Cover Page, Grantee and Contact Information — ARP ESSER, John R. Payne, Deputy Superintendent
Summary
This is South Carolina's ARP ESSER State Plan. The cover page lists John R. Payne, Deputy Superintendent, as the SEA contact and prints Molly M. Spearman as the authorized representative's name. The plan names three critical issues: learning loss in key subjects and grades, partially developed social-emotional learning and mental health support, and the need for upgraded facilities. It says the SCDE surveyed LEAs in May 2020 and learned that 60 percent did not have a Learning Management System, and that state lawmakers are proposing to allocate up to $100 million of state funding for facility improvements and consolidation.
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Cite this document
“Cover Page, Grantee and Contact Information — ARP ESSER, John R. Payne, Deputy Superintendent.”
Original at www.ed.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/department-of-education-pdf-www-ed-gov-997afd320c/
, SHA-256 c1b48cb26f2d0063988a439299d296ec66637c6bdb2d5e331dbee2bba4d2352c.Full text
Cover Page
Grantee and Contact Information
ARP ESSER PR Award Number: S425U210019
SEA Contact: John R. Payne, Deputy Superintendent
Telephone: 803-734-2738
Email address: jrpayne@ed.sc.gov
By signing this document, I agree to each of the assurances listed in Appendix C and further assure
that:
To the best of my knowledge and belief, all information and data included in this plan are true and
correct.
Chief State School Officer or Authorized Representative (Printed
Name)
Molly M. Spearman
Signature of Authorized SEA Representative Date:
02 August 2021
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status of your individual form, application or survey, please contact Britt Jung, Office of State and Grantee
Relations, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue,
SW, Washington, DC 20202-6450, email: SGR@ed.gov directly.
A. Describing the State’s Current Status and Needs
The Department recognizes the extraordinary efforts made by States, LEAs, and educators to
support students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this section, SEAs will describe the
progress they have made, the priorities and student needs guiding their ARP ESSER funding
decisions, and their current and projected operating status.
1. Progress and Promising Practices: Provide your assessment of the top 2-3
strategies that have been most effective in supporting the needs of students in
your State during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for students most impacted
by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please include, if applicable, how your State will
submit and encourage its LEAs to submit lessons learned and best practices to the
Department’s Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse so that
they can be shared with other States and LEAs.
South Carolina has undertaken extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. An
effective strategy the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE; see Appendix E)
deployed was to create an aligned ecosystem to support analyzing data and implementing
actionable goals. In collaboration with Education Analytics, the SCDE provided all local
educational agencies (LEAs) with a common data set of current and historical summative and
interim assessments. The data set, known in South Carolina (SC) as the RALLY Tool, provides
both achievement and gap data for all students and subgroups. For each subgroup, data can be
aggregated by percentages of students in each quartile as well as students in each subgroup
needing either mild, moderate, or significant remediation to accelerate unfinished learning.
Each LEA used the RALLY Tool to analyze their data and create and submit to the SCDE an
Academic Recovery Plan that included Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-
bound (SMART) goals, outlines of actionable strategies to address academic acceleration for
all students, and procedures for evaluating and monitoring progress of the Academic Recovery
Plan. The RALLY Tool is available to LEA leadership to enable analysis of LEA- and school-
level data, and is available to teachers for use in instructional planning and identifying learning
gaps for student subgroups.
A second effective strategy the SCDE used during the pandemic was to leverage economies of
scale across all LEAs in SC. The SCDE surveyed LEAs in May 2020, and learned that 60
percent did not have a Learning Management System (LMS) to assist with delivering digital
instruction; only 15 of the state’s 81 LEAs were proficient with LMS implementation and
underserved LEAs lagged behind in having adequate curriculum resources. To address these
needs, the SCDE used support from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
(CARES) Act ESSER I funds to acquire LMS licenses for all LEAs and create a Learning
Object Repository (LOR) to house curriculum resources aligned to state content standards that
all LEAs can access. To help teachers focus on the enduring content standards, the SCDE
facilitated a teacher task force to identify priorities and support content standards in English
language arts (ELA) and math. The SCDE partnered with the SC Education Oversight
Committee (EOC) and SC Educational Television (SCETV) to further leverage resources to
LEAs and submitted a successful Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant application to the US
Department of Education (USED). The approved plan included deployment of a datacasting
system to use the SCETV’s network broadcast technology to deliver lessons in remote areas of
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the state that lack broadband access. AccelerateED, SC’s COVID-response task force in
education assembled by State Superintendent Molly Spearman, recommended support to LEAs
in implementing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and the SCDE leveraged state resources to
develop SEL lesson plans, create a website with resources, and employ an education associate
to facilitate statewide training to classroom teachers on embedding SEL in classroom
instruction.
Third, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the SCDE placed high priority and strategic focus on
accelerating academic growth for all students to ensure that all students demonstrated annual
growth and those below grade level demonstrated additional academic growth. Leveraging the
work-to-date around Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), the SCDE developed and
distributed a Map for Success for school improvement and an Academic Recovery Plan. The
map directs LEAs to analyze and determine strategies for improvement in five key areas:
leadership, data system, core instruction, targeted interventions, and LEA support systems. In
communicating this work to LEAs, the SCDE emphasized the urgency of a thorough analysis
of data and development of an action plan that included timely benchmarks to determine
success or the need for redirection.
2. Overall Priorities: Provide your assessment of the top 2-3 issues currently facing
students and schools across your State as a result of or in response to the COVID-
19 pandemic including, to the extent possible, data illustrating why these are the
most critical and/or most widespread issues facing schools and students.
Students and schools in SC face three critical issues: learning loss in key subjects and grades,
partially developed social-emotional learning (SEL) and mental health support, and the need
for upgraded facilities.
Learning Loss: Across all grades and subject areas, data from the RALLY Tool reveal that SC
students have demonstrated reduced growth compared to previous school years. In winter
2020, the SCDE compiled interim assessment data in math and ELA for students in
kindergarten through ninth grade; on average, SC students experienced a two- to three-month
lag in expected growth when compared to prior years. Initial data indicated that students in
the earliest grades suffered the greatest learning lag and overall, students experienced greater
loss in math than in ELA.
Students in the earliest grades also suffered reduced growth stemming from school closures in
spring 2020; statewide, only 27 percent of five-year-olds demonstrated overall readiness on
the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). Enrollment in public 4K also declined
approximately 30 percent, so thousands fewer students will enter kindergarten this fall having
experienced high-quality schooling via 4K. At the high school level, roughly double the
number of students have failed core courses compared to previous years.
Additionally, the 2020–21 school year saw an increase in the number of students learning
remotely or learning via new digital instructional practices in face-to-face environments.
Interim assessment data indicate that student performance seems different for some students
in virtual environments, which may not be for some an ideal place to learn.
