Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has made support and recovery funds available to individuals, nonprofits, businesses, municipalities, and school districts. 

School district support has come through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, established as part of the Education Stabilization Fund in the CARES Act. There have been three rounds of ESSER funding made available to school districts as reimbursements for eligible expenses up to the allocation amount, which is based upon the formula used to determine a district’s Title IA distribution under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

HSD’s allocations are as follows:

Due to the modified service models of Comprehensive Distance Learning and Hybrid in the 2020-21 school year, the District did not access ESSER Funds last year. Instead, we have carried the funds forward and allocated them on an annual basis as part of the regular budget development cycle, mapped backwards from their expiration date and targeting both operational and student needs.

These funds are considered temporary in nature, and the District is intentionally targeting them to provide temporary supplemental services for learning acceleration, safety and health, and stability in operations over the full length of time available. 

The City of Hillsboro received more than $18 million to assist with the community’s COVID recovery and some of that money is being invested in collaborative partnerships with HSD like workforce development and after school programs. Learn more about the City’s plan at hillsboro-oregon.gov/our-city/covid-19/american-rescue-plan.