and State School Superintendent Richard Woods announced the
creation of six K-12 Restart Working Groups to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on
Georgia's K-12 schools and plan for a safe 2020-21 school year.
These working groups assisted in planning the next steps forward and provided guidelines and supports
that helped a majority of Georgia’s school districts open for face-to-face learning Fall 2020.
The working groups, which included teachers, school district staff, and public health officials along with
representatives of education organizations, nonprofits, and state agencies, focused on six key topics:
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school meals; distance learning and professional learning; connectivity and devices; mental health and
wellness; supplemental learning; and facilities, equipment, and health guidelines.
Coordinating with Department of Health and Emergency Management
In partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), the Georgia Department of
Education has provided timely and accurate prevention and mitigation practices to school districts.
At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, State School Superintendent Richard Woods established
a K-12 Public Health Liaison to coordinate efforts with school districts, DPH, and the Georgia Emergency
Management Agency (GEMA). GaDOE’s Public Health Liaison consults with state health officials on a
weekly basis. The Georgia Department of Public Health sends a weekly report to the Georgia
Department of Education that includes information reported by LEAs weekly, such as instructional
models and health related data to track any new cases relating to the prevention and mitigation of
COVID-19.
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Returning to In-person Instruction
As mentioned in the previous section regarding School Operating Status, given the increased availability
of effective vaccines and decreased COVID-19 case counts, Georgia is planning a full return to in-person
instruction for the 2021-2022 school year. Georgia is a local control state with ultimate reopening and
operational authority given to elected local boards of education, but districts continue to signal their
desire and commitment to full in-person instruction for the upcoming school year.
As applicable, additional guidance from DPH, equipment and supplies from GEMA, and support from
GaDOE will be provided to districts and schools.
Providing Professional Learning for the Upcoming School Year
GaDOE is organizing The Reimagining Education Conference, an intensive, highly collaborative
conference with resources and best practices provided from teams across the agency, as well as state
and district partners. Additionally, the work of successful practitioners from across the state will be
highlighted to promote possible collaboration efforts amongst districts, best practices, and innovative
approaches to learning that may be replicated across the state. As additional needs emerge throughout
the 2021-2022 school year, GaDOE will continue to provide responsive, on-demand professional learning
and technical assistance to districts and schools.
2. Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plans: Describe how the SEA will
ensure that its LEAs that receive ARP ESSER funds meet the requirements in section 2001(i) of the ARP
Act and the requirements relating to the ARP ESSER funds published in the Federal Register and
available at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/american-rescue-plan/american-rescue-plan-elementary-and-
secondary-school-emergency-relief/ (ARP ESSER requirements) to either: (a) within 30 days of receipt of
the funds, develop and make publicly available on the LEA’s website a plan for the safe return to in-
person instruction and continuity of services, or (b) have developed and made publicly available on the
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LEA’s website such a plan that meets statutory requirements before the enactment of the ARP Act,
including:
i. How the SEA will ensure that each LEA plan includes, or will be modified to include, the
extent to which it has adopted policies and a description of any such policies on each of
the strategies listed in table B1;
ii. How the SEA will ensure that each LEA plan describes how it will ensure continuity of
services including but not limited to services to address the students’ academic needs,
and students’ and staff social, emotional, mental health, and other needs, which may
include student health and food services;
iii. How the SEA will ensure that the LEA periodically reviews, no less frequently than every
six months for the duration of the ARP ESSER grant period (i.e., through September 30,
2023), and revises as appropriate, its plan, and how the SEA will ensure that the LEA
seeks public input, and takes such input into account on (1) whether revisions are
necessary and, if so, (2) the revisions to the plan; and
iv. Describe, to the extent the SEA collects it, information about LEA implementation, to
the greatest extent practicable, of each element of the most up-to-date CDC guidance
listed in table B1 and its LEAs’ needs for support and technical assistance to implement
strategies consistent, to the greatest extent practicable, with relevant CDC guidance.
GaDOE provided a streamlined LEA ARP ESSER Plan application to include selections that required the
digital signature for the specified LEA personnel’s understanding that in accepting ARP ESSER funds, the
LEA would adhere to the requirements in section 2001(i) of the ARP Act and the requirements relating
to the ARP ESSER funds published in the Federal Register.
LEAs participated in a statewide webinar training on the new interim final rule requirements pertaining
to the ARP ESSER funds. The descriptive webinar expressed the importance to each LEA that the
completion of the LEA ARP ESSER application provides the LEA the opportunity to insert the specific link
where the LEA’s Return to In-Person Instruction Plan may be located publicly on the district’s website.
The LEA also submits the date that initiates the six-month timeframe in which the LEA will address each
of the required aspects of safety established in the interim final rule requirement, as part of the
required periodic review if necessary. GaDOE has established a Return to In-Person Instruction Plan
calendar to monitor the submissions of LEA plans to implement prevention and mitigation strategies.
GaDOE’s LEA ARP ESSER Plan application requests information from the LEA to (1) estimate the
approximate percentage of the LEA’s ESSER III formula funds that will be allocated to implement
prevention and mitigation strategies; (2) explain how the LEA engaged the entire school community to
establish a safe environment for all educators, school staff, and students in order to promote trust and
confidence; and (3) explain how the LEA monitored cases and made decisions about in-person
instruction.
Once LEAs submit their initial application with their original ARP ESSER budgets for approval, the agency
has a means of monitoring the stages of revisions for LEAs to align their plans with the most up to date
guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided through the Georgia
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Department of Public Health (DPH). Additionally, based on the information received, the agency can
offer surveys and other mechanisms to understand the level of support and technical assistance needed
to implement strategies consistent with the current DPH guidance.
C. Planning for the Use and Coordination of ARP ESSER Funds
The Department recognizes that seeking input from diverse stakeholders is essential to developing plans
for the use of ARP ESSER funds that are responsive to the needs of students, families, and educators. In
this section, SEAs will describe their plans for consultation and for coordinating the use of ARP ESSER
funds with other resources to meet the needs of students.
1. SEA Consultation: Consistent with the ARP ESSER requirements, describe how the SEA engaged
in meaningful consultation with stakeholders, and incorporated input into its plan, including, but
not limited to:
i. students;
ii. families;
iii. Tribes (if applicable);
iv. civil rights organizations (including disability rights organizations);
v. school and district administrators (including special education administrators);
vi. superintendents;
vii. charter school leaders (if applicable);
viii. teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, and their unions; and
ix. stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities, English learners,
children experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, migratory
students, children who are incarcerated, and other underserved students.
The description must include how the SEA provided the public the opportunity to provide input in the
development of the plan, a summary of the input (including any letters of support), and how the SEA
took such input into account.
Despite the tight timeframe, GaDOE was committed to an open process for Georgians to provide input
with the state’s ARP ESSER plan.
On May 5, 2021, GaDOE’s press release went out to more than 127,868 recipients regarding the
agency’s interest in receiving input on the development of the ARP ESSER plan in order to provide
transparency, accountability, and ensure effective use of the funding. Based on the feedback received
through the ARP_ESSER@doe.k12.ga.us email address, Georgians shared their insights and experiences
during the pandemic as students, parents, and educational advocates.
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The process to receive feedback from stakeholders was intentional. As a result, recipients were given
three considerations to ensure clarity and focus to generate their responses to include:
• Provide your assessment of the top 2-3 issues currently facing students, schools, or subgroups of
students as a result of, or in response to, the COVID-19 pandemic.
• What strategies, actions, or promising practices has your school, district, or organization
observed to be most effective in supporting student needs in response to the COVID-19
pandemic?
• How can GaDOE better support students, families, and schools for the safe return to in-person
instruction and continuity of services?
An overwhelming number of submissions thanked the agency for offering the opportunity to provide
feedback and provided specific input that was taken into consideration and included into the creation of
this plan.
From the public input period, the following major themes emerged:
• Provide Whole Child Supports for students, especially low-income students
• Provide Accelerated Learning Opportunities for students in school and out of school
• Provide access to technology, especially for low-income students and students in rural locations
GaDOE received input and letters from a wide variety of education advocacy groups and community
groups representing educators, school leaders, school boards, and over fifteen state organizations
(emails and letters can be supplied as needed).
