The $189.5 billion Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund was authorized by Congress to help address the urgent needs of schools brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first years of COVID-19, ESSER funding was critical to helping schools quickly and safely reopen and sustain in-person instruction. Three years later,…

In March of 2020, the United States (U.S.), like many other countries around the world, faced an international pandemic unlike any other in recent times. Elected government officials recommended or mandated the closing of PK-12 public schools. These decisive actions led to unprecedented challenges, but also unique opportunities for public…

The COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to reconsider the approach and delivery of public education. With a large infusion of one-time federal relief aid and a depth of need among students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic that the system is still trying to understand, state and local education leaders will need to plan for both (1)…

This report examines estimates of school infrastructure needs and discusses the federal role in financing early childhood facilities, elementary and secondary (K-12) public school infrastructure, and postsecondary educational facilities. Federal programs that provide support for school construction and renovation are organized in this report…