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Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) allocation and expenditures by district in Nebraska

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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 Nebraska'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 Nebraska.

Nebraska ESSER I allocation and expenditures by district
District Name Total ESSER I Allocation
Kenesaw Public Schools $31,478
Hastings Public Schools $805,048
Adams Central Public Schools $54,365
Silver Lake Public Schools $25,466
Neligh-Oakdale Schools $62,151
Elgin Public Schools $0
Summerland Public Schools $73,828
Arthur County Schools $0
Banner County Public Schools $31,232
Sandhills Public Schools $18,956
Boone Central Schools $56,997
St Edward Public Schools $34,332
Riverside Public Schools $59,526
Alliance Public Schools $280,319
Hemingford Public Schools $51,710
Boyd County Schools $63,352
Ainsworth Community Schools $67,692
Gibbon Public Schools $104,665
Kearney Public Schools $578,943
Elm Creek Public Schools $29,534
Shelton Public Schools $31,230
Ravenna Public Schools $48,299
Pleasanton Public Schools $23,450
Amherst Public Schools $37,761
Tekamah-Herman Community Schs $47,736
Oakland Craig Public Schools $69,066
Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schs $49,098
David City Public Schools $88,224
East Butler Public Schools $21,085
Plattsmouth Community Schools $175,847
Weeping Water Public Schools $38,003
Louisville Public Schools $33,025
Conestoga Public Schools $50,554
Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools $16,238
Hartington Newcastle Public Schls $49,284
Randolph Public Schools $26,893
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School $53,407
Wynot Public Schools $21,547
Chase County Schools $64,811
Wauneta-Palisade Public Schs $51,887
Valentine Community Schools $84,849
Cody-Kilgore Public Schs $33,246
Sidney Public Schools $163,000
Leyton Public Schools $19,697
Potter-Dix Public Schools $28,226
Sutton Public Schools $47,560
Harvard Public Schools $83,197
Leigh Community Schools $18,732
Clarkson Public Schools $21,000
Howells-Dodge Consolidated $36,236
Schuyler Community Schools $502,781
West Point Public Schools $138,098
Bancroft-Rosalie Comm Schools $47,602
Wisner-Pilger Public Schools $45,285
Anselmo-Merna Public Schools $41,585
Broken Bow Public Schools $118,480
Ansley Public Schools $27,607
Sargent Public Schools $33,019
Arnold Public Schools $13,781
Callaway Public Schools $23,736
So Sioux City Community Schs $900,006
Homer Community Schools $51,701
Chadron Public Schools $145,514
Crawford Public Schools $39,880
Lexington Public Schools $964,071
Overton Public Schools $44,241
Cozad City Schools $160,170
Gothenburg Public Schools $99,585
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Schs $40,723
Creek Valley Schools $38,646
South Platte Public Schools $44,458
Ponca Public Schools $25,404
Allen Consolidated Schools $20,501
Emerson-Hubbard Public Schools $76,358
Fremont Public Schools $980,672
Scribner-Snyder Community Schs $54,247
Logan View Public Schools $62,556
North Bend Central Public Schs $50,663
Omaha Public Schools $23,207,255
Elkhorn Public Schools $122,220
Douglas Co West Community Schs $94,939
Millard Public Schools $1,768,390
Ralston Public Schools $504,151
Bennington Public Schools $72,910
Westside Community Schools $474,468
Dundy County Public Schools $82,325
Exeter-Milligan Public Schools $0
Fillmore Central Public Schs $93,354
Shickley Public Schools $6,097
Franklin Public Schools $55,793
Maywood Public Schools $30,192
Eustis-Farnam Public Schools $21,460
Medicine Valley Public Schools $19,186
Arapahoe Public Schools $64,223
Cambridge Public Schools $29,423
Southern Valley Schools $72,104
Southern School Dist 1 $80,592
Beatrice Public Schools $346,270
Freeman Public Schools $19,488
Diller-Odell Public Schools $17,392
Garden County Schools $66,170
Burwell Public Schools $41,193
Elwood Public Schools $32,968
Hyannis Area Schools $25,193
Central Valley Public Schools $60,491
Grand Island Public Schools $2,102,208
Northwest Public Schools $114,570
Wood River Rural Schools $84,650
Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schs $33,880
Giltner Public Schools $13,884
Hampton Public Schools $11,845
Aurora Public Schools $117,668
Alma Public Schools $50,945
Hayes Center Public Schools $30,265
Hitchcock Co School System $57,711
O'Neill Public Schools $143,165
