ESSER Reporting
UPDATES FROM TASBO AND TEA
ESSER REPORTING INFORMATION - DISCLAIMER
The information within this SMORE was provided through a TASBO/TEA Professional Development Session. The key takeaways from the training session are being provided in an effort to keep the Region 18 districts ahead of the ESSER reporting requirements. TASBO/TEA have two additional sessions where you can receive detailed information about these reporting requirements. The TASBO/TEA ESSER Reporting sessions are free to all Region 18 districts, with the code provided. You are encouraged to attend one or both of these sessions.
ESSER State Fiscal Reporting Requirements and Takeaways
- Each district must submit their ESSER Fiscal Report within 9 days of each ER (Expenditure Reporting) request. If the report is not completed within the 9 days, the payment request will be canceled.
- There is a disconnect within some districts when completing the reporting and ER request because finance is is doing one and the program side is doing the other. Communication and collaboration will be the key when working through the reporting requirements and ER requests.
- There are currently 5 categories within the ESSER State Fiscal Reporting System: 1) More Time for Instruction to Students 2) Innovation in Curriculum and Instruction 3) Additional Services 4) Infrastructure, Supplies, and Oversight 5) Technology.
- "OTHER, not above and/or indirect cost with narrative" is also a reporting category option. Many districts are overusing the "OTHER" category, which could cause additional approval. Due to the overuse of "OTHER", the TEA staff will now be checking over 5000+ entries listed as "OTHER." Beginning in November, if an LEA enters the expenditures into the "OTHER" category, it will be subject to manual review and enhanced monitoring, and will result in a delay of payment.
- Records must be kept until 2029.
(Information from TASBO on 10/14/2022)
Some Common Issues in Reports (Information from TEA)
- Contact information in AskTED is not updated
- The report is missing 6.0 description when there is an amount in 6.0
- Smartsheet system and/or grantee's browser may cause rounding or negative amounts
- Changing the amount after drawdown is approved
- Not putting the full amount in Smartsheet
- Submitting a form without certifying the payment
- Changing payment amount in ER system after submitting a form
ESSER Annual Reporting - Key Takeaways
- Much of the information that was collected by TEA was not collected in the manner it was reported to USDE.
- The reporting burden was high; therefore, LEAs and ESCs should develop data collection procedures at this time to reduce the reporting burden for the next reporting cycles. (TASBO 10/14/2022)
- Due to a lack of repositories, there are data inconsistencies
- The preparation of the annual report should involve federal programs, finance, PEIMS and human resources.
- ESSER Supplemental and TCLAS were funded through the state; therefore, the state will complete the reporting for these grants on behalf of the districts. (TEA will request additional information from districts for these reports.)
(Information from TASBO and TEA)
THE BOTTOM LINE
Districts must get ahead of reporting requirements by developing local practices to capture the required data to ease the reporting burden.
Use of ESSER funds MUST match what the application indicated. If the ESSER use of funds has changed, the district must submit an amendment.
CROSSACT Reporting - Key Takeaways
- CROSSACT Reporting will require that activities be reported and broken down into subgroups. If you utilized ESSER funding for Summer School, how many students served were in specific subpopulations?
- FTE Group #1 = "Regardless of funding source" - These are district-wide position counts. Full-time equivalent positions will be reported as of September 30, 2022.
- FTE Group #2 = "Partially or paid with ESSER funds." - These are positions paid full or with a portion of ESSER funds. Within the reporting field, you will indicate the total number of these specific positions supported with any of the ESSER funds.
(Information from TASBO and TEA)
Process and Repository Needed!! - Student Counts
How are you going to collect and store this information on an ongoing basis? START NOW!
- Evidence-based summer learning or enrichment
- Evidence-based afterschool programs
- Extended Instructional Time
- Evidence-based high dosage tutoring
- Early childhood program expansion/enhancement
- Purchasing Education Technology
Examples of Information Repository
- Shareable Repositories (shared drives)
- Process and File Management Software
- Student and Finance Systems
ESSER III Shareable Expositories - What to include in this shareable file.
- 20% set aside documentation
- Technology expenditures
- Student participation by activities
- Snapshot of FTEs funded
- Copy of drawdown requests
Documentation should be for student enrollment, by students groups.
Documentation should include FTEs, by campus and by group/s served.
(Information from TASBO 10/14/2022)
ESSER Resources for District Reporting
The resources provided within this SMORE have been developed by TASBO and Region 2.
Region 18 - Supporting You, Enriching Them
Email: amanda.magallan@esc18.net
Website: www.esc18.net
Phone: 432-561-4308