The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (WDPI) is seeking to submit an application for a waiver flexibility under the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program (Title IV, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)) in light of the continued disruption to learning caused by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the national emergency declared by President Trump under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Section 8401(b) of ESEA, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, allows the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education to waive the requirements in ESEA under the following sections:  
 
1. Needs assessment requirement for LEAs receiving more than $30,000 in Title IV, Part A funds for the 2020-21 school year (ESEA Section 4106(d)): LEAs receiving more than $30,000 under Title IV, Part A are no longer required to demonstrate that a needs assessment was completed for the 2020-21 school year.

2. Content area spending requirements for LEAs that receive more than $30,000 in Title IV, Part A funding (ESEA Subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E) of section 4106(e)(2)): LEAs receiving more than $30,000 under Title IV, Part A are no longer required to allocate specific amounts of their 2020-21 Title IV, Part A grant funds toward well-rounded education, supporting safe and healthy students and effective use of technology.

3. Spending limitation on Title IV, Part A to purchase technology infrastructure for FY 2020 funds and any available FY 2019 carryover funds (ESEA Section 4109(b)): LEAs receiving more than $30,000 under Title IV, Part A now have the ability to allocate more than 15% of the available Title IV, Part A funds in the 2020-21 application (2020-21 allocation and 2019-20 carryover) for technology infrastructure.

Please note that all other requirements in Title IV, Part A of the ESEA would continue to apply.

As required under ESEA section 8401(b)(3)(A), the state educational agency must provide the public and interested LEAs notice and a reasonable opportunity to comment in the manner in which the State Educational Agency (SEA) customarily provides similar notice and opportunity to comment to the public. Public comment on the application described above may be submitted by using this form. Questions or additional comment may be accepted by using the contact information below. Written comments should be submitted no later than noon on Friday, December 11, 2020, in order to receive consideration.

The Department’s application for waiver authority is available to review at https://dpi.wi.gov/esea/esea-and-covid-19.