On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. As part of the CARES Act, Congress set aside approximately $13.2 billion of the $I30.75 billion allotted to the Education Stabilization Fund for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. The US Department of Education 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 $216,311,158 in ESSER funds from the CARES Act, of which 90 percent ($194,680,042) will flow through to school districts with amounts determined in proportion to the amount of Title I, Part A funds they received in Summer 2019 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.
This website is designed to provide information, guidance, and resources to school district personnel with respect to ESSER funds under the CARES Act. It will be updated as often as new information, guidance, and resources becomes available.
ESSER Funds District Application and Instructions
CARES Act ESSER Application and Instructions for Districts (LINK CLOSED)
The link above provides access to the CARES Act ESSER Applications and Instructions for districts to complete to receive subgrants.
List of known South Carolina private schools and addresses for districts to consult when inviting private school representatives to meaningful consultation. This list has been compiled by the SCDE and with various private school associations. In no way does the SCDE maintain that is an exhaustive list of private schools; and districts are responsible for ensuring that nonprofit, private schools physically located within the district’s geographic boundaries are offered the opportunity to participate in equitable services.
Reporting and Monitoring
ESSER I Quarterly Reporting Form
The link above is the quarterly form districts must complete and submit by the fifth day following each calendar quarter.
ESSER Quarterly Report Webinar
The ESSER Quarterly Report form was resigned in February 2022. Please use the link above for assistance navigating the new form.
On Friday, March 27, 2020, the President signed the CARES Act, which is a $2 trillion package of assistance measures, including $30.75 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund. This link is to the US Department of Education's main web page for Education Stabilization Funds.
Congress set aside approximately $13.2 billion of the $30.75 billion allotted to the Education Stabilization Fund through the CARES Act for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. This link is to the US Department of Education's ESSER funds web page.
Equitable Services
Non-Public School Consultation Form
This is the form districts should use to document meaningful consultation between non-public schools and districts.
On Friday, September 4, 2020, a federal court judge ruled that Secretary of Education Betsy BeVos and the United States Department of Education (USED) violated the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in issuing a rule directing public schools to allocate a portion of their CARES funding to private schools. The link above provides additional details.
