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Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) allocation and expenditures by district in Kentucky
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Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding was a series of grants totaling roughly $190 billion that Congress sent to K-12 public schools during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Congress included the funding in three separate spending packages between 2020 and 2021. The first of these occurred in March 27, 2020, when President Donald Trump (R) signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, releasing $13.2 billion to schools. In an April 23, 2020, letter sent to state education commissioners, then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos wrote: "The ESSER Fund provides you, and your local educational agencies, with emergency relief funds to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools."[1]
In response to the pandemic, all 50 states closed schools to in-person instruction between February and April 2020.
At the time, the $190 billion was the largest injection of federal funding into the education system in a one-year period.[2] Trump signed the second ESSER package, providing roughly $54 billion through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, into law on December 27, 2020. President Joe Biden (D) signed the final ESSER package on March 11, 2021, apportioning $122 billion to schools through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. Each of the three ESSER packages came with their own spending deadlines. Districts had until January 2025 to spend the last round of the funding, known as ESSER III.[3]
Congress placed few strings on the grants, largely relying on districts to make their own spending decisions.[4] The expiration of the ESSER funding posed a challenge to districts that allocated a relatively greater portion to recurring expenses, such as teacher salaries or new staff.[5] An August 2023 School Superintendents Association (AASA) survey found that 53% of respondents said they would need to cut support staff in response to the expiration of ESSER funding.[6] A 2024 survey of district leaders by the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company found that 53% of district leaders "expect a fiscal cliff in their district’s spending when ESSER concludes."[7]
On this page, you will find data on the funding Congress allocated to STATE’s school districts through the three ESSER grants (I, II, and III). Data is made available by Georgetown University's Edunomics Lab.[8] Navigate the page using the following links:
ESSER I
The table below shows the total amount of ESSER I funding allocated to each district in Kentucky.
| Kentucky ESSER I allocation and expenditures by district | |
|---|---|
| District Name | Total ESSER I Allocation |
| Adair County Board Of Education | $1,036,900 |
| Allen County Board Of Education | $860,670 |
| Anchorage Independent Board Of Education | $18,080 |
| Anderson County Board Of Education | $463,834 |
| Ashland Board Of Education | $977,429 |
| Augusta Independent School District | $85,618 |
| Ballard County Board Of Education | $247,066 |
| Barbourville Independent School District | $177,111 |
| Bardstown Independent School District | $499,119 |
| Barren County Board Of Education | $1,213,541 |
| Bath County Board Of Education | $776,509 |
| Beechwood Board Of Education | $77,662 |
| Bell County Board Of Education | $1,563,545 |
| Bellevue Independent School District | $150,597 |
| Berea Independent Board Of Education | $250,686 |
| Boone County Board Of Education | $1,729,265 |
| Bourbon County Board Of Education | $455,586 |
| Bowling Green Independent School District | $965,185 |
| Boyd County Board Of Education | $668,428 |
| Boyle County Board Of Education | $336,721 |
| Bracken County Board Of Education | $220,249 |
| Breathitt County Board Of Education | $913,557 |
| Breckinridge County Board Of Education | $659,173 |
| Bullitt County Board Of Education | $1,523,096 |
| Burgin Board Of Education | $83,501 |
| Butler County Board Of Education | $504,415 |
| Caldwell County Board Of Education | $712,124 |
| Calloway County Board Of Education | $829,632 |
| Campbell County Board Of Education | $487,878 |
| Campbellsville Independent School District | $700,627 |
| Carlisle County Board Of Education | $164,116 |
| Carroll County Board Of Education | $567,738 |
| Carter County Board Of Education | $1,243,123 |
| Casey County Board Of Education | $1,003,798 |
| Caverna Independent Schools | $324,062 |
| Christian County Board Of Education | $3,064,262 |
| Clark County Board Of Education | $1,221,888 |
| Clay County Board Of Education | $2,028,005 |
| Clinton County Board Of Education | $614,098 |
| Cloverport Independent School District | $87,772 |
| Corbin Independent School District | $537,831 |
| Covington Independent School District | $2,276,484 |
| Crittenden County Board Of Education | $413,185 |
| Cumberland County Board Of Education | $420,899 |
| Danville Independent School District | $546,586 |
| Daviess County Board Of Education | $1,564,918 |
| Dawson Springs Board Of Education | $265,442 |
| Dayton Independent School District | $328,076 |
| East Bernstadt Independent School District | $64,290 |
| Edmonson County Board Of Education | $480,423 |
| Elizabethtown Independent School District | $494,132 |
| Elliott County Board Of Education | $388,828 |
| Eminence Independent Board Of Education | $163,125 |
| Erlanger-Elsmere Board Of Education | $617,652 |
| Estill County Board Of Education | $922,104 |
| Fairview Independent School District | $200,677 |
| Fayette County Board Of Education | $11,115,823 |
| Fleming County Board Of Education | $793,417 |
| Floyd County Board Of Education | $2,487,761 |
| Frankfort Independent School District | $306,551 |
| Franklin County Board Of Education | $1,094,580 |
| Ft Thomas Independent School District | $120,826 |
| Fulton County Board Education | $256,253 |
| Fulton Independent Board Of Education | $289,674 |
| Gallatin County Board Of Education | $291,699 |
| Garrard County Board Of Education | $545,813 |
| Glasgow Independent School District | $750,288 |
| Grant County Board Of Education | $836,004 |
| Graves County Board Of Education | $1,025,613 |
| Grayson County Board Of Education | $1,289,654 |
| Green County Board Of Education | $421,534 |
| Greenup County Board Of Education | $715,569 |
| Hancock County Board Of Education | $219,337 |
| Hardin County Board Of Education | $2,521,856 |
| Harlan County Board Of Education | $2,045,757 |
| Harlan Independent School District | $299,738 |
| Harrison County Board Of Education | $606,388 |
| Hart County Board Of Education | $729,795 |
| Hazard Independent School District | $422,246 |
| Henderson County Board Of Education | $1,530,946 |
| Henry County Board Of Education | $598,575 |
| Hickman County Board Of Education | $195,296 |
| Hopkins County Board Of Education | $1,323,300 |
| Jackson County Board Of Education | $943,888 |
| Jackson Independent School District | $95,143 |
| Jefferson County Board Of Education | $30,378,113 |
| Jenkins Independent School District | $224,543 |
| Jessamine County Board Of Education | $1,759,695 |
| Johnson County Board Of Education | $913,986 |
| Kenton County Board Of Education | $1,431,801 |
| Knott County Board Of Education | $1,311,496 |
| Knox County Board Of Education | $2,465,923 |
| Larue County Board Of Education | $590,847 |
| Laurel County Board Of Education | $3,072,855 |
| Lawrence County Board Of Education | $912,816 |
| Lee County Board Of Education | $602,331 |
| Leslie County Board Of Education | $666,706 |
| Letcher County Board Of Education | $1,332,009 |
| Lewis County Board Of Education | $871,843 |
| Lincoln County Board Of Education | $1,185,889 |
| Livingston County Board Of Education | $264,474 |
| Logan County Board Of Education | $659,462 |
| Ludlow Independent School District | $209,605 |
| Lyon County Board Of Education | $158,003 |
| Madison County Board Of Education | $2,504,078 |
| Magoffin County Board Of Education | $1,042,869 |
| Marion County Board Of Education | $762,385 |