Several virtual meetings were held with state advisory councils, including the Parent Advisory Council,
State Advisory Council for Special Education, and McKinney-Vento Advisory Council, that support the
interests of specific student populations.
During these meaningful consultations, attendees were provided an overview of Georgia’s ARP funding
breakdown to ensure participants had a clear understanding of the funding received and the specific
percentages allocated to the local educational agencies, which includes the requirement to address
unfinished learning for students.
Additionally, participants were provided the opportunity to participate in active polls and they learned
about the agency’s top three priorities to build trust to fully return to in-person instruction.
2. Coordinating Funds: Describe to what extent the SEA has and will coordinate Federal COVID-19
pandemic funding and other Federal funding. This description must include:
i. How the SEA and its LEAs 1) are using or have used prior to the submission of this plan
and 2) plan to use following submission of this plan, Federal COVID-19 funding under
the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and the CRRSA Act to
support a safe return to and safely maximize in-person instruction, sustain these
operations safely, and address the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
on individual student groups (including students from low-income families, children with
disabilities, English learners, racial or ethnic minorities, students experiencing
homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students);
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ii. To what extent ESSER I and ESSER II funds have been awarded to LEAs and, if funds have
not yet been made available to LEAs, when they will be. In addition, please provide any
available information on the total dollar amounts of ESSER I and ESSER II funds that have
been obligated but not expended by the SEA and its LEAs, including whether the SEA is
able to track LEA obligations.
GaDOE has awarded all LEAs the available funds for the CARES Act, CRSSA, and ARP. There have been
multiple grants provided that supported local educational agencies (LEAs) and state activities through
the CARES Act. 100% of CARES Act funding has been obligated and the agency is in the production stages
of setting up a dashboard that demonstrates the function and object codes utilized by LEAs for their
CARES Act funds. The breakdown below provides a brief narrative regarding the intent of each grant
allocated from the CARES Act. Each grant had an explicit purpose to support LEAs with the impact of
COVID-19:
CARES Act-ESSER Funds-Formula
• Supported LEAs to offset expenditures related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and
support with maintaining safety procedures for students who selected options to participate
in full-time instruction.
CARES Act-ESSER Funds-CTAE-Agriculture
• The State made a reduction to the funding for our CTAE and Agriculture programs. At the
recommendation of State School Superintendent Richard Woods, the State Board of
Education allocated ESSER-CARES Act funds to make up the difference between the
programs’ funding needs and what the General Assembly appropriated for the programs.
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CARES Act - ESSER Funds - SEA Reserve Grant Set-Aside-Equitable Services
• Additional grant funds added for the purpose of assisting with the offset amount LEAs set-
aside for the beginning or increasing the provision of equitable services (for private schools).
CARES Act-ESSER Funds-Reserve Grant
• The General Assembly appropriated state grant funding in the amount of $5,364,426 for
FY21 grants to LEAs with approved residential facilities. Twenty approved facilities served by
18 LEAs are included in the FY21 Residential Treatment Facility State Grant. Of these 20
approved residential facilities, 16 are served by their LEAs as “schools” and four are served
by their LEAs as “programs.” Georgia state law provides that for the purposes of
accountability, all residential treatment facilities shall be treated as a single LEA and thus
received allocations from the CARES Act funding.
CARES Act-ESSER Funds-Special Education Supplemental Relief
• This grant provides local education agencies funding necessary to offset the increased costs
of special education services due to the impact of COVID-19 and gives LEAs the ability to
better serve special education students during the pandemic.
CARES Act-ESSER Funds-State Charter Schools
• This grant allocation supported new or significantly expanded state charter schools with the
offset of expenses related to COVID-19.
CARES Act-ESSER Funds-Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS)
• The purpose of this grant was to provide GNETS, a program that provides therapeutic
services and supports to students with severe disabilities, with emergency relief funds to
address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on GNETS programs
across Georgia.
CARES Act-ESSER Funds-Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA)
• Georgia has 16 Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) strategically located in service
districts throughout the state. The agencies were established for the purpose of sharing
services designed to improve the effectiveness of the educational programs of member
school systems. In addition, the RESAs assist GaDOE in promoting its initiatives. This CARES
Act allocation supported RESAs’ offset with costs associated with distribution of Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) and the impacts of state revenue decreases due to COVID-19.
CARES Act-ESSER Funds-School Nursing
• These funds were provided to LEAs and GNETS facilities to fund additional school nursing
personnel, supplies, telehealth services, and other similar needs. This grant allocated more
resources directly to school nursing programs to offset the additional costs related to the
impacts of COVID-19.
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 15
CARES Act & ARP Act-Educator Retention Bonuses
After issuing ninety percent of funds to the local educational agencies, State School Superintendent
Richard Woods, in partnership with Governor Brian Kemp, chose to utilize a large portion of the
ESSER II SEA reserve funds to provide one-time, $1,000 retention bonuses to all K-12 educators and
support staff in the state.
ARP Act-ESSER III FFA-FCCLA Center and Camp John Hope
• The allocation will support the impact and loss of revenue experienced by the Georgia
Future Farmers of America (FFA)-Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America
(FCCLA) Center and Camp John Hope due to COVID-19.
Data and Transparency
As part of the data collection process, it is requested that each LEA submit a CARES Act Use of Funds
form to inform the agency on how the LEA will allocate the grant funding. The LEAs identify categories
and student subgroups for each original and amended budget where funding will be allocated to
address the impacts of COVID-19. GaDOE has collected all forms from the 212 LEAs that received an
allocation from the CARES Act- ESSER I formula grant where the final collection indicates the local
educational agencies across the state responded to the immediate needs of their district during this
time and budgeted their funds for the continuity of core staff and services and facilities equipment.
To ensure transparency of ESSER funds, GaDOE is developing a public data dashboard. This dashboard
will allow anyone the opportunity to see how much each LEA has obligated and will be updated
monthly. Additionally, based on the required Use of Funds form, the dashboard will allow the public to
see the overarching categories for which each LEA has obligated funds to address the impacts of COVID-
19.
iii. In supporting LEAs as they plan for the safe return to and continuity of in-person
instruction and for meeting the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of
students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the extent to which the SEA is also
using other Federal funding sources including but not limited to under the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (“ESEA”), IDEA, Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (“WIOA”), funding for child nutrition services, and McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act, and the funds to support the needs of students experiencing
homelessness provided by section 2001(b)(1) of the ARP Act.
Please note that the needs of students experiencing homelessness must be addressed (along with the
other groups disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic) through the use of the ARP ESSER
SEA reservations and the required LEA reservation for the academic impact of lost instructional time; the
funding provided to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness by section 2001(b)(1) of
the ARP Act is in addition to the supports and services provided with ARP ESSER funds.
Coordinating Federal Funding
Under State School Superintendent Richard Woods, there is a strong culture of coordination and
collaboration at GaDOE. GaDOE leaders overseeing CTAE (who are in close coordination with our
technical colleges, Georgia’s WIO recipient), special education (IDEA), ESEA programs, school nutrition,
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 16
and homelessness efforts regularly collaborate. Specifically, since the onset of COVID-19 these teams
have worked to share innovative approaches to conducting monitoring, delivering technical assistance,
applying for targeted waivers, and providing resources to districts and schools.
Supporting the Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness
Currently, the GaDOE McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program
office supports local educational agencies (LEAs) that provide direct services to children and youth
experiencing homelessness. Support efforts include professional development through individual LEA
trainings, meetings, conferences, webinars, and workshops. Furthermore, the EHCY program office
analyzes local, state, and national trend data related to homelessness. Regular program operations
include training, CLIP reviews, dispute resolutions, grant administration, EHCY program monitoring, and
budget review. Additionally, the EHCY program office partners with other GaDOE divisions and programs
to coordinate support and ensure the inclusion of considerations that may affect children and youth
experiencing homelessness. The EHCY program office also partners with various community and state
organizations and agencies to address the needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness and
their families.
GaDOE will reserve 25% of the funding provided for the needs of students experiencing homelessness by
section 2001(b)(1) of the ARP Act and will support state activities that include but are not limited to:
• Modernizing data systems and communications protocols to identify and track the academic
progress, participation, and engagement of students experience homelessness,
• Expanding quality professional learning for educators and other frontline support staff who
directly work with students experiencing homelessness, and
• Coordinating with state agencies and non-profit organizations as well as community
organizations to raise awareness and remove non-academic barriers for learning for students
experiencing homelessness.
Unspent funds from the state reserve will be allocated in a proportional manner to Georgia school
districts.
The remaining 75% of the funding provided for the needs of students experiencing homelessness by
section 2001(b)(1) of the ARP Act will be granted to districts to support activities that include but are not
limited to:
• Transportation services,
• System navigators,
• Counseling services, and
• Other LEA-identified strategies to support the needs of students experiencing homelessness, as
allowable by section 2001(b)(1) of the ARP Act.
Overall, funding will be used by GaDOE so that the number of students experiencing homelessness who
participate in school and show academic progress meets pre-pandemic levels.
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 17
D. Maximizing State-Level Funds to Support Students
The Department recognizes that States have an extraordinary opportunity to address the
disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on underserved students through the ARP Act’s
required State set-asides to address the academic impact of lost instructional time, provide summer
learning and enrichment programs, and provide comprehensive afterschool programs. In this section,
SEAs will describe their evidence-based strategies for these resources.
1. Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time: Describe how the SEA will use the funds it reserves
under section 2001(f)(1) of the ARP Act (totaling not less than 5 percent of the State’s total
allocation of ARP ESSER funds) on evidence-based interventions to address the academic impact
of lost instructional time by supporting the implementation of evidence-based interventions,
such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool
programs, or extended school year programs, and ensure that such interventions respond to
students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. The description must include:
i. A description of the evidence-based interventions (e.g., providing intensive or
high-dosage tutoring, accelerating learning) the SEA has selected, and the
extent to which the SEA will evaluate the impact of those interventions on an
ongoing basis to understand if they are working;
The agency has developed a common, continuous improvement framework to ensure that efforts are
aligned across all agency divisions, departments, and programs. The “Georgia’s Systems of Continuous
Improvement” framework focuses on the systems and structures (the “what”) that must be in place for
sustained improvement in student outcomes. It also utilizes a problem-solving model (the “how”) to
provide a clear process for identifying improvement needs, planning for improvement, and
implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the improvement efforts.
By using the “Georgia’s Systems of Continuous Improvement” framework, GaDOE will be able to
monitor the impact of evidence-based interventions with the same process used to evaluate and
monitor all interventions, including those funded with state resources and existing federal resources.
ii. How the evidence-based interventions will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of students, including
each of the student groups listed in question A.3.i.-viii. When possible, please
indicate which data sources the SEA will use to determine the impact of lost
instructional time; and
iii. The extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify and engage 1)
students who have missed the most in-person instruction during the 2019-2020
and 2020-2021 school years; and 2) students who did not consistently
participate in remote instruction when offered during school building closures.
Priority 1: Accelerate Learning
Identify Learning Opportunities
• Requiring LEA ARP ESSER Plan to address learning opportunity loss and accelerate learning
o Funding state- and regional-level Academic Recovery Specialists to support district
and school efforts to address unfinished learning
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 18
• Strengthening Formative Instructional Practices
• Modernizing information systems to support academic progress and achievement; protect
student privacy and ensure cybersecurity while promoting transparency
Focus on the Fundamentals
• Measuring literacy outcomes
• Funding district literacy plans
• Developing personalized literacy and numeracy plans for students and providing intensive,
personalized professional learning in literacy and numeracy instruction for teachers
• Implementing the revised K-12 Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) standards
• Shoring up core instruction (i.e., Science and Social Studies)
• Supporting cross-disciplinary collaboration (i.e., K-5, CTAE, STEM/STEAM, etc.)
Remove Barriers to Learning
• Funding state-level school nurse, school psychologist, and school social worker specialists to
support student needs
• Establishing school-based health clinics
• Funding for school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers, and
other Education Support Professionals (ESPs)
• Providing mental health awareness training for educators to identify suicidal thoughts, abuse,
and trauma experienced by students
• Coordinating state and community resources and services to provide wraparound supports;
funding for a state-level wraparound supports coordinator
Priority 2: Personalize Supports
Provide High-Quality Resources
• Creating and curating Georgia-developed, standards-aligned instructional resources, videos,
modules, etc.
o Funding Digital Learning and Resource Specialists embedded in GaDOE’s Teaching and
Learning team
o Expanding Georgia Virtual School resources; updating and expanding virtual courses
Provide Responsive and Relevant Professional Learning
• Developing and delivering on-demand, personalized professional learning
• Organizing offering Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) facilitated by expert Georgia
classroom teachers
Elevate Educators
• Expanding and strengthening the teacher pipeline by implementing strategies to boost
recruitment and retention, specifically in high-need fields
• Developing a statewide “gig” teaching model that allows retired educators, non-traditional
teachers, and classroom teachers to provide virtual mentoring, tutoring, and additional
courses across the state
Coordinate Support for Districts
• Establishing Continuous Improvement Teams (CITs) of cross-agency experience and expertise
to liaise with district and school leaders in a coherent and effective manner, coordinate
efforts, and connect with programs, initiatives, and resources
Priority 3: Promote Opportunity
Expand Opportunity
• Preserving co-curricular opportunities provided by Career and Technical Student
Organizations (CTSOs)
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 19
• Providing “opportunity grants” to schools to fund access to CTAE, fine arts, world language,
dual enrollment, gifted, AP, IB, health and physical education, STEM/STEAM, computer
science, work-based learning/apprenticeships, and industry credentials/certified programs
• Establishing the Office of Rural Education and Innovation to coordinate efforts and spearhead
transformational change in low wealth, low population school districts in high poverty regions
Ensure a 21st Century Standard of Learning
• Increasing bandwidth and strengthening technology infrastructure
• Establishing a “21st Century Standard of Learning” for bandwidth, devices, training, and
outfitting classrooms
• Funding for a state-level library media specialist position
Coordinating Services and Supports for All Districts and Schools
GaDOE implemented Continuous Improvement Teams (CITs) as a school improvement strategy to
effectively support federal identified districts and schools. These cross-agency teams consisting of
district/school effectiveness specialists, content experts, federal program specialists, and others provide
a way for school leaders to interface with agency supports in a cohesive and responsive manner.
These teams coach school leaders through the problem-solving cycle that supports existing
improvement plans and connects leaders with agency supports, resources, professional learning,
technical assistance, and programs/initiatives. In short, CIT Leads act as a liaison between districts and
our agency, along with other regional and statewide supports.
Building on the success of this initiative, GaDOE plans to utilize ARP ESSER funds to hire additional CIT
Leads to coordinate supports to non-federally identified districts and schools. Not only do we feel
strongly about this proactive approach, but when a school does become identified for needing more
intensive interventions, this expanded support structure will provide for a more seamless transition. In
addition to utilizing data, the CIT model will also provide a continuous feedback loop to GaDOE helping
to inform and prioritize our agency’s efforts.
Renewing Rural Georgia
During the pandemic, the unique challenges associated with rural poverty moved to the forefront for
our state leaders. As a former educator and school leader from rural Georgia, State School
Superintendent Richard Woods personally understands not only the challenges facing families, students,
and educators, but also the opportunity a transformational investment could make in the lives of
children and their communities.
Gaps that existed prior to the pandemic such as connectivity, teacher retention and recruitment,
healthcare, resources and funding, workforce development, and more were only exacerbated by the
pandemic.
GaDOE plans to utilize ARP ESSER funds to establish an Office of Rural Education and Innovation within
the agency to provide a continued, cabinet-level voice for the needs of rural Georgia, establish state and
community partnerships to channel resources, and identify funding opportunities within the agency to
support rural areas of our state.
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 20
The Office of Rural Education will work with low wealth school districts with low student populations in
high poverty/distressed regions of Georgia. GaDOE will make a substantial investment of its ARP ESSER
funds to bring about transformative, sustained change for these identified regions.
The leader of this new Office will be empowered to hire staff and structure a team in support of
identified regions, bringing on the expertise, insight, and experience needed to address the unique
needs of rural Georgia. The leader will be charged with working hand-in-hand with school and
community leaders to address gaps that were brought to the forefront during the pandemic, chart a
roadmap beyond recovery to renewal, and tackle any additional barriers that directly impact academic
outcomes and opportunities for students.
Increasing Bandwidth for Schools
GaDOE will utilize ARP ESSER funds to increase bandwidth for schools as well as support additional
infrastructure and equipment that increases connectivity for students and educators.
Creating and Curating Standards-Aligned Instructional Resources and Courses
GaDOE will utilize ARP ESSER funds to embed Digital Learning and Resource Specialists throughout our
Teaching and Learning team to create and curate Georgia-developed, standards-aligned instructional
resources and courses for educators and develop and deliver professional learning on high-impact
instructional practices that support virtual learning.
Provide Responsive and Relevant Professional Learning
GaDOE will utilize ARP ESSER funds to develop and deliver on-demand, personalized professional
learning. Expert Georgia classroom teachers will facilitate the organization of Professional Learning
Communities (PLCs).
Funding for a State-Level Library Media Specialist
Recognizing the impact the school library media program has in supporting student learning, the GaDOE
will provide ARP ESSER funding to hire a state-level Library Media Specialist to support school district
Library Media Specialists and classroom teachers.
While helping bridge the digital divide and putting state standards into action, the school library media
specialist encourages reading for learning, reading for fun, and reading for life. The school library media
specialist is a teacher, an instructional partner, an informational specialist, and a school library media
program administrator. School library media specialists directly affect student achievement by
collaborating and planning with teachers, teaching information literacy, designing assessment
procedures, and providing supplemental curriculum material.
2. Evidence-Based Summer Learning and Enrichment Programs: Describe how the SEA will use the funds
it reserves under section 2001(f)(2) of the ARP Act (totaling not less than 1 percent of the State’s total
allocation of ARP ESSER funds) for evidence-based summer learning and enrichment programs, including
those that begin in Summer 2021, and ensure such programs respond to students’ academic, social,
emotional, and mental health needs. The description must include:
i. A description of the evidence-based programs that address the academic, social,
emotional, and mental health needs of students (e.g., providing intensive or
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 21
high-dosage tutoring, accelerating learning) the SEA has selected, and the
extent to which the SEA will evaluate the impact of those programs;
ii. How the evidence-based programs will specifically address the disproportionate
impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of students, including each of the student
groups listed in question A.3. i.--viii. When possible, please indicate which data
sources the SEA will use to identify students most in need of summer learning
and enrichment programs; and
iii. The extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify and engage 1)
students who have missed the most in-person instruction.
Delivering Quality Summer Learning and Enrichment Programs
GaDOE will use 1% of ($42,493,712) the funds reserved under section 2001(f)(2) of the ARP Act to
provide evidence-based summer learning and enrichment programs for students across the state. In
order to ensure that programming is widely available and of a high caliber that will promote recovery
and future academic and development success, the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network (GSAN) will
administer the Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Grants. These grants will include
training and technical assistance to grantees to build capacity and support quality improvements and
support the data collection and evaluation of out-of-school time initiatives.
To expand access to and improve the quality of afterschool and summer learning opportunities across
Georgia, a competitive grants program to support community-based organizations in offering summer
enrichment and comprehensive afterschool programming will be created. The BOOST program would
offer three-year grants, renewed annually, to community-based organizations that operate
comprehensive out-of-school time (OST) programming over the summer months, after school during the
academic year, or year-round, with the goal of providing evidence-based afterschool and summer
programming focusing on academic and non-academic barriers for students most impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The grants will support students’ academic acceleration, connectedness and well-being, utilizing a whole
child approach to:
1. Expand access to serve more youth, with an emphasis on children and communities most
impacted by the pandemic,
2. Reduce barriers, such as transportation and enrollment costs, to ensure access for all and/or
3. Increase programmatic quality and expand or enhance supports and services offered.
To reduce the burden on community-based programs, increase accessibility of the application by a
variety of program types, and ensure geographic reach of programming, two grant competitions would
be administered.
1. Organizations with Statewide Reach and Impact - $45 million.
Grants of $1 million - $5 million annually would be awarded to entities with a
demonstrated track record of success, that operate year-round programming and would
be serving at least 2,000 youth annually across at least 15 counties. Grant size would be
determined by number of sites and number of youth served annually. Potential
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 22
applicants include, but are not limited to, the Georgia Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, the
Georgia Alliance of YMCAs, Communities in Schools of Georgia, the Georgia Recreation
and Parks Association, and 4-H. It is estimated that 4-6 statewide grants would be
awarded.
2. Community Driven Organizations - $40 million.
Grants would be awarded to community-based organizations operating afterschool
and/or summer learning programs. Grants of up to $50,000 per site would be available
to organizations operating academic-year-only or summer-only programs. Grants of up
to $100,000 per site would be available to organizations operating year-round
programming. Each applicant may apply for funding for up to five program sites per
organization, with a maximum grant size of $500,000 per year. Grant size would be
determined by number of youth served. It is estimated that 100-120 community grants
would be awarded.
Non-profit organizations and municipalities, such as Parks & Recreation Departments, would be eligible
to apply. Public schools and districts would not be eligible.
Building Sustainable Efforts
GSAN will work with the Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) to provide training on best
practices for afterschool and summer learning and provide them with tools and resources to support
their work with local school districts. GSAN will also host an annual convening to bring together school
and community partners to share best practices and strategies. The convening will be virtual in Year 1
and in-person options will be explored in Years 2 and 3. In the later years, the convening will focus on
how to leverage new and existing partnerships to build sustainable efforts and highlight lessons learned
to shape the future of school-community partnerships.
Evaluating Effectiveness and Measuring Impact
GSAN will support GaDOE in collecting and tracking BOOST-funded afterschool and summer learning
efforts by gathering data from LEAs and schools to which GSAN is providing coaching and, similarly, to
BOOST grantees, developing case studies of innovation, impact, and successful strategies. GSAN will also
support the agency in exploring how to best include education outcomes in district-led afterschool and
summer learning efforts.
3. Evidence-Based Comprehensive Afterschool Programs: Describe how the SEA will use the funds it
reserves under section 2001(f)(3) of the ARP Act (totaling not less than 1 percent of the State’s total
allocation of ARP ESSER funds) for evidence-based comprehensive afterschool programs (including, for
example, before-school programming), and ensure such programs respond to students’ academic,
social, emotional, and mental health needs. The description must include:
i. A description of the evidence-based programs (e.g., including partnerships with
community-based organizations) the SEA has selected, and the extent to which
the SEA will evaluate the impact of those programs;
ii. How the evidence-based programs will specifically address the disproportionate
impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of students, including each of the student
groups listed in question A.3.i.-viii. When possible, please indicate which data
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 23
sources the SEA will use to identify students most in need of comprehensive
afterschool programming; and
iii. the extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify and engage 1)
students who have missed the most in-person instruction during the 2019-2020
and 2020-2021 school years; and 2) students who did not consistently
participate in remote instruction when offered during school building closures.
Delivering Quality Summer Learning and Enrichment Programs
GaDOE will use 1% of ($42,493,712) the funds reserved under section 2001(f)(3) of the ARP Act to
provide evidence-based afterschool learning programs for students across the state. In order to ensure
that programming is widely available and of a high caliber that will promote recovery and future
academic and development success, the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network (GSAN) will administer
the Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time (BOOST) Grants. These grants will include training and
technical assistance to grantees to build capacity and support quality improvements and support the
data collection and evaluation of out-of-school time initiatives.
