Coronavirus Relief Information

Coronavirus Relief Information

See the topics below and click to expand each of those sections for more specific information.

DESE’s COVID-19 Federal Relief Fund Priorities

On June 30, 2022, Governor Parson signed the Fiscal Year 2023 state operating budget, approving historic investments in education. The Governor’s action also gave DESE the final approval of the department’s ESSER III spending plan, which details how the department will spend the 10 percent of funds set aside for state education agencies to address broad, large-scale K-12 initiatives and ensures the continuation and competition of several important lines of effort DESE has already began.

Read more about DESE’s Federal Relief Fund Priorities here, which includes work to address challenges in four key areas: learning acceleration, the educator workforce, mental health needs, and the digital divide.

COVID Relief Guidance/Resources
Closed Grant Programs

CARES K-12 Support (CRF)

The purpose of the Support for K-12 Education is to provide assistance to LEAs with COVID-19 related expenditures through December 30, 2020.

COVID-19 Response Supply Reimbursement Grant

Funds are available to reimburse districts for a 25% share of costs associated with personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical and cleaning supplies for school buildings and buses.

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER)

Emergency Worker Childcare

Some schools provided childcare services for families of medical professionals and emergency workers supporting the COVID-19 response effort in spring 2020.  A one-time application process has been developed to collect eligible expenditures for such services.

Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER)

Missouri Student Connectivity Grant

Missouri Student Connectivity Grant

This project supports student connectivity across the state, specifically by increasing both access to WiFi and the number of devices in the hands of Missouri students.

Seamless Summer Option Meals and Safety Resources During COVID-19

Transportation for Meal Delivery

Reimbursements are available for direct costs associated with delivering meals when school buildings were closed during spring 2020.

Transportation Supplement

Funds to support student transportation costs related to COVID-19 is being provided to schools through a supplemental grant via ePeGs.

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER II)
Evidence-Based Reading Instruction Program
American Rescue Plan (ARP) - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER III)

As school districts and charter schools are working to complete their ARP ESSER (ESSER III) applications, DESE has published an infographic to clarify for applicants the steps in the application process. Applicants should refer to the ESSER III Application Guidance for LEAs for detailed information on the application.

Coding Guidance

ARP ESSER (ESSER III) Maintenance of Equity (MOEquity)

ARP ESSER (ESSER III) Missouri State Plan

DESE submitted to the United States Department of Education (USED) the application required to receive Missouri’s allocation for the ARP ESSER fund, often referred to by DESE as ESSER III. Missouri’s allocation totals $1.96 billion, 90 percent of which will be distributed directly to LEAs to spend on a wide range of allowable uses to respond to COVID-19. DESE will use the remaining 10 percent of the funds to address the impact of COVID-19 through state-level projects and initiatives. Portions of both local and state dollars must be reserved for specific targeted uses.

ESSER III Summer School
ESSER III Summer School Expansion Grant
American Rescue Plan (ARP) - Homeless Children and Youth (HCY I)
American Rescue Plan (ARP) - Homeless Children and Youth (HCY II)
American Rescue Plan (ARP) IDEA
Emergency Assistance for Nonpublic Schools Program (EANS)
Emergency Assistance for Nonpublic Schools Program (EANS II) / (EANS IIA)
Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II)
Close the Gap Grant
School-Based Mental Health Immediate Responsive Services Grant (IRSG)

The purpose of the IRSG is to increase student access to mental health resources.

School-Based Mental Health Recruitment and Retention Initiative
Missouri Mathematics Mastery Program
Missouri Postsecondary Advising Initiative
Missouri Teacher Preparation Program Awards (MTPPA)
Monitoring
Data Collections
Dual Credit Expansion Program
Elementary Mathematics Specialist Certificate Completion Program
Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grants

Staffing shortages in the teaching profession have consistently been a challenge for a number of years. There is every reason to believe that COVID-19 only exacerbated the problem. To address these challenges, the Department has designated over $50 million in state reserve funds from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund to establish a Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant program. This program will support teacher recruitment and retention efforts over the next three school years.

Presentations
Waivers and Related Documents
COVID Relief Contact Information

Project

Section Contact

Phone

EANS

Julie Cowell or Theresa Villmer

573-526-3232

ESSER I and ESSER II

ESEA Finance

573-751-8643
ESSER III Plan and Budget COVID Relief Staff

573-751-7635
ESSER III Payment and Final Expenditure Report ESEA Finance

573-751-8643
ESSER Monitoring COVID Relief Staff

573-751-7635

Emergency Childcare

School Finance (David Tramel)

573-751-0357

Families First Coronavirus Response Funds

School Foods

573-751-4402

Meal Delivery

School Finance

573-751-0357

Missouri Student Connectivity

Amber Riley

573-526-9945

PPE/Medical/Sanitation

School Finance (David Tramel)

573-751-0357

Sheltered Workshop Assistance

Special Education Finance

573-751-3561

State Schools Transp. Supplement

Special Education Finance

573-751-3561
Teacher Recruitment & Retention Office of Educator Quality

573-751-1668

Transportation Supplement

School Finance

573-751-0357