| Marshall County Board Of Education | $691,494 |
| Martin County Board Of Education | $923,808 |
| Mason County Board Of Education | $705,929 |
| Mayfield Independent School District | $752,583 |
| Mccracken County Board Of Education | $1,227,823 |
| Mccreary County Board Of Education | $1,581,721 |
| Mclean County Board Of Education | $305,577 |
| Meade County Board Of Education | $551,953 |
| Menifee County Board Of Education | $406,882 |
| Mercer County Board Of Education | $490,879 |
| Metcalfe County Board Of Education | $637,233 |
| Middlesboro Independent School District | $1,127,538 |
| Monroe County Board Of Education | $599,785 |
| Montgomery County Board Of Education | $1,177,313 |
| Morgan County Board Of Education | $674,296 |
| Muhlenberg County Board Of Education | $1,086,169 |
| Murray Independent School District | $351,682 |
| Nelson County Board Of Education | $515,396 |
| Newport Independent School District | $997,144 |
| Nicholas County Board Of Education | $364,890 |
| Ohio County Board Of Education | $973,768 |
| Oldham County Board Of Education | $437,873 |
| Owen County Board Of Education | $349,948 |
| Owensboro Independent School District | $1,273,139 |
| Owsley County Board Of Education | $514,618 |
| Paducah Independent School District | $1,198,235 |
| Paintsville Independent School District | $159,437 |
| Paris Independent School District | $287,495 |
| Pendleton County Board Of Education | $411,244 |
| Perry County Board Education | $1,440,083 |
| Pike County Board Of Education | $2,796,345 |
| Pikeville Independent School District | $305,470 |
| Pineville Independent School District | $206,535 |
| Powell County Board Of Education | $1,014,166 |
| Pulaski County Board Of Education | $2,135,398 |
| Raceland Independent School District | $127,620 |
| Robertson County Board Of Education | $95,897 |
| Rockcastle County Board Of Education | $747,744 |
| Rowan County Board Of Education | $881,229 |
| Russell County Board Of Education | $1,062,165 |
| Russell Independent School District | $321,682 |
| Russellville Independent School District | $438,315 |
| Science Hill Independent School District | $102,073 |
| Scott County Board Of Education | $1,126,246 |
| Shelby County Board Of Education | $75,906 |
| Simpson County Board Of Education | $627,485 |
| Somerset Independent School District | $542,875 |
| Southgate Independent School District | $87,426 |
| Spencer County Board Of Education | $231,138 |
| Taylor County Board Of Education | $634,219 |
| Todd County Board Of Education | $608,795 |
| Trigg County Board Of Education | $460,964 |
| Trimble County Board Of Education | $250,536 |
| Union County Board Of Education | $352,698 |
| Walton-Verona Independent School District | $138,678 |
| Warren County Board Of Education | $3,237,541 |
| Washington County Board Of Education | $370,199 |
| Wayne County Board Of Education | $1,175,297 |
| Webster County Board Of Education | $419,286 |
| Whitley County Board Of Education | $1,984,099 |
| Williamsburg Independent School District | $354,449 |
| Williamstown Board Of Education | $145,432 |
| Wolfe County Board Of Education | $736,120 |
| Woodford County Board Of Education | $514,188 |
ESSER II
The table below shows the total amount of ESSER II funding allocated to each district in Kentucky.
| Kentucky ESSER II allocation and expenditures by district | |
|---|---|
| District Name | Total ESSER II Allocation |
| Adair County Board Of Education | $4,849,436 |
| Allen County Board Of Education | $3,754,043 |
| Anchorage Independent Board Of Education | $94,811 |
| Anderson County Board Of Education | $2,160,457 |
| Ashland Board Of Education | $5,749,945 |
| Augusta Independent School District | $388,590 |
| Ballard County Board Of Education | $1,351,048 |
| Barbourville Independent School District | $787,981 |
| Bardstown Independent School District | $2,097,172 |
| Barren County Board Of Education | $5,253,929 |
| Bath County Board Of Education | $3,767,328 |
| Beechwood Board Of Education | $326,560 |
| Bell County Board Of Education | $6,369,465 |
