CarsonCity, Nev.- Today, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced the approval of Nevada’s American Rescue Plan Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARPESSER) plan  and distributed remaining ARP ESSER funds to them. Nevada’s plan details how the State is using and plans to use ARP ESSER funds to safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and equitably expand opportunity for students who need it most, particularly those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlierthis year, the Department distributed two-thirds of the ARP ESSER funds, totaling $81 billion, to 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nevada is receiving more than $1 billion total in ARP ESSER funds, and today’s approval of their plan will result in the release of the final $358 million.

“Iam excited to announce approval of Nevada’s plan,” said U.S. Secretary ofEducation Miguel Cardona. “It is heartening to see, reflected in these state plans, the ways in which states are thinking deeply about how to use American Rescue Plan funds to continue to provide critical support to schools and communities, particularly as we look ahead to the upcoming academic year. The approval of these plans enables states to receive vital, additional AmericanRescue Plan funds to quickly and safely reopen schools for full-time, in-person learning; meet students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs; and address disparities in access to educational opportunity that were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. The state plans that have been submitted to the Department lay the groundwork for the ways in which an unprecedented infusion of federal resources will be used to address the urgent needs of America’s children and build back better.”

 “Our Nevada ARP ESSER state plan prioritizes supporting the social, emotional, and mental well-being of our students, educators, and staff; addressing the impacts of interrupted learning; and recruiting and retaining the effective educators needed to meet those goals,” said Nevada State Superintendent of PublicInstruction Jhone Ebert. “I am infinitely proud of our state’s innovative and inclusive COVID-19 response and recovery, and we look forward to using this turning point to reimagine our education system and ensure equitable access to high-quality learning opportunities for every student.”

“Nevada’s students, teachers, and families have faced unprecedented hardship from theCOVID-19 pandemic—but today, help is here. The Biden-Harris Administration andCongress secured much-needed education relief funding through the AmericanRescue Plan, and I am glad to see the Department of Education approve Nevada’splan to use these funds,” said Rep. Steven Horsford. “Nevada’s ESSER III Allocation will help us keep students safe and address the learning loss of the past year, which has taken a disproportionate toll on students of color, students with special education needs, English language learners, and those in rural and low-income communities.”

“This pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for students, educators, and parents in Southern Nevada,” said Rep. Dina Titus. “ We need to ensure these critical funds provided by Congress in the American Rescue Plan will provide Nevada schools the resources they need to help students safely return toin-person learning, address learning loss in disadvantaged communities, and provide wrap-around services for underserved students disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.”

Nevada’sARP ESSER State Plan, approved by the Department today, shows how the State is using federal pandemic resources to support safe in-person instruction and meet the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students—with afocus on the students most impacted by the pandemic. For example: