Investigating Variations in the Design and Implementation of School District ARP-ESSER Plans

American Rescue Plan-Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP-ESSER) is the largest single injection of funds in schools in recent memory, but to date there is little systematic research on these investments at the district level. What have they targeted? Are there differences by district and school type? What are the implications for teaching and learning? For equity? This mixed-methods study uses ARP-ESSER plan data along with interview data with district leaders from school districts across Connecticut to better understand how leaders understood the ARP-ESSER funding opportunity, the extent to which they used it to change school and district practices, and how they are planning for the end of ARP-ESSER funding. This work increases understanding of how leaders from districts with different racial, socio-economic, and geographic contexts think about and implement new possibilities for educational practice while closing opportunity and learning gaps for marginalized students.

Start Date: September 2023
End Date: January 2025

Research Team:

Principal Investigator: Morgaen Donaldson, University of Connecticut
Alexandra Lamb, University of Connecticut