As states and school districts prepare to make final decisions on spending the last and largest allocation of COVID-19 relief money, on September 18, 2022 the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) sent a letter to state education agencies (SEAs) with details on American Rescue Plan (ARP) spending extension requests.

According to the letter, SEAs can now request a 14-month extension to spend ARP money just as they were allowed to do under the first two allocations of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund.

If approved, states and school districts would have the flexibility of spending ARP funds 14 months beyond the Jan. 28, 2025, which would be late March 2026.

The letter also states that an FAQ and extension request template will be available this fall.

To view the letter, click here.