S.C. schools to receive $84.3 million in relief funding

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The S.C. Department of Education is providing $84.3 million in additional federal pandemic relief funding to all public school districts and special schools to support reopening efforts.

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

“Our teachers, nurses, and school staff have gone above and beyond to support students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said in a news release. “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.”

The funding will be allocated this week, with additional weighting applied to support students in poverty, according to the release.

The General Assembly provided the funding through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. It may be used for expenditures incurred between July 1, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2021. Districts must report on the use of the funds quarterly to the state education department.