ESSA and COVID-19

This page contains COVID-19 updates related to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

• ESEA Equitable Participation in the Time of COVID-19
• Federal Waiver Information for LEAs during the 2019-20 School Year
• Title I Targeted Assistance During COVID-19: Allowable Scenarios for Increased Impact (Google doc)

DPI Requests for Waivers of Federal Requirements
 

• 2021-2022 Addendum Template for the Consolidated State Plan due to COVID-19 under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

  • In December 2021, responding to the impact of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic on schools across the nation, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) issued guidance for the 2021-22 school year regarding annual assessment and accountability duties required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in section 1111 (20 U.S.C. 6311). Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, USED is offering states the opportunity to apply for addenda related to accountability provisions required under ESSA.

  • In order to meet ESSA accountability requirements, Wisconsin must resume identifying schools for comprehensive (CSI), targeted (TSI), and additional targeted (ATSI) support and improvement in fall 2022. Identifications have been frozen for two years in accordance with the requirements of previous waivers from USED. However, COVID-19 broadly disrupted data collection and reliability from the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years. Due to these disruptions, Wisconsin’s approved ESSA plan cannot produce identifications in fall 2022. The proposed ESSA addendum accounts for these data disruptions and allows the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to identify the schools and subgroups most in need of support at the present time.

• December 1, 2020 USDE application for waiver of ESEA Title IV Part A requirements

  • Title IV, Part A Waiver Approved: The Wisconsin DPI has been approved for a waiver from the Department of Education of the following requirements for the 2020-21 Title IV, Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program.

    • For LEAs that received $30,000 or more in Title IV, Part A funds, the waiver removes:

      • The requirements to allocate a minimum percentage of Title IV, Part A funds for activities under well-rounded education, safe and healthy students, effective use of technology for the 2020-21 fiscal year (Sections 4107, 4108, 4109).

      • The needs assessment requirement for the 2020-2021 school year.

    • For all LEAs receiving Title IV, Part A funds, the waiver eliminates:

      • The 15 percent limit on the use of funds to purchase technology infrastructure for the 2020-21 fiscal year (Section 4109).

  • WISEgrants has been updated and will now allow budget revisions that align with the approved waiver. For questions, please contact Emily Holder at emily.holder@dpi.wi.gov or (608) 267-9170.

• Public notice of DPI application for waiver of requirements under Title IV-A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Archived DPI Requests for Waivers of Federal Requirements
 

• Public notice of DPI application for waiver of requirements under the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program
• April 21, 2020 USDE approval of DPI application for waiver of ESEA fiscal requirements
• Public notice of DPI application for waiver of ESEA fiscal requirements
• DPI request for waiver of ESEA fiscal requirements 
• March 27, 2020 USDE approval of DPI request for waiver of ESEA statewide assessment, accountability & reporting requirements
• Public notice of DPI request for waiver of ESEA statewide assessment, accountability & reporting requirements 
• DPI request for waiver of ESEA statewide assessment, accountability & reporting requirements
• Public notice of DPI application for waiver of requirements under the Federal Charter School Program
• Wisconsin ESSA State Plan Addendum 2019-20
• Public notice of ESSA State Plan Addendum and waiver of TSI requirements under ESEA