| Bellevue Independent School District | $682,192 |
| Berea Independent Board Of Education | $970,614 |
| Boone County Board Of Education | $7,663,198 |
| Bourbon County Board Of Education | $2,046,191 |
| Bowling Green Independent School District | $4,256,008 |
| Boyd County Board Of Education | $3,607,186 |
| Boyle County Board Of Education | $1,390,077 |
| Bracken County Board Of Education | $938,312 |
| Breathitt County Board Of Education | $4,616,608 |
| Breckinridge County Board Of Education | $3,168,282 |
| Bullitt County Board Of Education | $6,891,060 |
| Burgin Board Of Education | $325,596 |
| Butler County Board Of Education | $2,257,979 |
| Caldwell County Board Of Education | $2,760,648 |
| Calloway County Board Of Education | $3,850,169 |
| Campbell County Board Of Education | $2,904,159 |
| Campbellsville Independent School District | $2,854,163 |
| Carlisle County Board Of Education | $783,705 |
| Carroll County Board Of Education | $2,446,110 |
| Carter County Board Of Education | $7,586,607 |
| Casey County Board Of Education | $5,443,527 |
| Caverna Independent Schools | $2,339,826 |
| Christian County Board Of Education | $14,821,849 |
| Clark County Board Of Education | $7,007,573 |
| Clay County Board Of Education | $9,307,363 |
| Clinton County Board Of Education | $3,490,181 |
| Cloverport Independent School District | $382,332 |
| Corbin Independent School District | $2,503,419 |
| Covington Independent School District | $9,208,715 |
| Crittenden County Board Of Education | $1,916,875 |
| Cumberland County Board Of Education | $1,795,467 |
| Danville Independent School District | $2,713,152 |
| Daviess County Board Of Education | $8,162,224 |
| Dawson Springs Board Of Education | $1,081,342 |
| Dayton Independent School District | $1,672,557 |
| East Bernstadt Independent School District | $510,610 |
| Edmonson County Board Of Education | $1,830,184 |
| Elizabethtown Independent School District | $2,185,510 |
| Elliott County Board Of Education | $1,707,062 |
| Eminence Independent Board Of Education | $625,630 |
| Erlanger-Elsmere Board Of Education | $2,516,149 |
| Estill County Board Of Education | $3,756,403 |
| Fairview Independent School District | $1,060,045 |
| Fayette County Board Of Education | $45,282,889 |
| Fleming County Board Of Education | $3,276,786 |
| Floyd County Board Of Education | $16,952,002 |
| Frankfort Independent School District | $1,343,475 |
| Franklin County Board Of Education | $5,206,383 |
| Ft Thomas Independent School District | $593,425 |
| Fulton County Board Education | $1,355,247 |
| Fulton Independent Board Of Education | $1,437,114 |
| Gallatin County Board Of Education | $1,531,382 |
| Garrard County Board Of Education | $2,598,846 |
| Glasgow Independent School District | $3,229,786 |
| Grant County Board Of Education | $3,405,656 |
| Graves County Board Of Education | $4,628,022 |
| Grayson County Board Of Education | $6,855,530 |
| Green County Board Of Education | $1,843,398 |
| Greenup County Board Of Education | $2,915,034 |
| Hancock County Board Of Education | $990,167 |
| Hardin County Board Of Education | $13,533,985 |
| Harlan County Board Of Education | $10,197,496 |
| Harlan Independent School District | $1,297,175 |
| Harrison County Board Of Education | $2,927,308 |
| Hart County Board Of Education | $3,370,866 |
| Hazard Independent School District | $1,720,119 |
| Henderson County Board Of Education | $7,400,020 |
| Henry County Board Of Education | $2,218,077 |
| Hickman County Board Of Education | $768,950 |
| Hopkins County Board Of Education | $6,986,035 |
| Jackson County Board Of Education | $4,131,273 |
| Jackson Independent School District | $380,812 |
| Jefferson County Board Of Education | $178,107,468 |
| Jenkins Independent School District | $1,194,031 |
| Jessamine County Board Of Education | $7,072,495 |
| Johnson County Board Of Education | $4,133,161 |
| Kenton County Board Of Education | $6,453,059 |
| Knott County Board Of Education | $5,342,687 |
| Knox County Board Of Education | $12,081,473 |
| Larue County Board Of Education | $2,406,952 |
| Laurel County Board Of Education | $13,746,219 |
| Lawrence County Board Of Education | $3,908,251 |
| Lee County Board Of Education | $2,453,734 |
| Leslie County Board Of Education | $3,586,700 |
| Letcher County Board Of Education | $5,523,472 |
| Lewis County Board Of Education | $3,326,953 |
| Lincoln County Board Of Education | $5,609,956 |
| Livingston County Board Of Education | $1,303,041 |
| Logan County Board Of Education | $3,925,427 |
| Ludlow Independent School District | $853,874 |
| Lyon County Board Of Education | $723,182 |
| Madison County Board Of Education | $10,200,941 |
| Magoffin County Board Of Education | $4,248,371 |
| Marion County Board Of Education | $3,252,402 |
| Marshall County Board Of Education | $3,460,873 |
| Martin County Board Of Education | $4,079,096 |
| Mason County Board Of Education | $3,024,516 |
| Mayfield Independent School District | $3,351,454 |
| Mccracken County Board Of Education | $5,182,589 |
| Mccreary County Board Of Education | $6,443,507 |
| Mclean County Board Of Education | $1,199,572 |
| Meade County Board Of Education | $2,676,685 |
| Menifee County Board Of Education | $1,807,376 |
| Mercer County Board Of Education | $2,777,549 |
| Metcalfe County Board Of Education | $3,403,366 |
| Middlesboro Independent School District | $4,563,458 |
| Monroe County Board Of Education | $3,255,003 |
| Montgomery County Board Of Education | $4,726,796 |
| Morgan County Board Of Education | $2,746,897 |
| Muhlenberg County Board Of Education | $4,563,270 |
| Murray Independent School District | $1,453,459 |
| Nelson County Board Of Education | $2,285,916 |
| Newport Independent School District | $4,764,111 |
| Nicholas County Board Of Education | $1,642,009 |
| Ohio County Board Of Education | $4,941,595 |
| Oldham County Board Of Education | $1,529,417 |
| Owen County Board Of Education | $1,628,938 |
| Owensboro Independent School District | $6,313,492 |
| Owsley County Board Of Education | $2,231,958 |
| Paducah Independent School District | $4,993,661 |
| Paintsville Independent School District | $609,830 |
| Paris Independent School District | $1,246,893 |
| Pendleton County Board Of Education | $2,326,802 |
| Perry County Board Education | $7,404,399 |
| Pike County Board Of Education | $11,663,775 |
| Pikeville Independent School District | $1,234,141 |
| Pineville Independent School District | $806,787 |
| Powell County Board Of Education | $4,131,443 |
| Pulaski County Board Of Education | $9,341,459 |
| Raceland Independent School District | $805,327 |
| Robertson County Board Of Education | $398,105 |
| Rockcastle County Board Of Education | $3,703,949 |
| Rowan County Board Of Education | $3,636,167 |
| Russell County Board Of Education | $4,326,980 |
| Russell Independent School District | $1,310,443 |
| Russellville Independent School District | $1,721,984 |
| Science Hill Independent School District | $424,916 |
| Scott County Board Of Education | $4,695,984 |
| Shelby County Board Of Education | $4,242,673 |
| Simpson County Board Of Education | $2,877,803 |
| Somerset Independent School District | $2,856,644 |
| Southgate Independent School District | $444,181 |
| Spencer County Board Of Education | $1,032,349 |
| Taylor County Board Of Education | $2,770,692 |
| Todd County Board Of Education | $2,500,456 |
| Trigg County Board Of Education | $2,462,349 |
| Trimble County Board Of Education | $1,269,101 |
| Union County Board Of Education | $1,782,839 |
| Walton-Verona Independent School District | $564,936 |
| Warren County Board Of Education | $15,966,780 |
| Washington County Board Of Education | $1,843,274 |
| Wayne County Board Of Education | $5,063,146 |
| Webster County Board Of Education | $2,102,994 |
| Whitley County Board Of Education | $8,670,021 |
| Williamsburg Independent School District | $1,443,931 |
| Williamstown Board Of Education | $592,450 |
| Wolfe County Board Of Education | $3,169,654 |
| Woodford County Board Of Education | $2,136,297 |
ESSER III
The table below shows the total amount of ESSER III funding allocated to each district in Kentucky.
