American Rescue Plan to the Outlying Areas
March 11, 2021 — American Rescue Plan-Outlying Areas State Educational Agencies (ARP-OA SEA)
President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) which required the Department to award $850 million to the Outlying Areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands). Funds for the ARP-OA SEA are made available to the Outlying Areas under section 2005 of the ARP (Public Law (P.L.) 117-2). Section 2005 requires the Department of Education to "allocate awards to the outlying areas on the basis of their respective needs, as determined by the Secretary."
The State Education Agency (SEA) of each Outlying Area received an ARP-OA SEA award in the same proportion as each State received under part A of title I shares formula for 2020.
Education Stabilization Fund to the Outlying Areas
May 5, 2020 — Education Stabilization Fund I Allocations to the Outlying Areas.
Congress set aside one-half of 1% of the $30.75 billion allotted to the Education Stabilization Fund through the CARES Act for formula grants to the Outlying Areas of the United States, specifically: the US Virgin Islands (VI), Guam (GU), the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa (AS). Money made available from these grants were used in response to the novel coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19) and were calculated via formula.
Each Outlying Area received two block grants from the Education Stabilization Fund. One made to Governor's offices and one made to the State Education Agency (SEA). Each had its own Certification and Agreement and its own uses of funds.
January 11, 2021 — Education Stabilization Fund II Allocations to the Outlying Areas
Section 311(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA Act) requires the Department to award one-half of 1 percent of the $81.88 billion appropriated to carry out the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF II) authorized by title III of the CRRSA Act, or $409,400,000, to the Outlying Areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands). Section 311(a)(1) also requires the Department to make such awards "on the basis of the terms and conditions for funding provided under section 18001(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136."
Each Outlying Area will receive two supplemental awards to the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF II). One will be made to Governor's offices (ESF II-Governor) and one will be made to the State Education Agency (ESF II-SEA).
ESF-Governor
| Outlying Area | Date of Award | Award Amount | Certification and Agreement | Initial Report | Additional Initial Report Materials |
| American Samoa | 6/24/2020 | $7,272,191 | AS ESFGov Initial Report | AS ESFGov Allocation; AS Gov Expenditure, AS Gov COVID Grants Comp, AS Gov COVID Groups | |
| Guam | 7/1/2020 | $12,499,963 | Guam ESFGov Initial Report | ||
| Northern Mariana Islands | 5/13/2020 | $4,777,211 | CMNI ESFGov Initial Report | ||
| US Virgin Islands | 6/30/2020 | $6,200,635 | USVI ESFGov Initial Report |
ESF-SEA
| Outlying Area | Date of Award | Award Amount | Certification and Agreement | Initial Report | Additional Initial Report Materials |
| American Samoa | 5/15/2020 | $38,321,932 | AS ESFSEA Initial Report | ||
| Guam | 5/29/2020 | $41,521,997 | Guam ESFSEA Initial Report | GDOE ESFSEA Personnel Memo | |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 5/13/2020 | $23,163,734 | CMNI ESFSEA Initial Report | ||
| US Virgin Islands | 6/22/2020 | $19,992,337 | VIDE ESFSEA Initial Report |
| Outlying Area | Date of Award | Award Amount | Additional Implementation Plan Materials (Final Implementation Plan, Approval Letter | Press Release |
| American Samoa | 4/8/2021 | $264,826,365 | Approval Letter Implementation Plan | Press Release |
| Guam | 4/8/2021 | $286,940,627 | Approval Letter Implementation Plan | Press Release |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 4/8/2021 | $160,074,578 | Approval Letter Implementation Plan | Press Release |
| US Virgin Islands | 4/8/2021 | $138,158,430 | Approval Letter Implementation Plan | Press Release |
CARES Act - ESF-SEA & ESF-Governor
Cover Letter to SEAs (ESF-SEA)
Cover Letter to Governors (ESF-Governor)
SEA's Certification and Agreement (Application)
Governor's Certification and Agreement (Application)
Outlying Area ESF-Governor FAQs
CARES Act ESF-OA Allocation Table
Liquidation Extension Process Notification Letter (OAs)
Liquidation Extension Request Template (OAs) - Available by contacting Program Office
CRRSA Act – ESF II-SEA & ESF II-Governor
CRRSA Liquidation Extension Request Template (OAs) - Available by contacting Program Office
Cover Letter to SEAs (ESF II - SEA)
Cover Letter to Governors (ESF II - Governor)
CRRSA OA-ESF II Allocation Table
ARP Act – ARP-OA SEA
ARP Liquidation Extension Request Cover Letter (OAS)
ARP-OA SEA Liquidation Extension Request Template (OAs) - Available by contacting Program Office
Cover Letter to Commissioners (OAS)
SEA Implementation Plan Template (OAs)
ARP SEA Implementation Plan Webinar
Cross-cutting FAQs
ARP/ESF Grants - FAQs for Liquidation Extensions
Maintenance of Effort
MOE Data Submission for Outlying Areas
MOE Outlying Areas Template - Available by contacting Program Office
Technical Assistance
Federal Register - Uniform Guidance (April 2024)
American Rescue Plan to the Outlying Areas
March 11, 2021 — American Rescue Plan-Outlying Areas State Educational Agencies (ARP-OA SEA)
President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) which required the Department to award $850 million to the Outlying Areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands). Funds for the ARP-OA SEA are made available to the Outlying Areas under section 2005 of the ARP (Public Law (P.L.) 117-2). Section 2005 requires the Department of Education to "allocate awards to the outlying areas on the basis of their respective needs, as determined by the Secretary."