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Social-Emotional Learning and Mental Health Support: In the 2019–20 school year, SC began
statewide implementation of a MTSS, with an initial focus on improving literacy screening,
instruction, and intervention for students. Early feedback from LEAs indicated that Social-
Emotional Learning (SEL) and mental health supports were needed as the focus for the next
core area of implementation; the spring 2020 school closures and fall 2020 school re-openings
highlighted the importance of developing strong SEL curricula and student and staff mental
health supports. In fact, AccelerateEd highlighted “preparing for the social and emotional
needs of students” as a core area of need for the state and LEAs through the end of the
pandemic and beyond.
In summer 2020, LEAs rated their implementation of SEL based on the core CASEL
competencies, a national standard in SEL frameworks. Statewide, LEAs rated their
implementation levels as “Partially Planned and Implemented,” indicating that schools had
begun planning for SEL processes, but needed additional support to fully implement
consistent and effective systems. Overall, LEAs scored themselves lowest in the areas of
developing and executing an aligned plan across individual schools and districts.
Facility Upgrades: Since the 1990s, 48 SC LEAs, including the Abbeville, et. al. vs. the State
of South Carolina plaintiff school districts and other LEAs with significant numbers of
students in poverty, have struggled to build or maintain safe and efficient school facilities
comparable to wealthier LEA facilities. Over the years, state funding ($1.5 million) was set
aside to evaluate the condition of public school buildings in these LEAs and funds ($55.8
million) were appropriated to assist these LEAs with facility upgrades and improvements they
identified and prioritized. The 2017 Facilities Assessment Reports on building infrastructure
of these LEAs found that heating and air conditioning systems, electrical and lighting
systems, and plumbing were generally in poor to fair condition when compared to the
condition of building infrastructures of all state school buildings. These poorer LEAs tended
to have older HVAC and electrical systems, resulting in inefficient systems that are both more
difficult and more expensive to maintain.
While almost $56 million was appropriated to support these LEAs capital improvements,
LEAs identified and requested more than $133 million to address capital needs. Forty percent
of the requested projects related to energy efficiency improvements including window
replacements, air conditioning, roofing, and water system upgrades. To date, facility
improvement needs of rural, poor, and small LEAs have gone unmet, especially in counties or
areas with limited revenue generating capacity or a poor tax base. Recognizing the need for
additional resources, for fiscal year 2021–22, state lawmakers are proposing to allocate up to
$100 million of state funding, $85 million to support facility improvements in disadvantaged
LEAs, and $15 million to incentivize consolidation amongst smaller LEAs and schools. If
approved, these funds will become available effective July 1, 2021. Leveraging these funds,
the SCDE will set aside a portion of its ESSER ARP funds to further address capital needs of
rural, poor school districts.
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3. Identifying Needs of Underserved Students: Describe your State’s 2-3 highest
priority academic, social, emotional, and/or mental health needs for the remainder
of the 2020-2021 school year (if applicable) and for the 2021-2022 school year
related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on each of the following student
groups:
i. Students from low-income families,
ii. Students from each racial or ethnic group (e.g., identifying
disparities and focusing on underserved student groups by race or
ethnicity),
iii. Gender (e.g., identifying disparities and focusing on underserved
student groups by gender),
iv. English learners,
v. Children with disabilities (including infants, toddlers, children, and
youth with disabilities eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (“IDEA”)),
vi. Students experiencing homelessness,
vii. Children and youth in foster care,
viii. Migratory students, and
ix. Other groups disproportionately impacted by the pandemic that have
been identified by the SEA (e.g., youth involved in the criminal
justice system, students who have missed the most in-person
instruction during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years,
students who did not consistently participate in remote instruction
when offered during school building closures, and LGBTQ+
students).
To the extent possible, this description should include data on indicators such as
estimates of the academic impact of lost instructional time,1 chronic
absenteeism, student engagement, and social-emotional well-being.
Table A1.
Student group Highest priority needs
Students from low- There is significant need for accelerated learning in ELA and math
income families for students from low-income families. Fall 2020 and winter 2021
interim assessment data indicate a high representation of students
from low-income families (i.e., Pupils in Poverty) in the RALLY
Tool’s Tiers 2 (Moderate) and 3 (Severe). The percentage of pupils
in poverty in Tiers 2 and 3 also increased by two percentage points
on the winter interim assessment (from 26 percent to 28 percent).
This evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an
uneven impact on and may be intensifying the achievement gap for
low-income students. Students from low-income families are less
likely to have access to quality remote instruction and broadband
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For the purposes of the plan, “academic impact of lost instructional time” refers to “learning loss” experienced by
students as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as referenced in the ARP Act and the CRRSA Act.
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Student group Highest priority needs
internet access during mandatory school closures and quarantines;
they are more frequently unsupervised during remote learning.
Achievement: Equivalent SC READY scale
Student scores based on linking studies
Group Fall 2020 Winter 2021
Moderate or Severe Moderate or Severe
Pupils in
26% 28%
Poverty
Non-Pupils
9% 9%
in Poverty
Students from each There is significant need for accelerated learning in ELA and math
racial or ethnic for students of color. Fall and winter interim assessment data
background used by the demonstrate a high representation of students of color (i.e.,
State for reporting American Indians, African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, and
purposes
Latinx) in the RALLY Tool’s Tiers 2 (Moderate) and 3 (Severe).
The percentage of African American students in Moderate or Severe
increased from 30 percent on the fall assessment to 34 percent on the
winter interim assessment. The data suggest that the COVID-19
pandemic has had an uneven impact on students of minority
racial/ethnic groups when compared with White/Non-Hispanic
students and that the pandemic may be intensifying their
achievement gaps.
Achievement: Equivalent SC READY scale
Student scores based on linking studies
Group Fall 2020 Winter 2021
Moderate or Severe Moderate or Severe
American
22% 24%
Indian
Black 30% 34%
Pacific
27% 26%
Islander
Latinx 26% 26%
White 13% 12%
Students by gender – Fall 2020 Winter 2021
please add a row for Gender Moderate or Moderate or Severe
each gender (e.g., Severe
identifying disparities Female 18% 19%
and focusing on
underserved student Male 20% 21%
groups by gender)
The RALLY Tool’s tier structure system was based on the rank
ordered statewide “all students” results, designating 80 percent mild;
15 percent moderate; and five percent severe. Statewide 20 percent
of students are in the moderate and severe categories. South
Carolina is not experiencing significant variations by gender.
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Student group Highest priority needs
English learners Multilingual learners face many barriers and challenges to achieving
academic success and the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened
the complexities. As the SCDE continues to address the needs of our
most vulnerable populations, several priorities became evident:
During the pandemic, it may have been difficult to stay in
contact with all students and families. It is essential that the
SCDE focus on fostering relationships between school and
home to build trust and rapport.
English learners need appropriate scaffolds and
accommodations to access grade-level academic standards.
