Maryland has until Sept. 30 to obligate over $790 million in federal funding for elementary and secondary schools. Otherwise, this money will be returned to the federal government.
The funding stems from the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief program (ESSER). Unlike most federal aid, which is dispersed through state agencies or legislature, this money was given directly to state and local governments. This has given them greater flexibility to choose what to spend on.
Maryland was given approximately $1.95 billion – it has only spent 60% of that, according to a U.S. Department of Education webpage. Previously, the state received $1.2 billion in total from the CARES and CRRSA Acts.
Many states have used ESSER to pay for school supplies, equipment, salaries, stipends and transportation. In Montgomery County, most of the spending has gone towards instructional supplies and paychecks. Additionally, the county has spent the money on special education and student personnel services, as well as transportation costs. It has not used any of the money for administrative costs or student health services, according to State Department of Education data.
Compared to other states, Maryland has one of the lowest obligation rates in the country, only ahead of Washington D.C. and Nebraska. While it has spent almost all of the ESSER funds granted by the previous legislative acts, it still has approximately 40% remaining from the ARP Act. After Sept. 30, the U.S. Treasury Department will reclaim anything gone unused.
