How Does NIHF Help Districts Make the Best Use of ESSER Funds?
While the federal government has provided school districts across the country an unprecedented amount of funding to help combat the negative impacts of the pandemic, it is estimated that schools have only spent a fraction of this $190 billion.
Because all Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding not spent by September 2024 will be automatically returned to the government, time is of the essence to ensure districts make the most of this historic opportunity.
Knowing how to spend these resources most effectively is challenging, and district administrators are currently balancing their immediate needs with long-term goals.
Additionally, because many schools have historically suffered from budget cuts and underfunding due to larger economic factors, this sudden influx of funding has understandably caused decision fatigue. With an estimated $130 billion to allocate over the next three budget cycles, at the current rate, McKinsey & Co. estimates that nearly $20 billion in ESSER funds might remain unspent.
Addressing ESSER Spending Roadblocks
A survey conducted by McKinsey found that school districts face three primary challenges when it comes to deploying their ESSER funds:
- Administrative hurdles
- Talent shortages
- Insufficient strategic planning and operational capacity
Of the 260 district decision makers surveyed, including superintendents, assistant superintendents, chief business officers and chief technology officers, nearly 75% said they had struggled with a combination of compliance navigation, finalizing procurement and administrative challenges.
More than 61% of these decision-makers listed talent shortages in staffing and sourcing quality vendors and suppliers as a significant challenge.
Providing Customized Solutions
To provide immediate support to schools looking for an engaging program that can either stand alone or be a part of a larger learning recovery strategy, the National Inventors Hall of Fame® (NIHF) offers a variety of customizable in- and out-of-school PreK-8 education programs to meet each district’s unique needs.
Because these programs address students’ academic and social-emotional needs, they represent the type of program that ESSER funding is intended to support.
All of these hands-on programs:
- Meet national and state education standards
- Qualify for ESSER and other government funding sources
- Support authentic social-emotional learning
- Engage and excite students and educators alike
- Include all materials, curricula and resources needed for turnkey implementation
It’s for these reasons that for over 30 years, schools nationwide have partnered with NIHF to provide their students with meaningful learning experiences.
Learn More About How NIHF Can Become Your Trusted ESSER Partner
Need help navigating ESSER-related topics? We invite you to contact us today at 800-968-4332 or at [email protected].