Stuart Public Schools $22,484
Chambers Public Schools $14,162
West Holt County Schools $59,276
Mullen Public Schools $17,967
St Paul Public Schools $63,852
Centura Public Schools $53,773
Elba Public Schools $24,460
Fairbury Public Schools $154,050
Tri County Public Schools $36,978
Meridian Public Schools $44,810
Sterling Public Schools $18,545
Johnson County School District $95,177
Wilcox-Hildreth Public Schools $27,838
Axtell Community Schools $16,694
Minden Public Schools $92,904
Ogallala Public Schools $175,042
Paxton Consolidated Schools $31,260
Keya Paha County Schools $18,063
Kimball Public Schools $71,221
Creighton Public Schools $36,330
Crofton Community Schools $43,112
Niobrara Public Schools $83,557
Isanti Community School $73,510
Wausa Public Schools $23,846
Verdigre Public Schools $31,191
Bloomfield Community Schools $42,696
Lincoln Public Schools $7,183,409
Waverly School District 145 $107,205
Malcolm Public Schools $19,815
Norris School Dist 160 $82,818
Raymond Central Public Schools $41,409
North Platte Public Schools $755,162
Brady Public Schools $23,702
Maxwell Public Schools $46,675
Hershey Public Schools $35,821
Sutherland Public Schools $24,566
Wallace Public Sch Dist 65 R $18,688
Stapleton Public Schools $18,737
Loup County Public Schools $16,408
Madison Public Schools $128,298
Norfolk Public Schools $825,052
Battle Creek Public Schools $32,097
Newman Grove Public Schools $39,124
Elkhorn Valley Schools $49,132
Mc Pherson County Schools $0
Central City Public Schools $99,758
Palmer Public Schools $34,715
Bayard Public Schools $100,454
Bridgeport Public Schools $76,825
Fullerton Public Schools $32,614
Twin River Public Schools $54,424
Johnson-Brock Public Schools $34,298
Auburn Public Schools $104,380
Superior Public Schools $78,387
So Central Ne Unified System 5 $93,988
Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools $52,841
Nebraska City Public Schools $258,486
Palmyra District O R 1 $25,658
Pawnee City Public Schools $63,784
Lewiston Consolidated Schools $32,322
Perkins County Schools $38,239
Holdrege Public Schools $123,506
Bertrand Public Schools $30,908
Loomis Public Schools $21,738
Pierce Public Schools $43,695
Plainview Public Schools $60,740
Osmond Community Schools $27,984
Columbus Public Schools $520,760
Lakeview Community Schools $103,141
Humphrey Public Schools $21,594
Cross County Community Schools $28,551
Osceola Public Schools $16,845
Shelby-Rising City Public Schools $52,648
High Plains Community Schools $34,014
Mc Cook Public Schools $194,023
Southwest Public Schools $46,465
Falls City Public Schools $163,142
Humboldt Table Rock Steinauer $81,554
Rock County Public Schools $34,983
Crete Public Schools $449,878
Dorchester Public Schools $32,456
Friend Public Schools $20,323
Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools $60,524
Bellevue Public Schools $746,304
Papillion-La Vista Public Schs $373,014
Gretna Public Schools $118,891
Springfield Platteview Community $51,571
Ashland-Greenwood Public Schs $88,318
Yutan Public Schools $24,154
Wahoo Public Schools $106,514
Mead Public Schools $29,298
Cedar Bluffs Public Schools $74,636
Minatare Public Schools $75,147
Morrill Public Schools $87,894
Gering Public Schools $327,839
Mitchell Public Schools $118,384
Scottsbluff Public Schools $918,005
Milford Public Schools $42,171
Seward Public Schools $100,601
Centennial Public Schools $64,018
Hay Springs Public Schools $22,388
Gordon-Rushville Public Schs $158,261
Loup City Public Schools $51,725
Litchfield Public Schools $25,073
Sioux County Public Schools $0
Stanton Community Schools $44,103
Deshler Public Schools $36,275
Thayer Central Community Schs $56,859
Bruning-Davenport Unified Sys $22,120
Thedford Public Schools $25,522
Pender Public Schools $54,232
Walthill Public Schools $179,936
Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schs $260,731
Winnebago Public Schools $289,316
Ord Public Schools $99,636
Arcadia Public Schools $14,340
Blair Community Schools $147,852
Fort Calhoun Community Schs $31,290
Arlington Public Schools $43,949
Wayne Community Schools $95,859
Wakefield Public Schools $86,974
Winside Public Schools $18,683
Red Cloud Community Schools $51,077
Blue Hill Public Schools $37,498
Wheeler Central Schools $17,369
York Public Schools $198,420
Mc Cool Junction Public Schs $36,232
Heartland Community Schools $29,347


ESSER II

The table below shows the total amount of ESSER II funding allocated to each district in Nebraska.

