S.C. Department of Education Launches Federal Funding Transparency Dashboard

Press Release

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) has developed a public Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding dashboard to provide transparency on how South Carolina school districts are utilizing federal education COVID-19 relief funds.

“This dashboard is a transparent way for our taxpayers to see how schools and districts are utilizing an unprecedented amount of federal money to rebound and address issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “Public input has been key in our districts’ development of spending plans and it is critical that the public remain informed on the use of these funds.”

In 2020, Congress approved two major COVID-19 relief packages — the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. These relief packages were designed to support states and school districts in responding to the pandemic. In March of 2021, Congress approved additional funding under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act.

South Carolina has received a total of $3.3 billion in federal funding through the three allocations. Ninety percent of the funds are allocated to school districts with the remaining funds reserved for state level activities. Districts may use the funding for a wide variety of COVID-19 related needs including providing mental health services, improving school facilities, purchasing technological devices, training staff, and addressing the academic impact of the pandemic. The dashboard will be updated quarterly.

 The dashboard allows the public to see the amount of ESSER funds allocated, spent, and remaining for each school district. They can also view expenditures by category.

To view the ESSER dashboard, please visit https://ed.sc.gov/data/reports/esser-funding/.

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