U.S. Department of Education Awards South Carolina Nearly $40 Million for Emergency Education Funding

Press Release from the SC Governor’s Press Office

Governor McMaster on Friday announced that South Carolina has been awarded $39,981,327 in federal funds by the United States Department of Education for the Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) Program.

In December,  the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act was passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. In providing these new emergency funds, Congress established the EANS Program and specifically set aside $2.75 billion in additional federal funds “in order to provide services or assistance to non-public schools.”

The funds are allocated to each state based on the number of children ages 5 to 17 whose family income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level and who are enrolled in non-public schools.

In accordance with federal law, Governor McMaster applied for the funding and the South Carolina Department of Education will administer the program. Governor McMaster recently notified S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman of the award by letter.

The EANS Program provides services or assistance to eligible non-public schools to address educational disruptions caused by COVID-19. A non-public school may apply to receive services or assistance such as:

• Supplies to sanitize, disinfect, and clean school facilities
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Improving ventilation systems, including windows or portable air purification systems
• Training and professional development for staff on sanitization, the use of PPE, and minimizing the spread of infectious diseases
• Expanding capacity to administer coronavirus testing to effectively monitor and suppress the virus
• Educational technology
• Redeveloping instructional plans for remote or hybrid learning or to address learning loss

Governor McMaster applied for the funds on February 5th and the U.S. Department of Education made the award to South Carolina on February 10th.

According to the United States Department of Education guidance, the South Carolina Department of Education must make an application available to non-public schools no later than 30 days after receipt of the funds and must approve or deny any application for a non-public school no later than 30 days after receiving it.

The South Carolina Department of Education must, to the extent practicable, obligate all funds for services or assistance to non-public schools in the state in an expedited and timely manner, but no later than six months after receiving the funds.

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