Virtual learning may have been a challenging platform for
students to receive those academic supports. English learners
will need time for academic recovery and will need for their
schools to provide appropriate scaffolds and
accommodations.
Not all families have access to the internet and technology as
other families. Multilingual learners need to be provided
access to the internet and any technology that assists them in
meeting their academic responsibilities.
Children with Based on fall and winter interim assessment data, a gap already
disabilities existed between students with disabilities and students without
disabilities with respect to performance on statewide assessments.
The difference between the predicted and actual scores for students
with disabilities was not as great as the difference between the
predicted and actual scores for students without disabilities.
However, the gap already existing between academic benchmarks
for students with disabilities and students without disabilities points
to the need for academic intervention to continue and be intensified
as a priority.
Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
requires that all Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for students
with disabilities address all the student’s educational, including
academic achievement and functional performance, another priority
need is continued social-emotional support. The IEP teams will
consider the types of services available to students with disabilities,
including all those available to students without disabilities, when
determining how to meet each student’s unique needs. The National
Center on Intensive Intervention’s Data-Based Individualization
(DBI) will be used as a framework for providing intensive
intervention in academics and behavior.
Students experiencing Many students experiencing homelessness suffer from instructional
homelessness loss and mental health challenges due to months of distanced and
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Student group Highest priority needs
disrupted education, social isolation, and separation from the
physical and emotional comforts that school settings provide.
Survey data across the country suggest that an estimated 420,000
fewer children and youth experiencing homelessness have been
identified and enrolled by schools so far this school year.
This decrease in homeless student enrollment, combined with
previous estimates of under-identification, means that as many as
children and youth experiencing homelessness may be un-identified
and unsupported by their school during the pandemic. In SC, the
number of students experiencing homelessness has been decreasing,
while previously, each year saw gains from the previous year.
# of Students Identified as
Year McKinney-Vento Homeless
2016–17 12,018
2017–18 12,660
2018–19 12,789
2019–20 11,906
2020–21
~10,000
(135-day ADT)
To address the urgent issues of youth homelessness, the SCDE and
partner organizations identified continued priority needs that
include:
Collaborating with community partners to provide
wraparound services to address the urgent needs of these
students is essential. Students need access to programs to
address learning loss as well as unmet social emotional
needs;
Ensuring local shelters have technology and access for all
students to access online education and assignments; and
Providing access to food programs, summer learning
opportunities, and afterschool programs.
Children and youth in Children and youth in foster care face many challenges when it
foster care comes to achieving academic success and educational stability.
The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the complexities of the
needs of students in foster care. Students in foster care struggle with
chronic absenteeism due to transitions to new schools, court
hearings, parental visitations, and other required appointments for
mental health/medical care essential to their wellbeing and healing
from traumatic experiences.
As the SCDE continues to address the complex needs of our most
vulnerable populations, the SCDE identified key priorities for
students in foster care, including:
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Student group Highest priority needs
Continued collaboration with local/state child welfare
agencies to support the educational stability of our foster
care youth and reduce barriers;
Increasing data-sharing and partnerships between the SCDE,
LEAs, and child welfare agencies to guarantee students in
foster care have access to educational materials and
technology, track students’ academic progress (or
regression), and address other concerns as needed; and
Addressing the increased isolation the pandemic is likely to
have caused for foster care youth.
Migratory students The SC Migrant Education Program Parent Advisory Council
(SCMEP-PAC) has indicated the following highest priority needs as
a result of the COVID-19 pandemic:
Advocacy and meaningful communication from
schools/districts in languages that families understand;
Tutoring and supplemental instruction to account for
learning loss of migratory children;
Outreach initiatives that provide mobile services and support
for families in languages they can understand and at the
places where they live;
Bilingual mental health services;
Assisting parents with the use of technology; and
Access to early childhood learning opportunities and
bilingual family literacy activities.
Other groups of students ESSA Neglected and Delinquent (N&D) Programs
identified by the State The Subpart 1 of the N&D program serves youth in state-operated
(e.g., youth involved in institutions. Throughout the pandemic, neglected, delinquent, and at-
the criminal justice risk students who attend the SC Department of Juvenile Justice
system, students who
(DJJ) and Palmetto Unified School District (PUSD) – the
have missed the most in-
person instruction during
educational program at adult correctional facilities – have continued
the 2019-2020 and to receive synchronous and asynchronous virtual instruction and
2020-2021 school years, faith-based services. However, there has been an increase in the
students who did not delivery of virtual instruction, rather than face-to-face. Due to higher
consistently participate rates of teacher absenteeism, corrections officers have had to
in remote instruction increase their level of support and assistance as incidents of
when offered during disruptive behaviors and delinquent acts have increased during the
school building closures, 2020–21 school year. As part of addressing safety measures,
LGBTQ+ students) students have experienced increased mobility and solitary
confinement this school year, impacting their social-emotional well-
being. Students have also been negatively affected during the
pandemic because volunteerism and support from faith-based
organizations has been scaled back.
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Student group Highest priority needs
N&D Subpart 2
The Subpart 2 program serves LEAs with high numbers or
percentages of children and youth in locally operated juvenile
correctional facilities, including jails, detention centers, residential
care facilities, and facilities involved in community day programs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, as a part of instituting safety
measures, LEAs limited in-person activities including tutoring in
ELA/reading, math, and transition services. The pandemic also
increased the LEAs and facilities' inability to hire tutors; therefore,
LEAs resorted to increased virtual tutoring in ELA/reading, math,
and transition services. Additionally, many activities related to in-
person and hands-on transition activities were decreased, provided
virtually, or suspended altogether. Further, four N&D served
facilities in SC closed either permanently or temporarily due to the
impact of COVID-19. One N&D served facility closed mid-year
2020 due to the impact of COVID-19, resulting in LEAs providing
N&D services to the extent allowable via their own programs for at-
risk students.
4. Understanding the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Describe how the SEA
will support its LEAs in identifying the extent of the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on student learning and student well-being, including identifying the
groups of students most impacted by the pandemic. Where possible, please
identify the data sources the SEA will suggest its LEAs use in thoughtfully
diagnosing areas of need, including data on the academic, social, emotional, and
mental health impacts of lost instructional time.
To assist teachers, schools, and LEAs, the SCDE created the ENGAGE South Carolina
(ENGAGE SC) program to provide outreach and coaching support for students across the state.
The goal is to help re-engage K-12 students who disengaged during the COVID-19 pandemic. In
partnership with Graduation Alliance, ENGAGE SC is providing support to students and
families who may be struggling to adapt to new learning schedules and environments brought on
by the pandemic.
The first phase of ENGAGE SC focused on K-12 students who:
did not engage in their schools in-person or remote education offerings in spring or fall
2020;
are chronically absent;
are in danger of failing one or more classes;
are eligible for McKinney-Vento services (homeless) or are in foster care; and/or
are in families that have requested additional support.