Nebraska ESSER II allocation and expenditures by district
District Name Total ESSER II Allocation
Kenesaw Public Schools $119,943
Hastings Public Schools $3,014,272
Adams Central Public Schools $197,474
Silver Lake Public Schools $97,034
Neligh-Oakdale Schools $236,817
Elgin Public Schools $0
Summerland Public Schools $334,357
Arthur County Schools $0
Banner County Public Schools $119,005
Sandhills Public Schools $72,226
Boone Central Schools $217,181
St Edward Public Schools $122,608
Riverside Public Schools $226,817
Alliance Public Schools $1,068,114
Hemingford Public Schools $197,035
Boyd County Schools $241,394
Ainsworth Community Schools $236,407
Gibbon Public Schools $394,802
Kearney Public Schools $2,205,970
Elm Creek Public Schools $112,532
Shelton Public Schools $118,569
Ravenna Public Schools $184,037
Pleasanton Public Schools $76,660
Amherst Public Schools $139,220
Tekamah-Herman Community Schs $181,890
Oakland Craig Public Schools $263,164
Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schs $187,080
David City Public Schools $336,163
East Butler Public Schools $80,343
Plattsmouth Community Schools $670,039
Weeping Water Public Schools $131,539
Louisville Public Schools $125,837
Conestoga Public Schools $192,630
Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools $61,873
Hartington Newcastle Public Schls $187,790
Randolph Public Schools $102,473
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School $203,498
Wynot Public Schools $82,098
Chase County Schools $246,953
Wauneta-Palisade Public Schs $169,616
Valentine Community Schools $323,304
Cody-Kilgore Public Schs $121,467
Sidney Public Schools $621,085
Leyton Public Schools $70,381
Potter-Dix Public Schools $97,699
Sutton Public Schools $164,616
Harvard Public Schools $317,007
Leigh Community Schools $71,377
Clarkson Public Schools $80,018
Howells-Dodge Consolidated $132,837
Schuyler Community Schools $1,915,768
West Point Public Schools $526,201
Bancroft-Rosalie Comm Schools $181,381
Wisner-Pilger Public Schools $172,549
Anselmo-Merna Public Schools $144,293
Broken Bow Public Schools $451,447
Ansley Public Schools $105,192
Sargent Public Schools $124,930
Arnold Public Schools $52,510
Callaway Public Schools $90,444
So Sioux City Community Schs $3,429,331
Homer Community Schools $197,000
Chadron Public Schools $515,887
Crawford Public Schools $151,958
Lexington Public Schools $3,673,441
Overton Public Schools $168,573
Cozad City Schools $610,303
Gothenburg Public Schools $379,453
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Schs $155,167
Creek Valley Schools $147,254
South Platte Public Schools $169,400
Ponca Public Schools $96,799
Allen Consolidated Schools $69,787
Emerson-Hubbard Public Schools $290,952
Fremont Public Schools $3,456,979
Scribner-Snyder Community Schs $189,211
Logan View Public Schools $228,462
North Bend Central Public Schs $187,866
Omaha Public Schools $86,420,681
Elkhorn Public Schools $399,554
Douglas Co West Community Schs $330,502
Millard Public Schools $6,320,893
Ralston Public Schools $1,782,734
Bennington Public Schools $277,810
Westside Community Schools $1,693,932
Dundy County Public Schools $300,780
Exeter-Milligan Public Schools $0
Fillmore Central Public Schs $355,710
Shickley Public Schools $23,230
Franklin Public Schools $212,591
Maywood Public Schools $104,696
Eustis-Farnam Public Schools $79,032
Medicine Valley Public Schools $73,107
Arapahoe Public Schools $244,711
Cambridge Public Schools $112,113
Southern Valley Schools $249,571
Southern School Dist 1 $307,084
Beatrice Public Schools $1,319,409
Freeman Public Schools $73,527
Diller-Odell Public Schools $59,873
Garden County Schools $252,128
Burwell Public Schools $156,958
Elwood Public Schools $115,955
Hyannis Area Schools $92,591
Central Valley Public Schools $220,609
Grand Island Public Schools $8,010,136
Northwest Public Schools $436,552
Wood River Rural Schools $322,547
Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schs $124,981
Giltner Public Schools $45,389
Hampton Public Schools $45,134
Aurora Public Schools $448,355
Alma Public Schools $182,927
Hayes Center Public Schools $111,982
Hitchcock Co School System $212,820
O'Neill Public Schools $523,447
Stuart Public Schools $85,673
Chambers Public Schools $53,964
West Holt County Schools $213,329
Mullen Public Schools $68,460
St Paul Public Schools $243,296
Centura Public Schools $204,894
Elba Public Schools $93,201
Fairbury Public Schools $586,984
Tri County Public Schools $140,899
Meridian Public Schools $163,716
Sterling Public Schools $70,375
Johnson County School District $349,292
Wilcox-Hildreth Public Schools $106,070
Axtell Community Schools $63,610
Minden Public Schools $353,996
Ogallala Public Schools $666,970
Paxton Consolidated Schools $119,110
Keya Paha County Schools $68,826
Kimball Public Schools $271,376
Creighton Public Schools $138,428
Crofton Community Schools $149,223
Niobrara Public Schools $312,627
Isanti Community School $280,097
Wausa Public Schools $77,954
Verdigre Public Schools $41,168
Bloomfield Community Schools $147,782
Lincoln Public Schools $27,371,255
Waverly School District 145 $408,488
Malcolm Public Schools $75,502
Norris School Dist 160 $315,563
Raymond Central Public Schools $157,781
North Platte Public Schools $2,877,425
Brady Public Schools $90,310
Maxwell Public Schools $177,847
Hershey Public Schools $136,488
Sutherland Public Schools $93,605
Wallace Public Sch Dist 65 R $71,208
Stapleton Public Schools $71,396
Loup County Public Schools $62,519
Madison Public Schools $488,859
Norfolk Public Schools $2,912,423
Battle Creek Public Schools $122,303
Newman Grove Public Schools $135,416
Elkhorn Valley Schools $170,058
Mc Pherson County Schools $0
Central City Public Schools $380,111
Palmer Public Schools $132,274
Bayard Public Schools $382,767
Bridgeport Public Schools $292,727
Fullerton Public Schools $108,961
Twin River Public Schools $189,020
Johnson-Brock Public Schools $130,687
Auburn Public Schools $397,725
Superior Public Schools $291,814
So Central Ne Unified System 5 $358,128
Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools $201,342
Nebraska City Public Schools $984,918
Palmyra District O R 1 $97,769
Pawnee City Public Schools $243,038
Lewiston Consolidated Schools $120,213
Perkins County Schools $145,702
Holdrege Public Schools $470,600
Bertrand Public Schools $117,771
Loomis Public Schools $82,827
Pierce Public Schools $166,493
Plainview Public Schools $231,439
Osmond Community Schools $106,629
Columbus Public Schools $1,838,921
Lakeview Community Schools $393,005
Humphrey Public Schools $82,280
Cross County Community Schools $108,789
Osceola Public Schools $64,186
Shelby-Rising City Public Schools $200,607
High Plains Community Schools $129,605
Mc Cook Public Schools $739,295
Southwest Public Schools $177,046
Falls City Public Schools $621,626
Humboldt Table Rock Steinauer $285,052
Rock County Public Schools $133,295
Crete Public Schools $1,714,191
Dorchester Public Schools $121,737
Friend Public Schools $77,439
Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools $230,615
Bellevue Public Schools $2,843,673
Papillion-La Vista Public Schs $1,313,035
Gretna Public Schools $453,018
Springfield Platteview Community $196,501
Ashland-Greenwood Public Schs $326,081
Yutan Public Schools $92,034
Wahoo Public Schools $368,843
Mead Public Schools $102,702
Cedar Bluffs Public Schools $284,388
Minatare Public Schools $274,557
Morrill Public Schools $328,590
Gering Public Schools $1,239,960
Mitchell Public Schools $451,081
Scottsbluff Public Schools $3,497,912
Milford Public Schools $160,685
Seward Public Schools $383,324
Centennial Public Schools $235,141
Hay Springs Public Schools $85,307
Gordon-Rushville Public Schs $603,029
Loup City Public Schools $197,092
Litchfield Public Schools $87,941
Sioux County Public Schools $0
Stanton Community Schools $150,139
Deshler Public Schools $138,218
Thayer Central Community Schs $196,806
Bruning-Davenport Unified Sys $84,286
Thedford Public Schools $97,247
Pender Public Schools $206,644
Walthill Public Schools $657,406
Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schs $993,474
Winnebago Public Schools $1,102,393
Ord Public Schools $379,650
Arcadia Public Schools $49,635
Blair Community Schools $543,051
Fort Calhoun Community Schs $105,039
Arlington Public Schools $144,353
Wayne Community Schools $365,255
Wakefield Public Schools $331,399
Winside Public Schools $63,979
Red Cloud Community Schools $194,621
Blue Hill Public Schools $135,982
Wheeler Central Schools $66,183
York Public Schools $756,046
Mc Cool Junction Public Schs $125,407
Heartland Community Schools $111,820

ESSER III

The table below shows the total amount of ESSER III funding allocated to each district in Nebraska.

Nebraska ESSER III allocation and expenditures by district
District Name Total ESSER III Allocation
Kenesaw Public Schools $269,836
Hastings Public Schools $6,781,202
Adams Central Public Schools $444,257
Silver Lake Public Schools $218,297
Neligh-Oakdale Schools $532,767
Elgin Public Schools $0
Summerland Public Schools $752,201
Arthur County Schools $0
Banner County Public Schools $267,725
Sandhills Public Schools $162,487
Boone Central Schools $488,591
St Edward Public Schools $275,832
Riverside Public Schools $510,271
Alliance Public Schools $2,402,934
Hemingford Public Schools $443,270
Boyd County Schools $543,063
Ainsworth Community Schools $531,844
Gibbon Public Schools $888,185
Kearney Public Schools $4,962,766
Elm Creek Public Schools $253,164
Shelton Public Schools $266,745
Ravenna Public Schools $414,027
Pleasanton Public Schools $172,461
Amherst Public Schools $313,203
Tekamah-Herman Community Schs $409,197
Oakland Craig Public Schools $592,040
Lyons-Decatur Northeast Schs $420,874
David City Public Schools $756,265
East Butler Public Schools $180,747
Plattsmouth Community Schools $1,507,386
Weeping Water Public Schools $295,923
Louisville Public Schools $283,094
Conestoga Public Schools $433,360
Elmwood-Murdock Public Schools $139,197
Hartington Newcastle Public Schls $422,470
Randolph Public Schools $230,532
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School $457,809
Wynot Public Schools $184,696
Chase County Schools $555,570
Wauneta-Palisade Public Schs $381,585
Valentine Community Schools $727,337
Cody-Kilgore Public Schs $273,263
Sidney Public Schools $1,397,254
Leyton Public Schools $158,337
Potter-Dix Public Schools $219,792
Sutton Public Schools $370,337
Harvard Public Schools $713,170
Leigh Community Schools $160,576
Clarkson Public Schools $180,017
Howells-Dodge Consolidated $298,843
Schuyler Community Schools $4,309,900
West Point Public Schools $1,183,794
Bancroft-Rosalie Comm Schools $408,052
Wisner-Pilger Public Schools $388,182
Anselmo-Merna Public Schools $324,616
Broken Bow Public Schools $1,015,619
Ansley Public Schools $236,650
Sargent Public Schools $281,055
Arnold Public Schools $118,132
Callaway Public Schools $203,471
So Sioux City Community Schs $7,714,958
Homer Community Schools $443,191
Chadron Public Schools $1,160,589
Crawford Public Schools $341,860
Lexington Public Schools $8,264,131
Overton Public Schools $379,238
Cozad City Schools $1,372,998
Gothenburg Public Schools $853,654
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Schs $349,079
Creek Valley Schools $331,277
South Platte Public Schools $381,098
Ponca Public Schools $217,767
Allen Consolidated Schools $156,999
Emerson-Hubbard Public Schools $654,555
Fremont Public Schools $7,777,158
Scribner-Snyder Community Schs $425,668
Logan View Public Schools $513,970
North Bend Central Public Schs $422,641
Omaha Public Schools $194,420,415
Elkhorn Public Schools $898,875
Douglas Co West Community Schs $743,529
Millard Public Schools $14,220,099
Ralston Public Schools $4,010,614
Bennington Public Schools $624,989
Westside Community Schools $3,810,834
Dundy County Public Schools $676,664
Exeter-Milligan Public Schools $0
Fillmore Central Public Schs $800,241
Shickley Public Schools $52,261
Franklin Public Schools $478,266
Maywood Public Schools $235,534
Eustis-Farnam Public Schools $177,799
Medicine Valley Public Schools $164,469
Arapahoe Public Schools $550,526
Cambridge Public Schools $252,220
Southern Valley Schools $561,459
Southern School Dist 1 $690,846
Beatrice Public Schools $2,968,271
Freeman Public Schools $165,413
Diller-Odell Public Schools $134,696
Garden County Schools $567,212
Burwell Public Schools $353,107
Elwood Public Schools $260,863
Hyannis Area Schools $208,301
Central Valley Public Schools $496,304
Grand Island Public Schools $18,020,387
Northwest Public Schools $982,111
Wood River Rural Schools $725,634
Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schs $281,169
Giltner Public Schools $102,111
Hampton Public Schools $101,539
Aurora Public Schools $1,008,664
Alma Public Schools $411,529
Hayes Center Public Schools $0
Hitchcock Co School System $478,781
O'Neill Public Schools $1,177,597
Stuart Public Schools $192,739
Chambers Public Schools $121,402
West Holt County Schools $479,926
Mullen Public Schools $154,015
St Paul Public Schools $547,342
Centura Public Schools $460,950
Elba Public Schools $209,675
Fairbury Public Schools $1,320,536
Tri County Public Schools $316,981
Meridian Public Schools $368,312
Sterling Public Schools $158,322
Johnson County School District $785,802
Wilcox-Hildreth Public Schools $238,625
Axtell Community Schools $143,103
Minden Public Schools $796,384
Ogallala Public Schools $1,500,481
Paxton Consolidated Schools $267,961
Keya Paha County Schools $154,838
Kimball Public Schools $610,515
Creighton Public Schools $311,421
Crofton Community Schools $335,706
Niobrara Public Schools $703,317
Isanti Community School $630,134
Wausa Public Schools $175,373
Verdigre Public Schools $92,616
Bloomfield Community Schools $332,465
Lincoln Public Schools $61,577,054
Waverly School District 145 $918,974
Malcolm Public Schools $169,856
Norris School Dist 160 $709,921
Raymond Central Public Schools $354,961
North Platte Public Schools $6,473,336
Brady Public Schools $203,171
Maxwell Public Schools $400,103
Hershey Public Schools $307,057
Sutherland Public Schools $210,584
Wallace Public Sch Dist 65 R $160,197
Stapleton Public Schools $160,619
Loup County Public Schools $140,649
Madison Public Schools $1,099,785
Norfolk Public Schools $6,552,072
Battle Creek Public Schools $275,145
Newman Grove Public Schools $304,646
Elkhorn Valley Schools $382,580
Mc Pherson County Schools $0
Central City Public Schools $855,135
Palmer Public Schools $297,576
Bayard Public Schools $861,110
Bridgeport Public Schools $658,547
Fullerton Public Schools $245,129
Twin River Public Schools $425,239
Johnson-Brock Public Schools $294,006
Auburn Public Schools $894,761
Superior Public Schools $656,494
So Central Ne Unified System 5 $805,679
Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca Schools $452,958
Nebraska City Public Schools $2,215,769
Palmyra District O R 1 $219,950
Pawnee City Public Schools $546,762
Lewiston Consolidated Schools $270,444
Perkins County Schools $327,785
Holdrege Public Schools $1,058,707
Bertrand Public Schools $264,949
Loomis Public Schools $186,335
Pierce Public Schools $374,559
Plainview Public Schools $520,667
Osmond Community Schools $239,884
Columbus Public Schools $4,137,017
Lakeview Community Schools $884,142
Humphrey Public Schools $185,104
Cross County Community Schools $0
Osceola Public Schools $144,398
Shelby-Rising City Public Schools $451,305
High Plains Community Schools $291,573
Mc Cook Public Schools $1,663,190
Southwest Public Schools $398,299
Falls City Public Schools $1,398,470
Humboldt Table Rock Steinauer $641,282
Rock County Public Schools $299,873
Crete Public Schools $3,856,413
Dorchester Public Schools $273,871
Friend Public Schools $174,214
Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools $518,814
Bellevue Public Schools $6,397,406
Papillion-La Vista Public Schs $2,953,932
Gretna Public Schools $1,019,153
Springfield Platteview Community $442,068
Ashland-Greenwood Public Schs $733,583
Yutan Public Schools $207,049
Wahoo Public Schools $829,785
Mead Public Schools $231,047
Cedar Bluffs Public Schools $639,786
Minatare Public Schools $617,670
Morrill Public Schools $739,229
Gering Public Schools $2,789,535
Mitchell Public Schools $1,014,796
Scottsbluff Public Schools $7,869,245
Milford Public Schools $361,493
Seward Public Schools $862,362
Centennial Public Schools $528,996
Hay Springs Public Schools $191,916
Gordon-Rushville Public Schs $1,356,634
Loup City Public Schools $443,399
Litchfield Public Schools $197,840
Sioux County Public Schools $0
Stanton Community Schools $337,767
Deshler Public Schools $310,949
Thayer Central Community Schs $442,755
Bruning-Davenport Unified Sys $189,619
Thedford Public Schools $218,776
Pender Public Schools $464,885
Walthill Public Schools $1,478,966
Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schs $2,235,016
Winnebago Public Schools $2,480,052
Ord Public Schools $854,098
Arcadia Public Schools $111,664
Blair Community Schools $1,221,702
Fort Calhoun Community Schs $236,307
Arlington Public Schools $324,752
Wayne Community Schools $821,714
Wakefield Public Schools $745,547
Winside Public Schools $143,933
Red Cloud Community Schools $437,839
Blue Hill Public Schools $305,919
Wheeler Central Schools $148,892
York Public Schools $1,700,876
Mc Cool Junction Public Schs $282,128
Heartland Community Schools $251,561

ESSER allocations by state

Click a state below to see a detailed breakdown of ESSER allocations by district in each state.

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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See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "ESSER Fund Cover Letter," accessed June 13, 2025
  2. ↑ The 74, "ESSER Post-Mortem: How Did Districts Spend $190B in Federal Funds? Did It Work?" June 29, 2025
  3. ↑ Intercultural Development Research Association, "How Schools Will Be Impacted by the End of Federal COVID-19 Relief Funding," October 8, 2024
  4. ↑ District Administration, "Learning loss can still be overcome with ESSER," August 15, 2024
  5. ↑ Brookings, "The ESSER fiscal cliff will have serious implications for student equity," September 12, 2023
  6. ↑ Intercultural Development Research Association, "How Schools Will Be Impacted by the End of Federal COVID-19 Relief Funding," October 8, 2024
  7. ↑ McKinsey & Company, "When the money runs out: K–12 schools brace for stimulus-free budgets," September 18, 2024
  8. ↑ Edunomics Lab,"ESSER Expenditure Dashboard," accessed June 29, 2025
  9. ↑ K-12 Dive, "ESSER funding: What it is and how to use it before it expires," February 21, 2023
  10. ↑ CCSSO, "States Leading: How State Education Agencies Leveraged Pandemic Relief Funds," accessed February 4, 2025
  11. ↑ New America, "Size: More Money Than Ever Before," accessed February 4, 2025
  12. ↑ School Superintendents Assocation, "The Advocate March 2024: ESSER Late Liquidation," March 8, 2024
  13. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "Frequently Asked Questions," May 2021
  14. ↑ Brookings, "Breaking down enrollment declines in public schools," March 14, 2024
  15. ↑ United States Census, "K-12 School Spending Up 4.7% in 2019 From Previous Year," May 18, 2021
  16. ↑ Education Next, "The Massive ESSER Experiment: Here’s what we’re learning.," April 4, 2023
  17. ↑ Education Week, "When ESSER Funds Are Gone, Here’s Where Districts May Turn to Fill Gaps," December 5, 2023
  18. ↑ NBC DFW, "Arlington ISD faces layoffs with COVID-era ESSER grants coming to an end," March 25, 2024
  19. ↑ K-12 Dive, "Teacher layoffs are growing — and won’t be going away anytime soon," March 26, 2024
  20. ↑ CT Insider, "Hartford school board approves $429 million budget with staffing cuts across the district," April 18, 2024
  21. ↑ Chalkbeat, "Many schools want to keep tutoring going when COVID money is gone. How will they pay for it?" February 1, 2024
  22. ↑ KOSU, "The end of pandemic-era federal dollars may mean the end of some Oklahoma school programs," April 18, 2024
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