Will Ending ESSER Funding Affect Fulton County Schools?

On March 28, 2025, Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon ended ongoing funding for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund Act (ESSER).

In a letter addressed to all State Chiefs of Education, Secretary McMahon noted that the previous Secretary had granted an extension until March 31, 2026, to allocate unallocated ESSER funds. However, upon review, Secretary McMahon stated that “extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic has ended is inconsistent with the Department’s priorities and is therefore not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion.” The letter further clarified that states now have until 5:00 PM on March 28, 2025, to allocate their remaining unallocated funds or apply for a project-specific extension.

Impact On Fulton County Schools

Fortunately, this decision by the Department of Education will not impact Fulton County Schools (FCS).

Despite the difficulties FCS faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the District came together to allocate all the awarded ESSER II and III funds to two comprehensive programs, FOCUS and Bridge to Success. The funding for these programs spanned from FY 2021 – FY 2024, with a carryover period through FY 2025.

According to the FCS Bridge to Success Transition Plan FY 2025, the remaining balance of the ESSER III grant – $20,512,069, was allocated to cover ongoing program expenditures for FY 2025. Since these funds were allocated before the March 28th deadline, FCS should not lose any funding from its ESSER III grant to pay for the Bridge for Success program through FY 2025.

Not having unallocated funds from the ESSER III grant is a significant win for Fulton County Schools, especially given the current economic situation.

To learn more about the Bridge to Success program, visit Fulton County Schools’ Bridge to Success webpage.

I recommend watching the embedded video – Let’s Talk Schools Season 4 Episode 6 – Bridge to Success, to get the most transparent understanding of the program and its future.