Special Monitoring Division

Through monitoring activities including onsite and desk reviews, the Special Monitoring Division auditors will ensure that Disaster Relief and Federal Grant funds are utilized to maximize project goals and objectives, to identify and prevent wasteful spending, and minimize waste, fraud, and abuse.

Monitored Grants

Special Monitoring Division is currently monitoring five different grants:

  1. ESSER I - The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) I grant program is authorized in Title VIII, Division B, of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law in March 2020.
  2. CRRSA ESSER II - The ESSER II grant program was authorized in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA), signed into law in December 2020.
  3. ARP ESSER III Grant Program - The ARP ESSER III grant program is authorized in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP), signed into law in March 2021.
  4. Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart)
  5. TCLAS - Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports (TCLAS) is a set of funding and targeted supports available to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to accelerate student learning in the wake of COVID-19, utilizing state and federal funds.

Monitoring Plan

*Please refer to the link in the grant name for a full list of monitored grantees.

Grant Name Grant Period Number of Recipients Total Amount Awarded
03/13/2020 – 09/30/2022 1133 $1,157,281,017
03/13/2020 – 09/30/2023 1146 $4,977,998,413
03/13/2020 – 09/30/2024 1147 $11,164,226,325
08/25/2017 – 05/17/2021 39 $34,441,892
08/25/2017 – 6/15/2023 10 $6,920,281
03/01/2021 – 08/31/2024 547 $354,236,048

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2020-2023 ARP ESSER III Learning Loss Compliance

The Special Monitoring Division is conducting a Random Validation (RV) of the 20 percent reserve to address learning loss. Each LEA that has been selected is required to participate in this validation process and will submit appropriate documentation for the activities and student groups to address the reserve requirement. The documentation must address how the interventions will respond to the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students, and particularly those students disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including students from low-income families, students of color, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students.

LEAs selected to be monitored:

  1. Ìý(LEAs wereÌýnotified of the validation results by close of business, AugustÌý24, 2023)
  2. (LEAs wereÌýnotified of the validation results by close of business, January 3, 2024)

Additional Resources:

  1. ARP ESSER III Addressing Learning Loss: PDF Presentation
  2. ARP ESSER III Addressing Learning Loss: