Montana Superintendent Arntzen announces federal relief for schools

Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen announced Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Education has confirmed Montana will receive around $170 million from the December 2020 congressional funding bill in the form of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds, or ESSER II.

This new COVID-19 relief funding is four times more than the $41,295,230 allocated for Montana schools in the May 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security Act, according to a release from OPI.

“I quickly worked last spring to make the original relief funding accessible to our local schools as they faced unprecedented safety needs,” Arntzen said in a statement. “These new funds will address and mitigate any learning loss that our students may have experienced. I have continually reached out to Montanans as we collectively seek ways to support our teachers, parents, and students in maintaining a safe, high-quality learning environment.”

The Office of Public Instruction will allocate the new ESSER II funds consistent with the the original ESSER funds through the Title I formula that supports economically disadvantaged students. Montana will receive additional details of terms and conditions within the next three days.

Additional information can be found on the OPI’s COVID-19 webpage.