| Kentucky ESSER III allocation and expenditures by district | |
|---|---|
| District Name | Total ESSER III Allocation |
| Adair County Board Of Education | $10,454,635 |
| Allen County Board Of Education | $8,093,136 |
| Anchorage Independent Board Of Education | $204,390 |
| Anderson County Board Of Education | $4,657,611 |
| Ashland Board Of Education | $12,395,994 |
| Augusta Independent School District | $837,740 |
| Ballard County Board Of Education | $2,912,652 |
| Barbourville Independent School District | $1,698,765 |
| Bardstown Independent School District | $4,521,178 |
| Barren County Board Of Education | $11,326,660 |
| Bath County Board Of Education | $8,121,777 |
| Beechwood Board Of Education | $704,014 |
| Bell County Board Of Education | $13,731,582 |
| Bellevue Independent School District | $1,470,700 |
| Berea Independent Board Of Education | $2,092,495 |
| Boone County Board Of Education | $16,520,671 |
| Bourbon County Board Of Education | $4,411,271 |
| Bowling Green Independent School District | $9,175,296 |
| Boyd County Board Of Education | $7,776,537 |
| Boyle County Board Of Education | $2,996,791 |
| Bracken County Board Of Education | $2,022,856 |
| Breathitt County Board Of Education | $9,952,694 |
| Breckinridge County Board Of Education | $6,830,326 |
| Bullitt County Board Of Education | $14,856,061 |
| Burgin Board Of Education | $701,935 |
| Butler County Board Of Education | $4,867,855 |
| Caldwell County Board Of Education | $5,951,531 |
| Calloway County Board Of Education | $8,300,369 |
| Campbell County Board Of Education | $6,260,919 |
| Campbellsville Independent School District | $6,153,134 |
| Carlisle County Board Of Education | $1,689,548 |
| Carroll County Board Of Education | $5,273,436 |
| Carter County Board Of Education | $16,355,554 |
| Casey County Board Of Education | $11,735,403 |
| Caverna Independent Schools | $5,044,304 |
| Christian County Board Of Education | $31,953,616 |
| Clark County Board Of Education | $15,107,244 |
| Clay County Board Of Education | $20,065,236 |
| Clinton County Board Of Education | $7,524,292 |
| Cloverport Independent School District | $824,250 |
| Corbin Independent School District | $5,396,985 |
| Covington Independent School District | $19,852,568 |
| Crittenden County Board Of Education | $4,132,486 |
| Cumberland County Board Of Education | $3,870,750 |
| Danville Independent School District | $5,849,137 |
| Daviess County Board Of Education | $17,596,493 |
| Dawson Springs Board Of Education | $2,331,206 |
| Dayton Independent School District | $3,605,774 |
| East Bernstadt Independent School District | $1,100,797 |
| Edmonson County Board Of Education | $3,945,593 |
| Elizabethtown Independent School District | $4,711,623 |
| Elliott County Board Of Education | $3,680,161 |
| Eminence Independent Board Of Education | $1,348,761 |
| Erlanger-Elsmere Board Of Education | $5,424,428 |
| Estill County Board Of Education | $8,098,225 |
| Fairview Independent School District | $2,285,292 |
| Fayette County Board Of Education | $97,622,914 |
| Fleming County Board Of Education | $7,064,244 |
| Floyd County Board Of Education | $36,545,898 |
| Frankfort Independent School District | $2,896,325 |
| Franklin County Board Of Education | $2,896,325 |
| Ft Thomas Independent School District | $1,279,332 |
| Fulton County Board Education | $2,921,703 |
| Fulton Independent Board Of Education | $3,098,196 |
| Gallatin County Board Of Education | $3,301,423 |
| Garrard County Board Of Education | $5,602,710 |
| Glasgow Independent School District | $6,962,919 |
| Grant County Board Of Education | $7,342,069 |
| Graves County Board Of Education | $9,977,300 |
| Grayson County Board Of Education | $14,779,465 |
| Green County Board Of Education | $3,974,082 |
| Greenup County Board Of Education | $6,284,363 |
| Hancock County Board Of Education | $2,134,647 |
| Hardin County Board Of Education | $29,177,181 |
| Harlan County Board Of Education | $21,984,227 |
| Harlan Independent School District | $2,796,508 |
| Harrison County Board Of Education | $6,310,824 |
| Hart County Board Of Education | $7,267,067 |
| Hazard Independent School District | $3,708,311 |
| Henderson County Board Of Education | $15,953,299 |
| Henry County Board Of Education | $4,781,832 |
| Hickman County Board Of Education | $1,657,738 |
| Hopkins County Board Of Education | $15,060,812 |
| Jackson County Board Of Education | $8,906,385 |
| Jackson Independent School District | $820,973 |
