ARPA Teachers Recruitment and Retention Grants (TRRG)

Childcare and Early Childhood Education Providers:

What facility licenses are eligible for childcare and early childhood education providers?

Providers who operate a facility licensed as a Childcare Center or Preschool by DHHS are eligible

Are facilities licensed as Family Childcare Home I, Family Childcare Home II, or School Age Only eligible?

No. Only facilities licensed as Childcare Centers and Preschools by DHHS are eligible.

Must a premium pay eligible position be full-time?

Yes. PP-Eligible positions must be considered full-time as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. 

Are management positions considered to provide in-person services and eligible for premium pay?

Yes. A management position that supervises or manages employees who provide in-person childcare or early childhood education services is considered eligible.

Will NDOL create a waitlist so funds that are initially obligated can be redistributed if requirements for payment are not met?

Yes. NDOL will continue to accept all applications once all funds allocated to this program have been initially reserved and will create a waiting list, up until the application deadline date. If additional funds become available, awards may be made to employers on this waiting list, starting with those eligible employers who filed their application first.

Can an organization apply and receive funding under multiple ARPA programs, such as Teachers Recruitment and Retention Grant and the Workforce Development Grant.

Yes. If eligibility criteria is met for the respective program, applicants may apply for and receive funding through multiple ARPA programs.

Grade 6-12 Educators:

Does the requirement that a premium pay recipient’s total pay from the recipient employer not exceed $78,165.00 apply to base pay or total compensation?

This income threshold applies to total pay received from the recipient employer (including any premium pay received) and is not limited to base pay. However, any pay an employee may have received from another employer is not included in this amount.

If a community college instructor is teaching dual credit courses as part of a program with a local high school, would the instructor potentially be eligible?

Premium pay is available only to an individual who performs services full-time as an employee of an eligible school, school district, licensed childcare center, or licensed preschool. A community college instructor providing dual-credit instruction on a contract basis would not be eligible.

Can premium pay be used for two part-time employees splitting a single position?

No, premium pay is available only to an individual who performs services as a full-time employee.

Are teachers on a J1 visa program eligible for this program, or is the program only available to U.S. teachers?

If otherwise eligible, a teacher on a J1 visa program may receive premium pay.

Can an ESU apply on behalf of a consortium of districts, or only for their own staff members?

An Educational Services Unit (ESU) authorized to act on behalf of a consortium of school district may file applications on behalf of those districts, but a separate form must be completed on behalf of each facility for which premium pay is being requested.

If a school receives funding for premium pay for 10 positions, can the school choose the position to which that premium pay will apply?

No, the application requires identification of the positions for which premium pay is requested, and the preliminary award notification will identify the positions for which premium pay is awarded. The funding received may be used only to fund premium pay for the positions identified in the award notification.

Do special education teachers qualify for premium pay, even if they do not have an endorsement in math or science?

A special education teacher who provides full-time in-person instruction at the middle-school or secondary-school level in mathematics, science, or career and technical education would be eligible to receive premium pay.

Would a teacher who has a Nebraska Trade Certificate be eligible to receive premium pay?

A teacher with a Nebraska Trade Certificate who provides full-time in-person instruction in the areas of career and technical education at the middle school or secondary school level could qualify to receive premium pay if otherwise eligible. 

Would teaching in a JROTC program qualify as providing career or technical education?

Yes. A full-time instructor in a JROTC program could qualify to receive premium pay if otherwise eligible.