The State Education Agency (SEA) of each Outlying Area received an ARP-OA SEA award in the same proportion as each State received under part A of title I shares formula for 2020.
Education Stabilization Fund to the Outlying Areas
May 5, 2020 — Education Stabilization Fund I Allocations to the Outlying Areas.
Congress set aside one-half of 1% of the $30.75 billion allotted to the Education Stabilization Fund through the CARES Act for formula grants to the Outlying Areas of the United States, specifically: the US Virgin Islands (VI), Guam (GU), the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and American Samoa (AS). Money made available from these grants were used in response to the novel coronavirus of 2019 (COVID-19) and were calculated via formula.
Each Outlying Area received two block grants from the Education Stabilization Fund. One made to Governor's offices and one made to the State Education Agency (SEA). Each had its own Certification and Agreement and its own uses of funds.
January 11, 2021 — Education Stabilization Fund II Allocations to the Outlying Areas
Section 311(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA Act) requires the Department to award one-half of 1 percent of the $81.88 billion appropriated to carry out the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF II) authorized by title III of the CRRSA Act, or $409,400,000, to the Outlying Areas (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands). Section 311(a)(1) also requires the Department to make such awards "on the basis of the terms and conditions for funding provided under section 18001(a)(1) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Public Law 116-136."
Each Outlying Area will receive two supplemental awards to the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF II). One will be made to Governor's offices (ESF II-Governor) and one will be made to the State Education Agency (ESF II-SEA).
ESF-Governor
| Outlying Area | Date of Award | Award Amount | Certification and Agreement | Initial Report | Additional Initial Report Materials |
| American Samoa | 6/24/2020 | $7,272,191 | AS ESFGov Initial Report | AS ESFGov Allocation; AS Gov Expenditure, AS Gov COVID Grants Comp, AS Gov COVID Groups | |
| Guam | 7/1/2020 | $12,499,963 | Guam ESFGov Initial Report | ||
| Northern Mariana Islands | 5/13/2020 | $4,777,211 | CMNI ESFGov Initial Report | ||
| US Virgin Islands | 6/30/2020 | $6,200,635 | USVI ESFGov Initial Report |
ESF-SEA
| Outlying Area | Date of Award | Award Amount | Certification and Agreement | Initial Report | Additional Initial Report Materials |
| American Samoa | 5/15/2020 | $38,321,932 | AS ESFSEA Initial Report | ||
| Guam | 5/29/2020 | $41,521,997 | Guam ESFSEA Initial Report | GDOE ESFSEA Personnel Memo | |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 5/13/2020 | $23,163,734 | CMNI ESFSEA Initial Report | ||
| US Virgin Islands | 6/22/2020 | $19,992,337 | VIDE ESFSEA Initial Report |
| Outlying Area | Date of Award | Award Amount | Additional Implementation Plan Materials (Final Implementation Plan, Approval Letter | Press Release |
| American Samoa | 4/8/2021 | $264,826,365 | Approval Letter Implementation Plan | Press Release |
| Guam | 4/8/2021 | $286,940,627 | Approval Letter Implementation Plan | Press Release |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 4/8/2021 | $160,074,578 | Approval Letter Implementation Plan | Press Release |
| US Virgin Islands | 4/8/2021 | $138,158,430 | Approval Letter Implementation Plan | Press Release |
CARES Act - ESF-SEA & ESF-Governor
Cover Letter to SEAs (ESF-SEA)
Cover Letter to Governors (ESF-Governor)
SEA's Certification and Agreement (Application)
Governor's Certification and Agreement (Application)
Outlying Area ESF-Governor FAQs
CARES Act ESF-OA Allocation Table
Liquidation Extension Process Notification Letter (OAs)
Liquidation Extension Request Template (OAs) - Available by contacting Program Office
CRRSA Act – ESF II-SEA & ESF II-Governor
CRRSA Liquidation Extension Request Template (OAs) - Available by contacting Program Office
Cover Letter to SEAs (ESF II - SEA)
Cover Letter to Governors (ESF II - Governor)
CRRSA OA-ESF II Allocation Table
ARP Act – ARP-OA SEA
ARP Liquidation Extension Request Cover Letter (OAS)
ARP-OA SEA Liquidation Extension Request Template (OAs) - Available by contacting Program Office
Cover Letter to Commissioners (OAS)
SEA Implementation Plan Template (OAs)
ARP SEA Implementation Plan Webinar
Cross-cutting FAQs
ARP/ESF Grants - FAQs for Liquidation Extensions
Maintenance of Effort
MOE Data Submission for Outlying Areas
MOE Outlying Areas Template - Available by contacting Program Office
Technical Assistance
Federal Register - Uniform Guidance (April 2024)