COLUMBIA, S.C. — The American Rescue Plan Act has provided the South Carolina Department of Education an additional $56.8 million in funding to address two major issues facing students in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.
First, $43 million has been allocated to support the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Funding). School districts receiving grant money can use the funds to help provide students with disabilities an equitable learning experience during the pandemic. Funds may go toward:
- Providing compensatory services based on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team decisions;
- Providing support and direct services for students with disabilities;
- Providing positive behavior and intervention supports and mental health services;
- Improving the use of technology in the classroom and/or in a remote setting to enhance learning;
- Implementing transition services to support postsecondary activities; and
- Assisting districts in meeting personnel shortages including hiring additional personnel to provide special education and related services and reducing caseloads in key areas.
Funding allocations were determined by formula IDEA Section 611 for children age three through 21, and IDEA Section 619 for children ages three through five. The chart showing how much each school district in South Carolina received can be found here.
In the Midlands, here is what Lexington and Richland school districts received:
- Lexington One = $1,258,544.30
- Lexington Two = $467,859.01
- Lexington Three = $166,491.59
- Lexington Four = $226,818.01
- Lexington-Richland Five = $795,109.78
- Richland One = $1,222,255.63
- Richland Two = $1,329,823.15
In addition to the IDEA funding, the state was allocated $13.8 million in homeless children and youth funding. Of this money, $10.4 million goes directly to school districts and the remaining $3.4 million will go to South Carolina Department of Education's McKinney-Vento Program to help school districts identify and support children and youth who are experiencing homelessness.
According to SCDE, approximately 12,000 students in the state -- from pre-kindergarten through high school -- were identified as experiencing homelessness during the 2019-2020 school year.
The $10.4 million dollars can be used toward:
- Providing wraparound services, which may be provided in collaboration with and/or through contracts with community-based organizations, including:
- Academic supports
- Trauma-informed care
- Mental health services
- Purchasing needed supplies, such as:
- Eyeglasses
- School supplies
- Personal care items
- Providing transportation to enable students to attend classes and participate fully in school activities;
- Providing access to reliable, high-speed internet for students.
Each district's allocation can be found at this link.
Here are the allocations for Lexington and Richland school districts:
- Lexington One = $154,148.51
- Lexington Two = $87,101.70
- Lexington Three = $16,213.00
- Lexington Four = $30,894.99
- Lexington-Richland Five = $182,738.45
- Richland One = $523,076.31
- Richland Two = $425,519.49
Since March 2020, SCDE public schools have received a total of $3 billion in federal COVID-19 education relief funding to support the reopening of schools and addressing student, staff, and community pandemic related needs.