To expand access to and improve the quality of afterschool and summer learning opportunities across
Georgia, a competitive grants program to support community-based organizations in offering summer
enrichment and comprehensive afterschool programming will be created. The BOOST program would
offer three-year grants, renewed annually, to community-based organizations that operate
comprehensive out-of-school time (OST) programming over the summer months, after school during the
academic year, or year-round, with the goal of providing evidence-based afterschool and summer
programming focusing on academic and non-academic barriers to learning for students most impacted
by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grants will support students’ academic acceleration, connectedness and well-being, utilizing a whole
child approach to:
1. Expand access to serve more youth, with an emphasis on children and communities most
impacted by the pandemic,
2. Reduce barriers, such as transportation and enrollment costs, to ensure access for all and/or
3. Increase programmatic quality and expand or enhance supports and services offered.
To reduce the burden on community-based programs, increase accessibility of the application by a
variety of program types, and ensure geographic reach of programming, two grant competitions would
be administered.
1. Organizations with Statewide Reach and Impact - $45 million.
Grants of $1 million - $5 million annually would be awarded to entities with a
demonstrated track record of success, that operate year-round programming and would
be serving at least 2,000 youth annually across at least 15 counties. Grant size would be
determined by number of sites and number of youth served annually. Potential
applicants include, but are not limited to, the Georgia Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, the
Georgia Alliance of YMCAs, Communities in Schools of Georgia, the Georgia Recreation
and Parks Association, and 4-H. It is estimated that 4-6 statewide grants would be
awarded.
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 24
2. Community Driven Organizations - $40 million.
Grants would be awarded to community-based organizations operating afterschool
and/or summer learning programs. Grants would be available of up to $50,000 per site
to organizations operating academic year only or summer-only programs. Grants would
be available of up to $100,000 per site to organizations operating year-round
programming. Each applicant may apply for funding for up to five program sites per
organization, with a maximum grant size of $500,000 per year. Grant size would be
determined by number of youth served. It is estimated that 100-120 community grants
would be awarded.
Non-profit organizations and municipalities, such as Parks & Recreation Departments, would be eligible
to apply. Public schools and districts would not be eligible.
Building Sustainable Efforts
GSAN will work with the Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) to provide training on best
practices for afterschool and summer learning and provide them with tools and resources to support
their work with local school districts. GSAN will also host an annual convening to bring together school
and community partners to share best practices and strategies. The convening will be virtual in Year 1
and in-person options will be explored in Years 2 and 3. In the later years, the convening will focus on
how to leverage new and existing partnerships to build sustainable efforts and highlight lessons learned
to shape the future of school-community partnerships.
Evaluating Effectiveness and Measuring Impact
GSAN will support GaDOE in collecting and tracking BOOST-funded afterschool and summer learning
efforts by gathering data from LEAs and schools to which GSAN is providing coaching and, similarly, to
BOOST grantees, developing case studies of innovation, impact, and successful strategies. GSAN will also
support the agency in exploring how to best include education outcomes in district-led afterschool and
summer learning efforts.
4. Emergency Needs: If the SEA plans to reserve funds for emergency needs under section 2001(f)(4) of
the ARP Act to address issues responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, describe the anticipated use of
those funds, including the extent to which these funds will build SEA and LEA capacity to ensure
students’ and staff’s health and safety; to meet students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental
health needs; and to use ARP ESSER funds to implement evidence-based interventions.
As previously mentioned, the State has already funded – with ESSER II and ARP state reserve funds –
Educator Retention Bonuses for all teachers and education support personnel in Georgia's K-12 public
schools to support stronger recruitment and retention of these critical positions to ensure the
foundation of the workforce continues to be strong when COVID-19 no longer has its current negative
impact.
The State made a reduction to the funding for the CTAE and Agricultural Education programs. ARP Act
ESSER III funds will be used to make up the difference between the funding needs and what the General
Assembly appropriated for the programs.
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 25
State School Superintendent Richard Woods deemed this an essential need to protect opportunities for
students and to support educators (i.e., CTAE student organizations, co-curricular activities, and
extended day/year for teachers), utilizing reserve funds to fill the gap in State Grant funds for CTAE and
Agricultural Education programs for fiscal year 2022.
ARP Act funding needs for FY22 CTAE and Agriculture Programs:
CTAE $621,618.00
Ag Ed $229,643.00
Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) $200,000
Total $1,051,261
GaDOE also plans to allocate SEA reserve funds under section 2001(f)(4) of the ARP Act to provide
funding to several regional and statewide organizations that provide direct student services or
professional development services for educators. Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs) and
Residential Treatment Facilities will receive funding to ensure the critical services they provide students
and educators are not negatively impacted by the effects of COVID-19. Additionally, resources will
continue to be provided to the Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS) for
intentional therapeutic services.
GaDOE will utilize ARP ESSER funds to modernize the agency’s information systems to ensure strong
cybersecurity, student privacy, and industry standards while providing robust, real-time visual, analytic,
and reporting tools to empower school leaders and educators to identify and support the individualized
needs of their students and strengthen transparent access to district= and school-level data for
communities, policymakers, and taxpayers.
With a large population of military personnel – and students – in Georgia, GaDOE will explore creating a
state-level Military Liaison position to work directly with local military state liaison officers to ensure
military students are provided the same supports and opportunities as all students.
E. Supporting LEAs in Planning for and Meeting Students’ Needs
The Department recognizes that the safe return to in-person instruction must be accompanied by a
focus on meeting students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs, and by addressing the
opportunity gaps that existed before – and were exacerbated by – the pandemic. In this section, SEAs
will describe how they will support their LEAs in developing high-quality plans for LEAs’ use of ARP ESSER
funds to achieve these objectives.
1. LEA Plans for the Use of ARP ESSER Funds: Describe what the SEA will require its LEAs to include
in LEA plans consistent with the ARP ESSER requirements for the use of ARP ESSER funds, how
the SEA will require such plans to be made available to the public, and the deadline by which the
LEA must submit its ARP ESSER plan (which must be a reasonable timeline and should be within
no later than 90 days after receiving its ARP ESSER allocation). The LEA plans must include, at a
minimum:
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i. The extent to which and how the funds will be used to implement prevention and
mitigation strategies that are, to the greatest extent practicable, in line with the most
recent CDC guidance, in order to continuously and safely operate schools for in-person
learning;
ii. How the LEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act
(totaling not less than 20 percent of the LEA’s total allocation of ARP ESSER funds) to
address the academic impact of lost instructional time through the implementation of
evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment,
extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs;
iii. How the LEA will spend its remaining ARP ESSER funds consistent with section
2001(e)(2) of the ARP Act; and
iv. How the LEA will ensure that the interventions it implements, including but not limited
to the interventions under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act to address the academic
impact of lost instructional time, will respond to the academic, social, emotional, and
mental health needs of all students, and particularly those students disproportionately
impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including students from low-income families,
students of color, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing
homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students.
It is GaDOE’s commitment to ensure LEAs across Georgia have the necessary technical assistance to
promote accountability, transparency, and the effective use of ARP ESSER funds by offering multiple
opportunities and methods to access resources, video and webinar trainings, as well as open office hour
sessions where LEAs can submit questions from the field ahead of time regarding the ARP ESSER grants
and collectively answer them during the session.
GaDOE’s streamlined LEA ARP ESSER Plan application required the digital signature for the specified LEA
personnel’s understanding that in accepting ARP ESSER funds the LEA would adhere to the requirements
in section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act and the requirements relating to the ARP ESSER funds published in
the Federal Register. The application includes specific assurances where the LEA agrees to the following
assurance:
An LEA that receives ARP ESSER funds will develop, submit to GaDOE, and make publicly available on the
LEA’s website, a plan for the LEA’s use of ARP ESSER funds. The plan, and any revisions to the plan will
be submitted consistent with procedures.