The SCDE offered all SC public schools the opportunity to participate at no cost. The following
memorandum to LEAs detailed information regarding ENGAGE SC:
https://ed.sc.gov/newsroom/school-district-memoranda-archive/engage-south-carolina-
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attendance-recovery-program/engage-south-carolina-attendance-recovery-program-memo/. In
the first phase, 55 LEAs opted-in to serve 20,000 students who met the focus criteria.
As the 2020–21 school year persisted, it became apparent that students learning in a fully virtual
environment are most impacted by the pandemic. To provide further support and interventions to
this group of students, the second phase of ENGAGE SC was launched to focus on K-12
students who:
have not attended in-person or virtually in 2020 or 2021, including students who have
been withdrawn from enrollment due to lack of attendance but have not notified the LEA
of withdrawal or transfer to another education program;
are chronically absent (defined as missing 10 percent of the enrollment period to date);
are a junior or senior in high school failing one or more classes or at risk of not advancing
to the next grade or graduating;
are participating in an LEA’s virtual option; and/or
will participate in an LEA’s summer offerings.
The SCDE offered all SC public schools the opportunity to participate at no cost. The following
memorandum to LEAs detailed information on this expansion of ENGAGE SC:
https://ed.sc.gov/newsroom/school-district-memoranda-archive/expansion-of-engage-south-
carolina-attendance-recovery-program/expansion-of-engage-south-carolina-attendance-recovery-
program-memo/. For the second phase, 51 districts opted in for outreach services to an additional
23,000 students who met the focus criteria.
As the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to become known, the SCDE has prioritized
student engagement and will continue to offer ENGAGE SC to all LEAs; a third phase will start
at the beginning of the 2021–22 school year.
In May 2020, the SCDE surveyed LEAs to gauge implementation of social emotional learning
(SEL) statewide. Modeled after the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
(CASEL) competencies, the survey included the following items for LEAs to respond using a
scale of 1–4:
Develop a shared vision and aligned goals for SEL;
Assess SEL needs and resources;
Develop and execute a district plan for systemic SEL implementation;
Establish a foundation for continuous improvement;
Organize the district to promote collaboration among school and district leaders around
SEL, academics, and equity;
Communicate about SEL as a district priority;
Align financial resources to support SEL; and
Implement human resource practices and policies that support SEL.
Of the LEA responses, 93 percent indicated they had “partially planned and implemented” SEL
and seven percent reported they had “mostly planned and implemented social and emotional
learning.”
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To support LEAs in strengthening the implementation of SEL, the SCDE convened an internal
working group to develop an understanding of SEL and strategies to best implement new
learning. As a result, eleven SEL screening tools were approved for district use in determining
the needs of students through a tiered system of support, a webpage was created to provide
districts with resources and lesson plans, and the most recent South Carolina Teacher of the Year
was hired at the SCDE to facilitate effective statewide implementation of SEL.
Using resources provided by the SCDE, LEAs will be asked to use the CASEL survey and SEL
screeners as an initial benchmark and to progress monitor SEL implementation by annually
completing the CASEL survey and analyzing screening data to determine progress toward
effective implementation. In addition, the SCDE supplied districts with a crosswalk between the
CASEL SEL competencies and the competencies identified to support meeting the Profile of the
SC Graduate, the state's overarching goal for all students.
Additionally, to assist LEAs in identifying the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on student
behavioral health, the SCDE is hiring a full-time mental health expert to facilitate the effective
implementation of mental health services in LEAs statewide.
The SCDE will strengthen its partnership with the SC Department of Mental Health (SCDMH)
to provide data and other resources as LEAs expand school-based mental health programs. In
2019, the SCDMH served 1,892 uninsured school mental health patients across the state and
provided 9,902 services to those students. Also in 2019, 2,227 students with private insurance
received 23,104 school mental health services. The total of 4,119 students served is expected to
increase proportionally in 2022.
Evidence from past trends predicts a rise in mental health care needs due to COVID-19. There
has been a notable uptick in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) self-harm calls in SC from
October 2020, to March 2021. When comparing, ages 10–14 had a 60 percent increase in EMS
self-harm calls, with ages 15–19 increasing by 22 percent.
The SCDMH school mental health clinicians work year-round, with no break of service during
summer months. This ensures continuity of mental health services for students. In addition,
SCDMH uses evidence-based practices, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy, to ensure needed mental health services provided are effective. During the summer,
SCDMH school mental health programs offer more group therapy services that help address the
impact of isolation and decreased social interactions with peers experienced by many students
during the pandemic.
In summer 2020, the SC General Assembly and the Governor, passed Act 142, which required
that all students in kindergarten through grade nine be assessed during the first two weeks of the
2020–21 school year in reading and mathematics to identify students needing additional support
and the support to be provided. These same students were required to be assessed prior to the end
of the 2020 calendar year to measure the impact of the interventions provided. The district results
of these pre- and post-assessments were submitted to the SCDE, to evaluate the pandemic’s
impact on student learning and the impact of the interventions on student learning. The SCDE
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vetted a variety of solutions, researching which interim assessments were currently being utilized
by districts in SC, and for purposes of this legislation, approved the five reading and
mathematics assessments.
These familiar solutions provided districts with both a historical data perspective as well as a
continuum of data to reference and compare the status of student learning pre-pandemic to what
is currently taking place in every classroom to date. These assessments were chosen because
each one had the capability to offer a virtual platform for administration, yield valid and reliable
data, and accurately track progress and identified challenges for all students. Moreover, districts
and schools were able to maximize the time needed to comply with the law in an efficient
manner because of their familiarity with these assessments and of the results yielded, and no
additional training was needed for the teachers.
The results from these pre- and post-assessments provided key data about what students know
and understand, as well as showcase topics that the students are having difficulty grasping. To
make these data reviews more digestible and actionable, it was critically important that the
SCDE create for teachers an interactive platform that provides up-to-date information. The
SCDE collaborated with Education Analytics to create the RALLY Tool – a series of interactive
tools that provide timely and comprehensive information about students’ needs. The platform
takes all historical summative and interim assessment data and creates displays for teachers. The
data can be accessed on a student level, classroom level, school and district level. The datasets
are linked to the SC state standards so teachers have specific information about the standards and
domains where students are doing well, and the ones for which they need more reinforcement.
Finally, we are linking this platform to state-supported curricular resources in our growing LOR
we have launched for our school districts using ESSER funds.
5. School Operating Status: It is essential to have data on how students are learning
in order to support the goals of access and equity, especially for student groups
that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Describe
the current status of data collection on operational status and mode of instruction
of all schools in your State. This description must include:
i. A description of to what extent, and how frequently, the State
collects now and will collect in the future data for all schools in your
State on:
a. Mode of instruction: The number of schools in your State that are
offering fully remote or online-only instruction; both
remote/online and in-person instruction (hybrid model); and/or
full-time in-person instruction;
b. Enrollment: Student enrollment for all students and
disaggregated for each of the student groups described in A.3.i-
viii for each mode of instruction; and
c. Attendance: Student attendance for all students and
disaggregated for each of the student groups described in A.3.i-
viii for each mode of instruction.
