Due of the delay in the release of the grant award notifications because of applying the rate increase from the California American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funding, the California Department of Education (CDE), Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) extended the grant award notifications from a normal twelve month grant period to an eighteen month grant period ending on December 31, 2022. 

The allowable use of funds for the grant extension period are the same rules that applied to the extension period for Fiscal Year 2020-21. 

The After School Education and Safety (ASES), 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21^st CCLC), and After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) programs may extend Fiscal Year 2021–22 funds for a period of six months, beginning July 1, 2021–December 31, 2022.

The purpose of the extension of grant funds for Fiscal Year 2021–22 is to allow expanded learning programs to increase their level of support to students in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Services may include:

• A provision to add additional services for students enrolled in the ASES, 21stCCLC, or ASSETS programs; additional services should support—not supplant—activities or services typically provided through the Fiscal Year 2022–23 grantfunds.
• A provision to temporarily increase the number of students enrolled in the ASES, 21st  CCLC, or ASSETs funds for a period not to exceed the extension of the Fiscal Year 2021–22 grant funds to support the transition of students back into the school environment after the disruption of educational services due to COVID-19.
• Hiring temporary staff that meet the minimum qualifications for instructional aide for a period not to exceed the extension of Fiscal Year 2021–22 grant funds; these staff may serve to lower the student to staff ratios as needed to provide for social distancing, hygiene, and other necessary physical restrictions in the school environment.

For this purpose:

• Related expenditures for the grant extension must be accounted for separately from the Fiscal Year 2022–23 funds; any expenditures utilizing Fiscal Year 2021–22 grant funds must be reported in Quarter 5 (July 1, 2022–September 30, 2022) and Quarter 6 (October 1, 2022– December 31, 2022).
• Attendance for the additional students served through the grant extension must be tracked separately from the attendance for funds received for Fiscal Year 2022–23. Although they will be tracked separately for record keeping and separation of funds, when it comes time to report the first semiannual attendance for Fiscal Year 2022–23, you will combine both totals together to report in ASSIST.

If you have any questions regarding this guidance, please reach out to your regional teams on the Expanded Learning Division web page located at EXLD Contacts