The United States Department of Education has announced a change to its policies around Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. In an effort to increase transparency and accountability around federal expenditures, all funds spent on ESSER-approved services must now be paid for by the states in advance and then submitted to ED for reimbursement, the department said in a press release.
Under previous guidelines, states could utilize existing awards without providing proof that the funds were used for authorized purposes, ED pointed out. “The Department is changing the requirements to ensure taxpayer funds are expended responsibly, and will require states to keep the receipts to confirm this.”