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In April 2021, the SC General Assembly passed and the Governor signed into law S. 704. This
legislation required that beginning April 26, 2021, every SC public school must offer full-time,
in-person instruction. The legislation also requires that for the 2021–22 school year, every school
district must also offer full-time, in-person instruction. Except for virtual charter schools, all
public schools are abiding by this legislation. In addition, SC has updated its Student Information
System (SIS) to include mode of instruction; enrollment and attendance data have long been
gathered in the system.
ii. The data described in A.5.i.a. and b. using the template in Appendix
A (and to the extent available, the data described in A.5.i.c.) for the
most recent time period available. Please note that this data can be
submitted separately within 14 calendar days after a State submits
this plan. The SEA must also make this data publicly available on its
website as soon as possible but no later than June 21, 2021, and
regularly provide updated available information on its website. The
Department will periodically review data listed in A.5.i on SEA
websites.
The data are provided in Appendix A.
iii. To the extent available, a description of the planned operational
status and mode of instruction for the State and its LEAs for Summer
2021 and for the 2021-2022 school year.
In April 2021, the SC General Assembly passed and the Governor signed into law S. 704. This
legislation required that beginning April 26, 2021, every SC public school must offer full-time,
in-person instruction. The legislation also requires that for the 2021–22 school year, every school
district must also offer full-time, in-person instruction. Every SC public school is abiding by this
legislation and will be offering full-time, in person instruction for the upcoming school year.
B. Safely Reopening Schools and Sustaining their Safe Operations
The Department recognizes that safely reopening schools and sustaining their safe operations
to maximize in-person instruction is essential for student learning and student well-being,
and especially for being able to address the educational inequities that have been worsened
by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this section, SEAs will describe how they will support their
LEAs in this vital area.
1. Support for LEAs: Describe how the SEA will support its LEAs in safely
returning to in-person instruction and sustaining the safe operation of schools.
This description must include:
i. How the SEA will support its LEAs implementing, to the greatest
extent practicable, prevention and mitigation policies in line with the
most up-to-date guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (“CDC”) for the reopening and operation of school
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facilities to effectively maintain the health and safety of students,
educators, and other staff;
Table B1.
Mitigation strategy SCDE’s response
Universal and correct The SCDE under authority provided to the State Superintendent
wearing of masks of Education by the State Board of Education (SBE) required
that face coverings be worn by students and staff aboard school
buses and within school facilities in a policy that reflected
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance.
However, on May 11, 2021, Governor Henry McMaster issued
Executive Order 2021-23 that rendered the policy unenforceable;
it allows students and parents to “opt out” of wearing face
coverings. As a result, the SCDE continues to require face
coverings to be worn by students and staff aboard school buses
and strongly recommends their use within school facilities.
The SCDE provides schools and LEAs with the latest updates
from the CDC and the state’s public health agency, the SC
Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) on
a weekly basis concerning face coverings and other mitigation
strategies. The SCDE created floor and wall graphics for use in
elementary and secondary schools that promote mask wearing
and other mitigation strategies. These graphics were distributed
to all public schools in the state.
Physical distancing In summer 2020, the SCDE created a task force (AccelerateED
(e.g., including use of Task Force) on the reopening of schools that provided schools
cohorts/podding) and LEAs with strategies on how they could best reopen in fall
2020 using social distancing and cohorting, commonly called the
“family model” in SC. Since that time, the SCDE, in cooperation
with SCDHEC, has shared additional information and guidance
on the importance of social distancing, including seating charts
and cohorting.
The SCDE also provided more than $50 million in plexiglas to
LEAs that wanted to bring additional students back for face-to-
face learning and needed a barrier of protection when optimal
social distancing could not be maintained. The SCDE created
floor and wall graphics that promote social distancing and other
mitigation strategies and provided these graphics to all public
elementary and secondary schools in the state.
Handwashing and The graphics the SCDE developed for use in elementary and
respiratory etiquette secondary schools promote proper handwashing, respiratory
etiquette, and other mitigation strategies. The SCDE made these
graphics available to all schools in the state. In partnership with
SCDHEC, the state’s public health agency, the SCDE created
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presentations and materials to educate school personnel and
students on handwashing and respiratory etiquette.
Cleaning and In conjunction with the AccelerateED Task Force, the SCDE
maintaining healthy produced a series of operational recommendations on
facilities, including maintaining clean facilities for schools and LEAs. The SCDE
improving ventilation also entered into a state-level contractual partnership with the
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), the “Back 2
Business” initiative, in which MUSC health experts conduct on-
site and virtual walk-throughs of schools to inform and educate
school building personnel on classroom configurations,
ventilation, and other COVID-19 mitigation strategies. The
SCDE procured custodian and bus driver virtual trainings on
proper cleaning techniques and made these available to schools
and LEAs. The agency provided schools and LEAs with
cleaning equipment and supplies at various points throughout the
school year to ensure equitable access and pricing for all
schools.
The SCDE implemented Remote Virtual Inspections (RVIs) to
facilitate approval of school facility repairs and improvements
while maximizing physical distancing. The SCDE, in
consultation with the SCDHEC, developed a cleaning and
sanitation regimen for the state’s school bus fleet of 5,400 buses
that includes EPA-approved cleaning agents and electrostatic
spraying equipment to ensure the safe transport of students for
in-person instruction.
Contact tracing in School nurses have been receiving guidance on contact tracing,
combination with evolving definitions, and documentation related to quarantine
isolation and and isolation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic from the
quarantine, in SCDE and SCDHEC. The SCDE has presented to school and
collaboration with district leaders on these concepts and local roles and
the State, local, responsibilities.
territorial, or Tribal
health departments
Diagnostic and In fall 2020, the SCDE, in consultation with SCDHEC, made
screening testing Abbott BinaxNOW diagnostic testing available to all schools
and LEAs. The use of BinaxNOW expanded to screening testing
May 3, 2021, for Phase 1 pilots of Epidemiology Laboratory
Capacity (ELC) screening testing programs. The SCDE also
worked with SCDHEC to implement the Increasing Community
Access to Testing (ICATT) screening program in two LEAs.
Efforts to provide The SCDE helped disseminate a School Staff Vaccination
vaccinations to Toolkit created by SCDHEC to help schools and LEAs offer the
educators, other staff, COVID-19 vaccine to faculty and staff. The Toolkit was revised
and students, if in May 2021, to include vaccination events for students age
eligible twelve and up.
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In consultation with SCDHEC, the SCDE required schools and
LEAs to submit vaccination plans and helped connect them with
vaccine providers. The SCDE and SCDHEC led presentations
and created communications to answer frequently asked
questions about the COVID-19 vaccines and promote their use.