The LEA assures that ARP ESSER funds will be used for their intended purposes, including:
• Whether and how they will use the funds specifically for COVID-19 prevention and
mitigation strategies,
• How the funds will be used to address the academic impact of lost instructional time
through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, and
• How the LEA will ensure that those interventions respond to the academic and non-
academic barriers of all students and particularly those students disproportionately
impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The application provides the opportunity for LEAs to express the top 2-3 priorities they have determined
as the most pressing needs for students and schools within the LEA as a result of COVID-19 and the data
source that illustrates why the submitted priorities were selected.
The next section of the application introduces the learning opportunity loss plan template that supports
LEAs’ decision making as they plan evidence-based interventions to support accelerated learning
opportunities for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The template follows the Georgia’s Systems of Continuous Improvement Cycle, with a focus on the
Coherent Instructional System (to address learning opportunity loss). It was emphasized to LEAs that
accelerated learning and strong instruction are interdependent.
Accelerated learning cannot take place with poor instructional practices in place, and strong instruction
will not take place if educational practitioners cannot effectively address unfinished learning. Therefore,
it is important to develop the leaders and teachers of the district on the concepts and best practices of
accelerated learning and strong instruction.
Embedded within the document are links to guiding questions and research that can support the LEAs’
decisions for interventions and provide guidance on how to implement the interventions.
LEAs must provide responses to the following statements/questions:
• What data needs to be collected and synthesized to determine student needs caused by
learning opportunity loss?
• Analyze data to identify strengths and challenges and determine outcomes.
• What are you currently using (interventions, strategies, resources, community partnerships)
to address learning opportunity loss?
• What data have you collected to know if current efforts have been successful?
• What data will you collect and analyze to identify ongoing needs?
• What is the selected intervention(s)?
• Which regions/clusters/schools will implement each intervention selected?
• Which grades or grade bands will participate in each intervention selected?
• Which student subgroup(s) will participate in each intervention selected?
• Which grades or grade bands will participate in each intervention selected?
• What is the target student population(s) for each intervention selected?
• What are the proposed number of hours added to the school year?
• What training is required for staff, students, and parents for each intervention selected?
• What resources (interventions, strategies, community partnerships) are required for effective
implementation of each intervention selected?
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• What is the formative assessment plan to evaluate student progress and impact for each
intervention selected?
• What is the proposed timeline to implement each intervention selected?
• How will you evaluate implementation fidelity and effectiveness on an ongoing basis of each
intervention selected by specific subgroups?
Additionally, the LEA provides the estimation of the approximate percentage of the LEA’s ESSER III
formula funds allocated for allowable activities or purposes addressing learning loss.
All Georgia school districts should consult with and ensure buy-in from community members in an open
and transparent manner throughout the development and implementation of their LEA ARP ESSER
Plans.
2. LEA Consultation: Describe how the SEA will, in planning for the use of ARP ESSER funds, ensure that,
consistent with the ARP ESSER requirements], its LEAs engage in meaningful consultation with
stakeholders, including, but not limited to:
i. students;
ii. families;
iii. school and district administrators (including special education administrators);
and
iv. teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, and their
unions.
The LEA must also engage in meaningful consultation with each of the following to the extent present in
or served by the LEA:
i. Tribes;
ii. civil rights organizations (including disability rights organizations); and
iii. stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities, English
learners, children experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care,
migratory students, children who are incarcerated, and other underserved
students.
The description must also include how the SEA will ensure that LEAs provide the public the opportunity
to provide input in the development of the LEA’s plan for the use of ARP ESSER funds and take such
input into account.
During the time that funds were made available to LEAs, GaDOE followed the same process of
distributing funds as the U.S. Department of Education, communicating the total ARP ESSER allocation,
the LEA’s 2/3 allocation and last, the amount the LEA stands to receive after the U.S. Department of
Education approves the SEA’s application for the remainder of its allocation.
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Once the remaining funds are made available, all LEAs will be required to submit an amended budget in
the Consolidated Application to access the total ARP ESSER allocation. As a result, to ensure that LEAs
provided the public the opportunity to provide input in the development of the LEA’s plan for the use of
ARP ESSER funds and take such input into account, the LEA must submit documentation or evidence
within their amended LEA ARP ESSER application where the LEA agreed through the digital signature
upon submitting the LEA ARP ESSER application.
3. Describe how the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in using ARP ESSER funds. The description
must include:
i. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs’ implementation of evidence-based
interventions that respond to students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health
needs, such as through summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day,
comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs – including the
extent to which the SEA will collect evidence of the effectiveness of interventions
employed;
ii. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in specifically addressing the
disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on certain groups of students,
including each of the student groups listed in question A.3.i.-viii; and
iii. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in using ARP ESSER funds to identify,
reengage, and support students most likely to have experienced the impact of lost
instructional time on student learning, such as:
a) Students who have missed the most in-person instruction during the 2019-2020
and 2020-2021 school years;
b) Students who did not consistently participate in remote instruction when
offered during school building closures; and
c) Students most at-risk of dropping out of school.
GaDOE’s LEA ARP ESSER Plan application includes links to guiding questions and research that can
support the local education agencies (LEAs) decisions for interventions and provide guidance on how to
implement the interventions.
LEAs must provide responses to the following statements/questions:
• What data needs to be collected and synthesized to determine student needs caused by
learning opportunity loss?
• Analyze data to identify strengths and challenges and determine outcomes.
• What are you currently using (interventions, strategies, resources, community partnerships)
to address learning opportunity loss?
• What data have you collected to know if current efforts have been successful?
• What data will you collect and analyze to identify ongoing needs?
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• What is the selected intervention(s)?
• Which regions/clusters/schools will implement each intervention selected?
• Which grades or grade bands will participate in each intervention selected?
• Which student subgroup(s) will participate in each intervention selected?
• Which grades or grade bands will participate in each intervention selected?
• What is the target student population(s) for each intervention selected?
• What are the proposed number of hours added to the school year?
• What training is required for staff, students, and parents for each intervention selected?
• What resources (interventions, strategies, community partnerships) are required for effective
implementation of each intervention selected?
• What is the formative assessment plan to evaluate student progress and impact for each
intervention selected?
• What is the proposed timeline to implement each intervention selected?
• How will you evaluate implementation fidelity and effectiveness on an ongoing basis of each
intervention selected by specific subgroups?
GaDOE will provide opportunities for LEAs to amend their plans throughout the 2021-2022 school year
to respond to current data and on-the-ground needs. GaDOE will also schedule periodic check-ups to
discuss the implementation and effectiveness of district strategies, methods for monitoring progress,
and impact on student achievement as well as collaborative opportunities for districts to share best
practices and innovative approaches.
4. Describe the extent to which the SEA will support its LEAs in implementing additional strategies for
taking educational equity into account in expending ARP ESSER funds, including but not limited to:
i. Allocating funding both to schools and for districtwide activities based on student need,
and
ii. Implementing an equitable and inclusive return to in-person instruction. An inclusive
return to in-person instruction includes, but is not limited to, establishing policies and
practices that avoid the over-use of exclusionary discipline measures (including in- and
out-of-school suspensions) and creating a positive and supportive learning environment
for all students.
Using Funds Strategically and Serving the Needs of All Students
GaDOE is committed to providing coaching and supports that guide LEAs toward the strategic and
effective use of funds to ensure students get the most learning advantage as schools fully recover from
the COVID pandemic.
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It has been suggested that school leaders consider the strategic planning process, including any charter
contracts, waivers, and the needs identified in the consolidated LEA improvement plan (CLIP) and all
School Improvement Plans (SIP), when determining needs and coordinating fund sources (state, federal,
and local) that could be used to address individual student needs.
Additionally, the agency has communicated to LEAs to review the allowability requirements of various
funding sources and consider the coordination of such funds during this process.
An emphasis was placed on LEAs fully understanding that district and school strategies are determined
through collaborative planning groups that include school leaders, teachers, curriculum directors,
student support services directors, researchers, assessment/accountability directors, Title Directors, and
technology directors as well as finance and business leaders for the district offices.
As the agency continues to communicate this message it will result in the budgeting process following a
strategic thinking process for allocating funding both to schools and for districtwide activities based on
student needs.
