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SC Education Dept. supports school re-opening with additional $84 million

The funds can be used for safety measures and personal protective equipment, hiring school nurses, hiring staff, and technology equipment to support online learning.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — On Monday, the S.C. Department of Education (SCDE) announced that it will provide $84,264,890 in additional federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) funding to all public schools districts and special schools to support reopening efforts. 

The funding can be used for four specific purposes, including safety measures and personal protective equipment, hiring of school nurses, hiring of staff to provide one-on-one instruction and support services for struggling students, and technology equipment to support online learning.

RELATED: SC Education Task Force recommends schools have full-time nurses

“Our teachers, nurses, and school staff have gone above and beyond to support students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “These funds are to be used to maintain and support their efforts to welcome additional students back safely for face-to-face instruction and meet the needs of those that are struggling both online and in the classroom.”

RELATED: Pandemic may worsen South Carolina's teacher shortage, education leaders say

Officials say the approximately $84.3 in CRF funding will be allocated to districts per pupil beginning this week with an additional weighting applied to support students in poverty. 

The funding was provided to the SCDE through the General Assembly as part of the CARES Act and may be used for expenditures incurred between July 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021 for the following activities as approved by the South Carolina General Assembly:

  • School safety measures taken in response to COVID-19 including, but not limited to, the purchase of masks, gloves, wipes, hand sanitizer, face shields, cleaning solution, Plexiglass, and other cleaning equipment and supplies;
  • Hire or contract for school nurse services for those schools that do not have a full-time school nurse;
  • Tutoring, supplemental services, and support services to include services for unengaged students, interventionists, and after school learning extensions that prioritize face-to-face instruction focused on students with identified reading or math difficulties, and students with IEPs to address deficits resulting from COVID-19; and
  • Technology purchases of devices and connectivity equipment to support online learning resulting from COVID-19.

RELATED: South Carolina lawmakers to tackle education reform next year

Officials say districts must report quarterly on the use of CRF funds to the SCDE.

The SCDE has previously allocated $194,680,042 in CARES Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding to school districts that can be used for a broader range of COVID-19 related expenditures between March 13, 2020 to September 30, 2022. The SCDE has also purchased nearly $50 million in personal protective equipment and safety supplies for all school districts in the state.

Total Allocation by School District

  • Abbeville County School District: $343,203
  • Aiken County Public School District: $2,532,020
  • Allendale County Schools: $150,710
  • Anderson School District One: $1,017,640
  • Anderson School District Two: $385,938
  • Anderson School District Three: $306,149
  • Anderson School District 4: $300,854
  • Anderson School District Five: $1,461,440
  • Bamberg School District One: $148,915
  • Bamberg School District 2: $87,399
  • Blackville-Hilda Public Schools (Barnwell 19): $79,099
  • Williston School District 29 (Barnwell 29): $99,664
  • Barnwell School District 45: $253,740
  • Beaufort County School District: $2,250,895
  • Berkeley County School District: $3,871,592
  • Calhoun County Public Schools: $197,810
  • Charleston County School District: $4,869,257
  • Cherokee County School District: $954,544
  • Chester County School District: $610,503
  • Chesterfield County School District: $826,868
  • Clarendon School District One: $89,706
  • Clarendon School District Two: $343,548
  • Clarendon County School District Three: $136,174
  • Colleton County School District: $670,936
  • Darlington County School District: $1,153,208
  • Dillon School District Three: $184,112
  • Dillon School District Four: $539,413
  • Dorchester School District Two: $2,491,958
  • Dorchester School District Four: $255,360
  • Edgefield County School District: $362,605
  • Fairfield County School District: $323,886
  • Florence Public School District One: $1,761,379
  • Florence County School District 2: $127,911
  • Florence County School District 3: $437,999
  • Florence County School District  Four: $92,735
  • Florence County School District Five: $139,867
  • Georgetown County School District: $989,564
  • The School District of Greenville County: $7,813,193
  • Greenwood School District 50: $1,052,999
  • Ware Shoals School District 51 (Greenwood 51): $116,489
  • Greenwood County School District 52: $166,464
  • Hampton School District One: $270,698
  • Hampton County School District 2: $89,490
  • Horry County Schools: $5,045,511
  • Jasper County School District: $345,016
  • Kershaw County School District: $1,173,690
  • Lancaster County School District: $1,436,607
  • Laurens County School District 55: $653,647
  • Laurens County School District 56: $359,023
  • Lee County School District: $214,662
  • Lexington County School District One: $2,572,728
  • Lexington County School District Two: $1,040,790
  • Lexington County School District Three: $239,202
  • Lexington School District Four: $413,684
  • School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties: $1,602,281
  • McCormick County School District: $84,890
  • Marion County School District (Marion 10): $563,725
  • Marlboro County School District: $484,335
  • School District of Newberry County: $687,699
  • School District of Oconee County: $1,163,698
  • Orangeburg County School District: $1,546,571
  • School District of Pickens County: $1,712,723
  • Richland County School District One: $2,709,405
  • Richland School District Two: $2,904,700
  • Saluda County Schools: $287,440
  • Spartanburg School District One: $545,203
  • Spartanburg School District 2: $1,112,413
  • Spartanburg School District Three: $311,534
  • Spartanburg School District Four: $309,644
  • Spartanburg School District Five: $934,600
  • Spartanburg School District Six: $1,295,776
  • Spartanburg School District 7: $847,784
  • Sumter School District: $1,906,106
  • Union County Schools: $479,384
  • Williamsburg County School District: $431,619
  • York School District 1: $565,767
  • Clover School District (York 2): $724,551
  • Rock Hill School District Three (York 3): $1,837,867
  • Fort Mill School District (York 4): $1,229,295
  • SC Public Charter School District: $1,547,399
  • Charter Institute at Erskine: $2,454,774
  • SC Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe: $1,866
  • SC School for the Deaf and the Blind: $22,651
  • SC Department of Juvenile Justice: $45,962
  • Palmetto Unified School District: $27,644
  • SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics: $16,740
  • SC Governor's School for Arts and Humanities: $16,352
  • State Total: $84,264,890

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