The SCDE created a grassroots campaign to promote
vaccinations among school staff, eligible students, and school
communities in rural, high poverty areas where vaccination rates
are low and vaccine hesitancy is high.
Appropriate The AccelerateED Task Force provided guidance specific to
accommodations for students with disabilities related to school operations and
children with COVID-19 policies. The SCDE and SCDHEC encouraged
disabilities with school nurses to use Metered dose inhalers (MDI) instead of a
respect to the health nebulizer for asthma treatments. The SCDE worked with
and safety policies SCDHEC to create guidance on personal protective equipment
(PPE) for nurses and trained staff who work with children with
disabilities.
ii. Any Statewide plans, policies, estimated timelines, and specific
milestones related to reopening and operation of school facilities,
including any mechanisms the SEA will use to track, monitor, or
enforce their implementation;
In April 2021, the SC General Assembly passed and the Governor signed into law S. 704, which
required that beginning April 26, 2021, every SC public school must offer full-time, in-person
instruction. This legislation also requires that for the 2021–22 school year, every LEA must offer
full-time, in-person instruction. Every public school is abiding by this legislation.
The SCDE tracks school operations through an online reporting system that publicly displays the
current operational status of school and LEA operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In collaboration with SCDHEC, the CDC’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC)
school-based COVID-19 screening testing program will initiate as Phase I and Phase II pilots at
selected schools in May 2021, and during the summer of 2021. Phase III will begin August 2021,
when the screening opportunities will be available to all schools and districts. The BinaxNOW
diagnostic testing program will continue while supplies last and alternative tests become
available.
iii. To what extent the SEA and its LEAs consult with Federal, State,
and local health officials. This description should include, if
available, whether the SEA and its LEAs have received support for
screening testing from their State or local health department based
on funding awarded by the CDC; and
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The SCDE and SCDHEC surveyed schools and LEAs on their interest in piloting and
implementing screening testing programs. Pilots are underway and full implementation of
screening testing opportunities will be available to all public schools in August 2021. These
programs will be supported 100 percent by ELC Reopening Schools’ federal funds. Additionally,
the SCDE collaborated with SCDHEC’s school health team to nominate LEAs and two,
Allendale County Schools and Williamsburg County School District, were selected to participate
in the Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program to provide free screening
testing for teachers, staff, and students in communities with high social vulnerability.
iv. Any guidance, professional learning, and technical assistance
opportunities the SEA will make available to its LEAs.
The SCDE, in consultation with SCDHEC, has provided extensive guidance and learning
opportunities to LEAs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic on measures and mitigation
strategies that support reopening and the continuity of operations. The SCDE has dedicated staff
that provide technical assistance and answer questions related to operations during the pandemic
and mitigation techniques. The SCDE also contracted with the Medical University of South
Carolina (MUSC) to provide on-site technical assistance. The SCDE will use ESSER funds to
hire an additional nurse and program assistant to assist the agency’s state-level School Nurse
Consultant to build the capacity of the school-based health services program.
Technical assistance, professional development (in-person as well as via virtual platforms and
modules), and guidance to school nurses will be provided regarding direct COVID-related
responsibilities and development of support structures for recovery from the impact of the
pandemic for years to come. Health services and school based nursing supports will be provided
in areas such as screenings, immunizations, testing, data collection, Clinical Laboratory
Improvement Amendment (CLIA) assistance, and vaccine coordination. Nursing health services
will also provide guidance in social emotional support, suicide prevention skills, threat
assessment skills, conflict resolution, and mental well-being.
2. Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plans: Describe
how the SEA will ensure that its LEAs that receive ARP ESSER funds meet the
requirements in section 2001(i) of the ARP Act and the requirements relating to
the ARP ESSER funds published in the Federal Register and available at
https://oese.ed.gov/offices/american-rescue-plan/american-rescue-plan-
elementary-and-secondary-school-emergency-relief/ (ARP ESSER requirements)
to either: (a) within 30 days of receipt of the funds, develop and make publicly
available on the LEA’s website a plan for the safe return to in-person instruction
and continuity of services, or (b) have developed and made publicly available on
the LEA’s website such a plan that meets statutory requirements before the
enactment of the ARP Act, including:
i. How the SEA will ensure that each LEA plan includes, or will be
modified to include, the extent to which it has adopted policies and a
description of any such policies on each of the strategies listed in
table B1;
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ii. How the SEA will ensure that each LEA plan describes how it will
ensure continuity of services including but not limited to services to
address the students’ academic needs, and students’ and staff social,
emotional, mental health, and other needs, which may include
student health and food services;
iii. How the SEA will ensure that the LEA periodically reviews, no less
frequently than every six months for the duration of the ARP ESSER
grant period (i.e., through September 30, 2023),2 and revises as
appropriate, its plan, and how the SEA will ensure that the LEA
seeks public input, and takes such input into account on (1) whether
revisions are necessary and, if so, (2) the revisions to the plan; and
iv. Describe, to the extent the SEA collects it, information about LEA
implementation, to the greatest extent practicable, of each element of
the most up-to-date CDC guidance listed in table B1 and its LEAs’
needs for support and technical assistance to implement strategies
consistent, to the greatest extent practicable, with relevant CDC
guidance.
The SCDE created a standard template that meets the requirements of the ARP as well as interim
final rule. The form is online here. The SCDE has provided multiple technical assistance and
professional development sessions to LEAs, school leaders, school boards, stakeholders, and the
public on this requirement. Each LEA is required to provide a copy of their completed Safe
Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan (or their previous plan if it was
developed prior to the enactment of the ARP) along with a hyperlink to where the plan is
publicly posted online.
The SCDE will require LEAs to report to the SCDE, at least every six months that it has
reviewed and if appropriate, revised and updated its plan. As referenced previously, S. 704 which
was signed into law, ensures that all LEAs within the state will be offering face-to-face
instruction.
The SCDE, as part of its APR ESSER oversight and monitoring, will follow-up with LEAs to
ensure they are maintaining compliance with these requirements.
C. Planning for the Use and Coordination of ARP ESSER Funds
The Department recognizes that seeking input from diverse stakeholders is essential to
developing plans for the use of ARP ESSER funds that are responsive to the needs of
students, families, and educators. In this section, SEAs will describe their plans for
consultation and for coordinating the use of ARP ESSER funds with other resources to meet
the needs of students.
2
ARP ESSER funds are subject to the Tydings amendment in section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions
Act, 20 U.S.C. 1225(b), and are therefore available to SEAs and LEAs for obligation through September 30, 2024.
Review and revisions of these plans, if necessary, are not required during the Tydings period.