| Jefferson County Board Of Education | $383,972,189 |
| Jenkins Independent School District | $2,574,146 |
| Jessamine County Board Of Education | $15,247,207 |
| Johnson County Board Of Education | $8,910,456 |
| Kenton County Board Of Education | $13,911,799 |
| Knott County Board Of Education | $11,518,007 |
| Knox County Board Of Education | $26,045,790 |
| Larue County Board Of Education | $5,189,016 |
| Laurel County Board Of Education | $29,634,724 |
| Lawrence County Board Of Education | $8,425,586 |
| Lee County Board Of Education | $5,289,872 |
| Leslie County Board Of Education | $7,732,370 |
| Letcher County Board Of Education | $11,907,753 |
| Lewis County Board Of Education | $7,172,397 |
| Lincoln County Board Of Education | $12,094,199 |
| Livingston County Board Of Education | $2,809,154 |
| Logan County Board Of Education | $8,462,614 |
| Ludlow Independent School District | $1,840,821 |
| Lyon County Board Of Education | $1,559,069 |
| Madison County Board Of Education | $21,991,654 |
| Magoffin County Board Of Education | $9,158,832 |
| Marion County Board Of Education | $7,011,676 |
| Marshall County Board Of Education | $7,461,107 |
| Martin County Board Of Education | $8,793,902 |
| Mason County Board Of Education | $6,520,389 |
| Mayfield Independent School District | $7,225,218 |
| Mccracken County Board Of Education | $11,172,861 |
| Mccreary County Board Of Education | $13,891,206 |
| Mclean County Board Of Education | $2,586,092 |
| Meade County Board Of Education | $5,770,520 |
| Menifee County Board Of Education | $3,896,425 |
| Mercer County Board Of Education | $5,987,967 |
| Metcalfe County Board Of Education | $7,337,132 |
| Middlesboro Independent School District | $9,838,110 |
| Monroe County Board Of Education | $7,017,284 |
| Montgomery County Board Of Education | $10,190,243 |
| Morgan County Board Of Education | $5,921,887 |
| Muhlenberg County Board Of Education | $9,837,706 |
| Murray Independent School District | $3,133,433 |
| Nelson County Board Of Education | $4,928,081 |
| Newport Independent School District | $10,270,687 |
| Nicholas County Board Of Education | $3,539,917 |
| Ohio County Board Of Education | $10,653,315 |
| Oldham County Board Of Education | $3,297,186 |
| Owen County Board Of Education | $3,511,739 |
| Owensboro Independent School District | $13,610,913 |
| Owsley County Board Of Education | $4,811,757 |
| Paducah Independent School District | $10,765,561 |
| Paintsville Independent School District | $1,314,700 |
| Paris Independent School District | $2,688,110 |
| Pendleton County Board Of Education | $5,016,226 |
| Perry County Board Education | $15,962,740 |
| Pike County Board Of Education | $25,145,298 |
| Pikeville Independent School District | $2,660,617 |
| Pineville Independent School District | $1,739,308 |
| Powell County Board Of Education | $8,906,754 |
| Pulaski County Board Of Education | $20,138,744 |
| Raceland Independent School District | $1,736,161 |
| Robertson County Board Of Education | $858,253 |
| Rockcastle County Board Of Education | $7,985,142 |
| Rowan County Board Of Education | $7,839,015 |
| Russell County Board Of Education | $9,328,301 |
| Russell Independent School District | $2,825,113 |
| Russellville Independent School District | $3,712,332 |
| Science Hill Independent School District | $916,054 |
| Scott County Board Of Education | $10,123,817 |
| Shelby County Board Of Education | $9,146,547 |
| Simpson County Board Of Education | $6,204,100 |
| Somerset Independent School District | $6,158,483 |
| Southgate Independent School District | $957,586 |
| Spencer County Board Of Education | $2,225,586 |
| Taylor County Board Of Education | $5,973,184 |
| Todd County Board Of Education | $5,390,598 |
| Trigg County Board Of Education | $5,308,443 |
| Trimble County Board Of Education | $2,735,986 |
| Union County Board Of Education | $3,843,524 |
| Walton-Verona Independent School District | $1,217,915 |
| Warren County Board Of Education | $34,421,912 |
| Washington County Board Of Education | $3,973,815 |
| Wayne County Board Of Education | $10,915,362 |
| Webster County Board Of Education | $4,533,730 |
| Whitley County Board Of Education | $18,691,227 |
| Williamsburg Independent School District | $3,112,891 |
| Williamstown Board Of Education | $1,277,231 |
| Wolfe County Board Of Education | $6,833,285 |
| Woodford County Board Of Education | $4,605,527 |
ESSER allocations by state
Click a state below to see a detailed breakdown of ESSER allocations by district in each state.
- ESSER hub page
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
History of ESSER
Throughout Spring 2020, all 50 states shuttered K-12 public schools to in-person learning. In most states, students would not return to classrooms for the remainder of the academic year. Congress allocated roughly $190 billion to schools between March 2020 and March 2021 through three rounds of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund grants.[9]
Congress also allocated about 10% of ESSER funding—or about $19 billion—to state education agencies.[10]
Each tranche of ESSER funding came with its own deadline. States had until September 30 to commit money they received in the third round (ARP Act) of ESSER funding—unless they requested and received an extension.[11] Districts were required to have spent the funds by the end of January 2025 (though they could request an extension from the federal government).[12]
According to the U.S. Department of Education, “These Federal emergency resources are available for a wide range of activities to address diverse needs arising from or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, or to emerge stronger post-pandemic, including responding to students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs and continuing to provide educational services as States, LEAs, and schools respond to and recover from the pandemic.”[13]
Districts, already facing declining public school enrollment, grappled with the loss of billions of dollars in federal aid as ESSER funds expired.[14] To put the loss in perspective, in 2019, the last year before Congress began allocating ESSER grants, the federal government spent a total of $57.9 billion on K-12 public schools—less than a third of what Congress allocated to schools through ESSER.[15]
A 2023 Education Next analysis of 22 states found that districts had spent about half of the money on labor costs, which could include new hires and raises for existing personnel.[16] A December 2023 Education Week survey of 250 district leaders found that a quarter of respondents said they didn’t anticipate finding alternative funding to cover ongoing expenses made with ESSER grants.[17]
Some districts announced staff and teacher layoffs due to losing ESSER funds.[18][19][20] Districts also cut expenses in other ways, including ending after-school programs, tutoring services, and more.[21][22]
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- Education policy
- Impact of school choice on rural school districts
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See also
- School board elections, 2025
- School board recalls, 2025
- Endorsements of school board members by state executive officeholders and candidates, 2024
- Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2023
- School board dismissals of district superintendents, 2022-2025
- State takeovers of K-12 public school districts
Footnotes
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "ESSER Fund Cover Letter," accessed June 13, 2025
- ↑ The 74, "ESSER Post-Mortem: How Did Districts Spend $190B in Federal Funds? Did It Work?" June 29, 2025
- ↑ Intercultural Development Research Association, "How Schools Will Be Impacted by the End of Federal COVID-19 Relief Funding," October 8, 2024
- ↑ District Administration, "Learning loss can still be overcome with ESSER," August 15, 2024
- ↑ Brookings, "The ESSER fiscal cliff will have serious implications for student equity," September 12, 2023
- ↑ Intercultural Development Research Association, "How Schools Will Be Impacted by the End of Federal COVID-19 Relief Funding," October 8, 2024
- ↑ McKinsey & Company, "When the money runs out: K–12 schools brace for stimulus-free budgets," September 18, 2024
- ↑ Edunomics Lab,"ESSER Expenditure Dashboard," accessed June 29, 2025
- ↑ K-12 Dive, "ESSER funding: What it is and how to use it before it expires," February 21, 2023
- ↑ CCSSO, "States Leading: How State Education Agencies Leveraged Pandemic Relief Funds," accessed February 4, 2025
- ↑ New America, "Size: More Money Than Ever Before," accessed February 4, 2025
- ↑ School Superintendents Assocation, "The Advocate March 2024: ESSER Late Liquidation," March 8, 2024
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "Frequently Asked Questions," May 2021
- ↑ Brookings, "Breaking down enrollment declines in public schools," March 14, 2024
- ↑ United States Census, "K-12 School Spending Up 4.7% in 2019 From Previous Year," May 18, 2021
- ↑ Education Next, "The Massive ESSER Experiment: Here’s what we’re learning.," April 4, 2023
- ↑ Education Week, "When ESSER Funds Are Gone, Here’s Where Districts May Turn to Fill Gaps," December 5, 2023
- ↑ NBC DFW, "Arlington ISD faces layoffs with COVID-era ESSER grants coming to an end," March 25, 2024
- ↑ K-12 Dive, "Teacher layoffs are growing — and won’t be going away anytime soon," March 26, 2024
- ↑ CT Insider, "Hartford school board approves $429 million budget with staffing cuts across the district," April 18, 2024
- ↑ Chalkbeat, "Many schools want to keep tutoring going when COVID money is gone. How will they pay for it?" February 1, 2024
- ↑ KOSU, "The end of pandemic-era federal dollars may mean the end of some Oklahoma school programs," April 18, 2024
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