All Georgia school districts should consult with and ensure buy-in from community members in an open
and transparent manner when making decisions on allocating funding both to schools and for
districtwide activities.
Returning to In-Person Instruction
Given increased availably of effective vaccines and decreased case counts, Georgia is planning a full
return to in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year. Georgia is a local control state with
ultimate reopening and operational authority given to elected local boards of education, but districts
continue to signal their desire and commitment to full in-person instruction for the upcoming school
year.
Ensuring a Supportive Learning Environment for All Students
State- and regional-level climate specialists assist districts and schools across the state in ensuring all
students and educators can learn and teach in a supportive learning environment. Multiple data points
from parent, student, and teacher surveys to attendance, discipline, and academic data are provided to
school leaders and support staff as formative indicators of school environment. This data is publicly
reported in an open and transparent manner in order to ensure community members understand the
learning environments of their local schools. This data can also serve as indicators of trends and
progress toward strategic goals as part of schools’ improvement plans.
Codified in state law, Georgia’s School Climate Rating serves as a measure to hold local and state leaders
accountable for ensuring a positive and supportive learning environment for all students.
F. Supporting the Educator Workforce
The Department recognizes the toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on the Nation’s educators as
well as students. In this section, SEAs will describe strategies for supporting and stabilizing the educator
Georgia’s State ARP ESSER Plan: Accelerating Learning, Personalizing Supports, and Promoting Opportunity | 32
workforce and for making staffing decisions that will support student’ academic, social, emotional, and
mental health needs.
1. Supporting and Stabilizing the Educator Workforce:
i. Describe the extent to which the State is facing shortages of educators, education
administration personnel, and other school personnel involved in safely reopening schools, and
the extent to which they vary by region/type of school district and/or groups of educators (e.g.,
special educators and related services personnel and paraprofessionals; bilingual or English as a
second language educators; science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM”) educators;
career and technical education (“CTE”) educators; early childhood educators). Cite specific data
on shortages and needs where available.
CARES Act & ARP Act-Educator Retention Bonuses
State School Superintendent Richard Woods, in partnership with Governor Brian Kemp, chose to
utilize a large portion of the ESSER II SEA reserve funds to provide one-time, $1,000 retention
bonuses to all K-12 educators and support staff in the state.
The payments are intended for all teachers and education support personnel in Georgia's K-12
public schools, including – but not limited to – teachers, paraprofessionals, school counselors, school
psychologists, school nurses, custodians, bus drivers, school nutrition staff, media specialists, clerical
staff and administrative assistants, school principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches,
therapists, and long-term substitutes.
The bonus is being provided to teachers and education support staff to support stronger
recruitment and retention of these critical positions, as a gesture of gratitude for their work and
sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure the foundation of the workforce continues
to be strong when COVID-19 no longer has its current negative impact.
Identifying and Addressing Educator Shortages
GaDOE provides a publicly available Teacher Pipeline dashboard (see:
https://www.georgiainsights.com/teacher-pipeline.html) that displays teacher supply (by teacher
preparation provider) and demand (by content area and grade band), which can be filtered by
school district and P-20 collaborative region (for more information on GaDOE’s P-20 work, click
here). This data, along with ongoing dialogue between local school systems and teacher preparation
providers, informs regional plans to identify and address on-going and anticipated educator
shortages.
In addition to the state utilizing ARP ESSER funds to strengthen data reporting and the work of the P-
20 collaboratives, GaDOE will work with partners to strategically target resources for:
• Expanding the educator pipeline by exploring strategies that include but are not limited to
covering the costs of endorsements and certification exams/fees, Teaching as a Profession
pathway and Grow Your Own initiatives, paraprofessionals to teachers initiatives, teacher
leaders to school leaders initiatives, alternative certification routes, loan forgiveness, and
more.
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• Strengthening the educator pipeline by exploring strategies that include but are not limited
to supporting induction, mentoring, and coaching as well as providing real-world classroom
simulations.
• Developing a statewide “gig” teaching model that allows retired educators, non-traditional
teachers, and classroom teachers to provide virtual mentoring, tutoring, and additional
courses across the state.
GaDOE plans to utilize ARP ESSER funds for a robust professional learning platform that can be utilized
by districts and schools across the state to deliver quality, on-demand professional learning to all
educators and staff. In addition to providing personalized supports, we will create online Professional
Learning Communities (PLCs) supporting content areas and courses, facilitated by virtual specialists who
are experienced Georgia classroom teachers, and provide an online space for educators to collaborate,
ask questions, share resources, and network.
GaDOE will also prioritize ARP ESSER funds to make large investments in developing/curating high-
quality, Georgia-developed instructional resources and supporting high impact and innovative
instructional practices that:
• Shore up foundational skills in literacy and numeracy and support the effective
implementation of the newly revised K-12 Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA)
standards.
• Strengthen core instruction across all grades and academic disciplines (including Science and
Social Studies) through the development and curation of high-quality, Georgia-developed
resources, professional learning, and high impact instructional practices.
• Expand opportunity and support a well-rounded education (including CTAE, fine arts, world
language, dual enrollment, gifted, AP, IB, health and physical education, STEM/STEAM, and
computer science opportunities across the state) by expanding the number of
certified/endorsed teachers and providing grants for equipment, supplies, and more.
ii. Describe how the SEA will assist its LEAs in identifying the most urgent areas of shortages or
potential shortages, with particular plans for individual LEAs facing the most significant needs
(e.g., by avoiding layoffs, providing high-quality professional learning opportunities, and
addressing the impact of stress or trauma on educators). Include a description of how other
Federal COVID-19 funding (e.g., ESSER and GEER funds under the CARES Act and CRRSA Act)
have already been used to avoid layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
GaDOE utilizes a long-existing structure, P-20 collaboratives (for more information on GaDOE’s P-20
work, click here) to identify the most urgent areas of shortages. The data from the publicly available
Teacher Pipeline dashboard (see: https://www.georgiainsights.com/teacher-pipeline.html) along with
ongoing dialogue between local school systems and teacher preparation providers will inform regional-
level and district-level action plans to identify and address educator shortages. Additionally, GaDOE will
share out best practices and innovative approaches to recruiting and retaining educators and support
staff in high-need areas.
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CARES Act & ARP Act-Educator Retention Bonuses
State School Superintendent Richard Woods, in partnership with Governor Brian Kemp, chose to utilize a
large portion of the ESSER II SEA reserve funds to provide one-time, $1,000 retention bonuses to all K-12
educator and support staff in the state.
The payments are intended for all teachers and education support personnel in Georgia's K-12 public
schools, including – but not limited to – teachers, paraprofessionals, school counselors, school
psychologists, school nurses, custodians, bus drivers, school nutrition staff, media specialists, clerical
staff and administrative assistants, school principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches,
therapists, and long-term substitutes.
The bonus is being provided to teachers and education support staff to support stronger recruitment
and retention of these critical positions as a gesture of gratitude for their work and sacrifices during the
COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure the foundation of the workforce continues to be strong when
COVID-19 no longer has its current negative impact.
Locally, school districts have followed the state’s model by utilizing their own funding to support
continuity of services, provide retention bonuses to staff, incentivize supplemental learning and
recruitment of substitutes, and target additional incentives and strategies to fill high needs areas.
iii. Describe the actions the SEA will take to fill anticipated gaps in certified teachers for the start of
the 2021-2022 school year and to what extent the SEA will further support its LEAs in expanding
the educator pipeline and educator diversity while addressing the immediate needs of students
disproportionately impacted by the pandemic (e.g., recruiting teaching candidates to provide
high-dosage tutoring or implementing residencies for teacher candidates)
In addition to the state utilizing ARP ESSER funds to strengthen data reporting and the work of the P-20
collaboratives, GaDOE will work with partners to strategically target resources for:
• Expanding the educator pipeline by exploring strategies that include but are not limited to
covering the costs of endorsements and certification exams/fees, Teaching as a Profession
pathway and Grow Your Own initiatives, paraprofessionals to teachers initiatives, teacher
leaders to school leaders initiatives, alternative certification routes, loan forgiveness, and
more.
