On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act was signed into law. The US Department of Education is providing an additional $121.9 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER Fund). This legislation will award these grants to state educational agencies (SEAs) for the purpose of providing local educational agencies (LEAs) with emergency relief funds to address the impact that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on elementary and secondary schools across the nation.
South Carolina will receive $2,112,051,487 in ARP ESSER funds from the Act, of which 90 percent will flow through to school districts with amounts determined in proportion to the amount of Title I, Part A funds they received in Summer 2020 from funds under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The remaining funds will be used for state-level activities to address issues caused by COVID-19. ARP ESSER funds also include some additional requirements on the part of the LEAs and the SEAs, please see below for more detailed information.
This website is designed to provide information, guidance, and resources to school district personnel with respect to ARP ESSER funds under the ARP Act. It will be updated as often as new information, guidance, and resources becomes available. Please note that ARP ESSER funds are entirely separate from ESSER I and ESSER II funds issued through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) respectively.
ARP ESSER State Plan
Approved ARP ESSER State Plan South Carolina’s ARP ESSER Plan submitted to the U.S. Department of Education June 18, 2021 and approved on August 12, 2021.
South Carolina ARP Approval Letter Letter from Secretary Cardona to Secretary Spearman granting the remaining one third of ARP ESSER funding.
Signed OMB Program Assurances Linked are assurances Secretary Spearman signed as a condition of participating in American Rescue Plan Act funds
USED Public Announcement of SCDE Approval Linked is the USED press release confirming the approval of South Carolina’s ARP state plan