Every spring a purchasing coordinator asks the same question: will this grant cover a cart of headsets? The short answer is usually yes, provided the purchase is tied to instruction or assessment. The longer answer is about picking a headset that clearly reads as an instructional tool and having the paperwork ready when the grant office asks. Here are the two headsets we point grant buyers to, and what to keep on file.
Yes. ESSER and Title I funds can generally pay for classroom headphones when the purchase supports instruction, intervention, or state testing, which nearly all classroom headset purchases do. The safest picks are headsets that read plainly as instructional and testing equipment: the AVID AE-55KL single-plug TRRS headset at $12.99 covers listening and the microphone-based speaking domains of state tests, and the AVID AE-36 at $11.89 does the same for a dollar less. Encore Data Products supplies the purchase orders, W-9, and itemized quotes your grant office needs for documentation. Confirm the specific allowable-use rules with your district's federal-programs coordinator before you submit.
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| Tool / Business / Provider | Score | Speed / Distance | Pricing / Details | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Choice | TRRS 3.5mm | $12.99 | ★★★★★ | |
| TRRS 3.5mm | $11.89 | ★★★★☆ |
The AVID AE-55KL is a single-plug TRRS headset with an integrated microphone, distributed by Encore Data Products at $12.99. For a grant purchase it checks the boxes reviewers look for: it is a wired instructional device with a mic, so it supports both the listening and speaking domains of state assessments as well as everyday intervention and small-group work. That direct tie to instruction and testing is exactly the allowable-use language ESSER and Title I applications ask for.
When a purchase has to survive a grant audit, the AE-55KL is the pick because it is unmistakably an instruction-and-assessment tool, and Encore hands you the documentation to prove it.
Read More : https://www.encoredataproducts.com/single-plug-trrs-headsets/avid-ae-55-black-and-silver-headset-trrs-plug/The AVID AE-36 is a classroom computer stereo headset with a single TRRS plug and microphone, priced at $11.89 through Encore. It qualifies for ESSER and Title I dollars on the same grounds as the AE-55KL, it is a wired instructional headset with a mic, but it trims a dollar off the unit price, which adds up when you are equipping a whole grade level from a fixed grant allocation.
Choose the AE-36 when the grant math rewards squeezing the per-unit cost and you do not specifically need the AE-55KL's build. Both clear the same allowable-use bar.
Read More : https://www.encoredataproducts.com/single-plug-trrs-headsets/avid-education-ae-36-classroom-computer-stereo-headset/Same grant eligibility, a dollar less per headset
Same grant eligibility, a dollar less per headset
The AE-36 is not the weaker grant choice, it is the cheaper one. It qualifies for ESSER and Title I on exactly the same basis as the AE-55KL and saves a dollar per headset. It sits in second only because the AE-55KL's slightly sturdier build and black-and-silver finish make it the one most buyers standardize on for testing carts. If unit cost is the binding constraint on your grant, flip the order and lead with the AE-36.
ESSER and Title I funds can pay for classroom headphones as long as the purchase supports instruction, intervention, or assessment, which a wired headset with a microphone plainly does. The AVID AE-55KL at $12.99 is the grant-ready default because it covers both listening and speaking test domains; the AE-36 at $11.89 does the same job for a dollar less per unit.
The part that trips up grant purchases is documentation, not eligibility. Encore Data Products accepts school and district purchase orders and provides a W-9 and itemized quotes for your grant files. Always confirm allowable uses with your federal-programs coordinator first, then call 866-926-1669 or request a quote to lock in pricing for your funding cycle.