• Strengthening the educator pipeline by exploring strategies that include but are not limited
to supporting induction, mentoring, and coaching as well as real-world classroom
simulations.
• Developing a statewide “gig” teaching model that allows retired educators, non-traditional
teachers, and classroom teachers to provide virtual mentoring, tutoring, and additional
courses across the state.
The strategies above ensure a personalized, regional- and district-level approach to addressing shortage
areas will maximizing the positive impact for all students.
2. Staffing to Support Student Needs: Describe the extent to which the SEA has developed or will
develop strategies and will support its LEAs in increasing student access to key support staff within
school buildings, including school counselors, special education personnel, nurses, social workers, and
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psychologists (e.g., hiring additional personnel or freeing up these staff to focus on providing services to
students).
GaDOE already utilized funding to support school nurses during the 2020-2021 school year. Specifically,
CARES Act-ESSER funded additional school nursing personnel, supplies, telehealth services, and other
similar needs. This grant allocated more resources directly to school nursing programs to offset the
additional costs related to the impacts of COVID-19.
In addition to already state- and federally funded agency-level positions supporting school nurses and
special education personnel, GaDOE will utilize ARP ESSER funds to hire school nurse, school social
worker, and school psychologist positions at the state level to support these staff in districts and schools
with professional learning, technical assistance, resources, and supports.
GaDOE will continue to provide detailed guidance to districts for utilizing various federal funding sources
to increase student access to key support staff and will explore expanding granted funds to districts
beyond school nurses to support the hiring and supplies for key support staff such as school counselors,
school social workers, school psychologists, and other Education Support Professionals (ESPs).
Working with partners, GaDOE will provide ARP ESSER funds to support school-based health clinics and
to provide a roadmap and regional supports to assist schools in coordinating state and local wraparound
services and supports to remove non-academic barriers to learning, including funding for a state-level
wraparound supports coordinator. GaDOE will expand access to the Mental Health Awareness Training
and related training so educators understand the signs and signals of students dealing with suicidal
thoughts, abuse, neglect, and/or trauma and understand how to properly connect these students to
services and supports.
G. Monitoring and Measuring Progress
The Department recognizes that transparency on how ARP ESSER funds are used and their impact
on the Nation’s education system is a fundamental responsibility of Federal, State, and local
government. In this section, SEAs will describe how they are building capacity at the SEA and LEA
levels to ensure high-quality data collection and reporting and to safeguard funds for their intended
purposes.
1. Capacity for Data Collection and Reporting: It is important for an SEA to continuously
monitor progress and make adjustments to its strategies, as well as to support its LEAs
in making adjustments to LEA strategies, based on impact. Describe how the SEA will
ensure its capacity and the capacity of its LEAs to collect data on reporting
requirements, including but not limited to the examples of reporting requirements
described in the SEA’s Grant Award Notification (listed in Appendix B). Describe the
SEA’s capacity and strategy to collect data from its LEAs (disaggregated by student
group, where applicable), to the greatest extent practicable, including any steps the SEA
will take to build its capacity in the future (which may include the use of ARP ESSER and
other Federal COVID-19 pandemic funds at the SEA and LEA levels), on issues that may
include the following:
i. Student learning, including the academic impact of lost instructional time
during the COVID-19 pandemic;
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ii. Opportunity to learn measures (e.g., chronic absenteeism; student
engagement; use of exclusionary discipline; access to and participation in
advanced coursework; access to technology, including educator access to
professional development on the effective use of technology; access to
high-quality educators; access to school counselors, social workers,
nurses, and school psychologists; and results from student, parent, and/or
educator surveys);
iii. Fiscal data that is comparable across the State (e.g., per-pupil
expenditures at the LEA and school levels);
iv. Jobs created and retained (by position type);
v. Participation in programs funded by ARP ESSER resources (e.g., summer
and afterschool programs); and
vi. Other reporting requirements reasonably required by the Secretary
(please refer to Appendix B of this template; final requirements will be
issued separately).
Capacity for Data Collection and Reporting
GaDOE’s Data Collections, Analysis, and Reporting department collects and maintains education records
on Georgia school districts, students and staff in response to state and federal laws and state board rule
requirements including program monitoring and for audit purposes. O.C.G.A. 20-2-664 requires the
GaDOE to create, publish, and make publicly available a dictionary of data elements with definitions of
student personally identifiable data fields.
Before adding new data elements to the collection effort, the following procedures must be followed in
compliance to OCGA §20-2-664.
Notify the Governor and the General Assembly of the following:
• New proposed data element
• Changes to existing student personally identifiable data collection required for any reason,
including changes to federal reporting requirements made by the United States Department of
Education
• Announce new provisional student data collection to the general public for a review and
comment period for at least 60 days
The agency will continue to follow the internal procedures to collect the data expressed in G.1.i-iv. as
required for submission to the U.S. Department of Education in collaboration with the Offices and
Divisions of Finance and Business Operations; Assessment and Accountability; School Improvement;
Technology Services, Federal Programs; Office of School Safety and Climate; Policy, Flexibility, and
External Affairs; and Career, Technical, Agricultural Education.
2. Monitoring and Internal Controls: Describe how the SEA will implement appropriate
fiscal monitoring of and internal controls for the ARP ESSER funds (e.g., by updating the
SEA’s plan for monitoring funds and internal controls under the CARES and CRRSA Acts;
addressing potential sources of waste, fraud, and abuse; conducting random audits; or
other tools). In this response, please describe the SEA’s current capacity to monitor ARP
ESSER; steps, if needed, to increase capacity; and any foreseeable gaps in capacity,
including how the SEA will provide its LEAs with technical assistance in the anticipated
areas of greatest need.
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Internal Controls
GaDOE’s Director of External Affairs serves as the Project Director for the ESSER Fund grants. A former
Federal Programs Specialist was subsequently hired to manage the grant and ensure fidelity of the
grant. This position has been responsible for creating guidance documents, providing technical
assistance, coordinating budget submission and approval, and subrecipient monitoring activities. The
GaDOE contracted with two retired LEA employees with extensive Federal Programs knowledge to assist
the manager with budget approvals, technical assistance, and subrecipient monitoring. Two additional
full-time staff ESSER-funded staff members will join the SEA team to provide additional help with budget
approvals, technical assistance, and subrecipient monitoring.
Additionally, the state Ombudsman has coordinated with the ESSER Fund grant staff to support the
provision of equitable services to private schools under the CARES Act. The ESSER Fund grant staff
collaborates daily with the Division of Federal Programs (ESSA and IDEA) staff to coordinate support for
LEAs.
Monitoring
LEAs are monitored on a four-year cycle. Approximately one-fourth of the LEAs are monitored each
year. As part of the annual review process in determining which LEAs are to be monitored, the Division
of Federal Programs conducts a risk assessment using a combination of elements defined by GaDOE. An
LEA’s risk assessment rating is determined by using both its risk rating, based on a set of established
High-Risk Elements developed by the Division of Federal Programs and a risk rating from GaDOE’s
Financial Review Division.
During the summer of each year, the Division of Federal Programs completes a risk assessment to
determine if an LEA falls into the high-risk category. The results of the risk assessment determine which
LEAs may be added to the regular CFM cycle for that year. The SEA has the responsibility to monitor
high-risk LEAs (§ 200.331(b)(1-4)). The Division of Federal Programs defines high-risk as:
• LEAs showing evidence of serious or chronic compliance problems
• LEAs with financial monitoring/audit findings; and/or LEAs with a high number of complaints
from parents and other stakeholders about program implementation.
• Other elements that may cause an LEA to be determined high-risk include size of allocation
and new federal programs for fiscal management personnel in the LEA.
• High-risk does not necessarily mean an LEA is not meeting the requirements of the program,
federal regulations, or administrative procedures. It does mean that an LEA may be at a
higher risk of having program elements that could cause it to not meet requirements
associated with federal rules, regulations, and administrative procedures.
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