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1. SEA Consultation: Consistent with the ARP ESSER requirements, describe how
the SEA engaged in meaningful consultation with stakeholders, and incorporated
input into its plan, including, but not limited to:
i. students;
ii. families;
iii. Tribes (if applicable);
iv. civil rights organizations (including disability rights organizations);
v. school and district administrators (including special education
administrators);
vi. superintendents;
vii. charter school leaders (if applicable);
viii. teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, and
their unions; and
ix. stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities,
English learners, children experiencing homelessness, children and
youth in foster care, migratory students, children who are
incarcerated, and other underserved students.
The description must include how the SEA provided the public the opportunity to
provide input in the development of the plan, a summary of the input (including
any letters of support), and how the SEA took such input into account.
The SCDE passionately believes that public and stakeholder input, feedback, and ongoing
dialogue is imperative to addressing the needs of schools and districts as they relate to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Not only are these funds being provided by taxpayer dollars giving the
public an inherent interest, local communities, not the state or federal government, know the
resources that are needed in their given area.
In seeking input from diverse stakeholders, the SCDE electronically and via the postal system
sent letters to 70 community and state organizations representing students, families, civil rights
organizations, disability rights organizations, school and district administrators (including charter
school leaders), school board members, teachers, school staff, and stakeholders representing
students with disabilities, experiencing homelessness, in foster care, that are migratory, and with
general vulnerabilities. These organizations for which the SCDE solicited input also have
expertise in the areas of mental health, after school and summer programming, the arts, early
childhood, and career and technical education.
The list of 70 organization for which the SCDE made direct contact and solicited input are:
Able South Carolina;
Afterschool and Community Learning Network;
Arts in Basic Curriculum;
Behavioral Alliance of SC;
Boys and Girls Club of the Upstate;
Carolina Family Engagement Center;
Carolina Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages;
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Charleston Trident Urban League;
Children's Trust of South Carolina;
Clemson Cooperative Extension;
Columbia Urban League;
Communities in Schools Charleston;
Communities in Schools Greenville;
Communities in Schools Midlands;
East Coast Migrant Headstart Project;
Eastern Carolina Housing Organization;
Engaging Creative Minds;
Family Connection of South Carolina;
Family Promise of the Midlands;
Girl Scouts of South Carolina Mountains to Midlands;
Hispanic Alliance;
Homeless No More;
Hope Haven;
Lowcountry Continuum of Care;
Midlands Consortium for the Homeless;
National Alliance on Mental Illness South Carolina;
National Association of Social Workers, South Carolina Chapter;
Palmetto State School Counselor Association;
PASOs;
Public Education Partners- Aiken;
Public Education Partners- Greenville;
S.C. Department of Children's Advocacy;
SC Advisory Council for Educating Students with Disabilities;
SC Early Childhood Advisory Council;
SC Federation Families;
SC Interagency Coordinating Council;
SC Interagency Council on Homelessness;
SC State Housing Finance and Development Authority;
SC Upstate Continuum of Care;
SC Youth Experiencing Homelessness Taskforce;
School Social Workers Association of South Carolina;
Social Emotional Learning Alliance for South Carolina;
South Carolina Afterschool Alliance (SCAA);
South Carolina Agricultural Worker Health Program;
South Carolina Alliance of YMCAs;
South Carolina Arts Alliance;
South Carolina Arts Commission;
South Carolina Association of School Administrators;
South Carolina Association of School Librarians;
South Carolina Association of School Nurses;
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South Carolina Association of School Psychologists;
South Carolina Chamber of Commerce;
South Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics;
South Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics;
South Carolina Child Care Inclusion Collaborative;
South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault;
South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs;
South Carolina Department of Social Services;
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness;
South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance;
South Carolina Parent Teacher Association;
South Carolina School Behavioral Health Alliance;
South Carolina School Board Association;
South Carolina School Improvement Council;
South Carolina State Chapter - Future Business Leaders of America;
South Carolina State Conference NAACP;
South Carolina Technology Student Association;
The South Carolina Education Association; and
Urban League of the Upstate.
To ensure that all South Carolinians were able to provide input on the state’s ARP ESSER plan,
the SCDE created a public comment form and dedicated email address
(communications@ed.sc.gov). The SCDE published the methodology for which the public could
provide input on the front page of the agency website using a graphic banner. The SCDE also
sent out a press release to statewide news media with information as to how the public could join
a May 25, 2021, after work hours virtual public forum where information regarding ARP ESSER
was provided, questions were answered, and public input was received. The press release and
virtual public forum also contained links to the public comment form and dedicated email
address. The virtual public forum was recorded for those that were unable to attend and for later
viewing.
The SCDE intends to continue to solicit public and stakeholder input and feedback once its state
ARP ESSER plan has been submitted and throughout the lifetime of the funds availability to
ensure the state is constantly aware of local needs and can adjust the use of its ARP ESSER
funds to meet any new or changing challenges that may arise.
As of the date of the SCDE’s submission of its ARP ESSER plan, the SCDE has received
responses in the form of written communication, face-to-face and virtual meetings, and phone
conversations from over 40 community and state stakeholder organizations. The SCDE has
received 131 responses to its public comment form and over 100 emails and comments from its
virtual public forum and dedicated email address.
An in-depth review of 36 letters received from diverse stakeholder organizations identifies
consensus that COVID-19 has had significant, detrimental impacts on students in the state,
particularly as it relates to loss of learning and the behavioral, social and emotional health of
22
students (as well as teachers and parents). Concerns are particularly strong among vulnerable
segments such as low-income households, students with disabilities, minorities, English
language learners, the homeless, etc.
While there is agreement that the allocation of ARP ESSER funds should strategically focus on
these factors (loss of learning, social and mental health, and vulnerable student segments),
specific recommendations for how to best identify and address needs are varied. As would be
expected (and appropriate), each party submitting a recommendation advocates for their unique
cause/group. Still, within that context, there are some consistencies in perceptions and
recommendations.
LEARNING LOSS
Supplemental learning opportunities through afterschool and summer enrichment
programs
Recruitment and retention of teachers
Professional development for teachers and educators
Additions to staff relating to academic support services (tutors, interpreters, librarians,
advocates)
Communication with/support for/engagement of parents
IT infrastructure, training, and support
Rounded curriculum (including arts, play, physical education)
SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
Availability of mental health services
Additions to staff relating to medical professionals (nurses, counselors, mental health
professionals)
Implementation of SEL practices
School/community collaboration
Safety
TARGETING VULNERABLE SEGMENTS
School/community collaboration
Grants/funding for existing programs
Additions to staff relating to special needs
The following is a tally of general recommendation topics submitted within the letter contents (in
order of mentions):
Staff additions/academic support (tutors, advocates, librarians, interpreters) (18);
Mental health services (17);
Training/professional development for teachers/educators (13);
Staff additions/medical professionals (counselor, special needs, mental health) (13);
IT infrastructure/devices/technical support (12);
Grants/funding to service providers (11);
Parental training/counseling/support/engagement (10);
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School/community collaboration, professional liaison (9);
Staff/teachers (recruitment, retention) (8);
SEL (specific reference) (8);
Rounded curriculum (arts, PE, play) (7);
Research/assessment/monitoring (6);
Safety (4);
Transportation (3);
Library books and resources (3);
Communication (3);
Nutrition (3);
Staff additions/other (bus drivers, custodians) (2); and
General infrastructure (building repairs/updates) (2).
An in-depth review of the responses received from the state’s ARP ESSER public input form
reveal common concerns and priorities among the public. These include class size/room
crowding/sufficient staffing, academic support/enrichment/remediation/afterschool programs,
student mental health, teacher compensation, safety (including HVAC/filtration), and access to
technology.
Sentiment is also strong for several with regards to: decreasing testing/standards, focusing on
vulnerable segments, availability of district-funded interventionists, decentralized decision-
making/flexibility, the need for parental support/engagement, focus on core competency (reading
and math), and including teachers in the planning and decision-making process.
Specific results by question are as follows.
1. What student needs do you believe the state needs to account for when it comes to the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Mental health – 30%
Crowding/class size/staff shortages – 27%
Academic support/enrichment – 25%
Technology/access to technology – 16%
Emphasis on reading recovery/math – 15%
Vulnerable segments – 9%
Individualized/small group instruction – 9%
Interventionists/funding for – 8%
Resources/books/supplies – 6%
Staff/teacher compensation (salaries/incentives/bonuses) – 6%
Parental support/engagement – 6%
Decrease in testing standards – 4%
Afterschool programs – 3%
Safety (vaccines, masks, sanitizing) – 2%
HVAC/filtration updates – 2%
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Other – 15%
2. How can the SCDE best support schools and districts to sustain safe full in-person
operations next school year?
Crowding/class size/staff shortages – 40%
HVAC/building updates – 22%
Follow CDC/DHEC guidelines/science based – 20%
Sanitizing products/stations/more thorough cleaning - 20%
Return to normalcy – 14%
Vaccines (require/educate/offer) – 11%
Teachers/staff compensation – 6%
Mental health services – 4%
Resources/books/supplies – 4%
Decentralized decision-making – 3%
Technology – 3%
Afterschool programs – 2%
Other – 14%
3. What ideas do you have to address the academic impact of lost instructional time, provide
summer learning and enrichment programs, and provide comprehensive afterschool
programs? How might the state best target these activities towards our most vulnerable
students and those that have been most adversely impact by the pandemic?
Afterschool/weekend programs/fun enrichment/low cost/qualified
instructors/transportation – 33%
Remediation classes/small groups/District-funded
Interventionists – 23%
Crowding/class size/staffing shortage – 18%
Summer programs/camps – 18%
Reading recovery/literacy – 13%
Teachers/staffing/compensation – 10%
Target vulnerable segments – 10%
Mental health services/emotional support – 7%
Reduce testing/standards/paperwork – 5%
Academic support – 4%
Resources/books/supplies – 4%
Attendance policies/options – 3%
Modified schedule/year round school – 2%
Technology/access to technology – 2%
Parental support/engagement – 2%
Other – 16%
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4. How can the SCDE support districts in developing high-quality plans for the use of
district level ARP ESSER funds?
Ask teachers what they need/get recommendations/professional development – 23%
Fund counselors/social workers/mental health – 22%
Decentralized decision-making/allow District flexibility – 18%
Reduce class size/increase staffing – 17%
Non-discretionary funds/ensure funds spent on
evidence-based programs/impact students – 9%
Increase compensation (salaries, incentives, bonuses) – 8%
More parental input/support – 8%
Technology/access to technology – 5%
More interventionists/funded by District – 3%
Summer camps/fun enrichment activities/transportation – 3%
Target vulnerable segments – 3%
Air quality/filters/HVAC – 2%
Adequately supply classrooms with supplies – 2%
Reading recovery/reading intervention – 2%
Do not let politics dictate – 2%
Other – 19%
5. How can the SCDE best support current educators as they work to address student
academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs? How can the SCDE work to recruit
a diverse pool of educators to fill vacancies and new positions related to the pandemic?
Increase compensation/benefits (salaries/incentives/bonuses, loan forgiveness,
healthcare) – 65%
Show support/respect/appreciation/involve in decision-making – 27%
Reduce class size/address staff shortages – 24%
Reduce paperwork/testing – 15%
More mental health support in schools – 12%
Improve recruitment efforts/highlight benefits of
profession/target retirees/colleges – 10%
Protect planning time – 9%
Support teacher retention – 6%
Elect governor/lawmakers that support education – 5%
More interventionists/funded by District – 5%
Quality leadership/staff – 3%
Fully funded education/adequate supplies – 3%
Focus on what is best for all students – 2%
Parental support/engagement – 2%
Other – 12%
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These findings reflect the perceptions and opinions of 131 key stakeholders, including teachers
(76 of the sample), parents (31), taxpayers (13), administrators (6), and students (4). Except for
teachers, sample sizes are too small to be statistically representative or projectable; rather, please
regard them as directional indicators of sentiment of individual stakeholder groups.
In addition, while this feedback has been coded for identification of commonalities and ease of
review, many respondents provided detailed, thoughtful responses. The SCDE staff read
individual responses to enrich the understanding of stakeholder positions.
The SCDE used and continues to use the input of stakeholders and all South Carolinians to drive
its decision-making. The letters from organizations representing our state’s diverse
demographics and input from the public through the feedback form and direct written
communication provide clear indicators as to the needs of those who work in our schools, live in,
and interact with our school communities. The SCDE considered this input when drafting the
priorities and how the state will use ARP ESSER funding.
2. Coordinating Funds: Describe to what extent the SEA has and will coordinate
Federal COVID-19 pandemic funding and other Federal funding. This description
must include:
i. How the SEA and its LEAs 1) are using or have used prior to the
submission of this plan and 2) plan to use following submission of
this plan, Federal COVID-19 funding under the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and the CRRSA Act
to support a safe return to and safely maximize in-person instruction,
sustain these operations safely, and address the disproportionate
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individual student groups
(including students from low-income families, children with
disabilities, English learners, racial or ethnic minorities, students
experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and
migratory students);
At the SEA level, the SCDE has been and will continue to coordinate all funds provided under
the CARES, CRRSA, and ARP Acts through its Division of Federal Programs, Accountability
and School Improvement (FPASI). The FPASI Division oversees all programs authorized under
the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In spring 2021, the SCDE created a new
organizational unit, the Office of Emergency Programs, within the FPASI Division. The chief
responsibilities of the Office of Emergency Programs will be to administer programs and funds
provided under the CARES, CRRSA, and ARP Acts. All LEAs have used funds to meet a
variety of needs to return to in-person instruction, given the passage of S. 704. As such ESSER
funding has been used to meet additional and changing needs.
27
Table C1.
Funding source Prior/current SEA and LEA Planned SEA and LEA uses
uses (including funding (including funding amounts, if
amounts, if applicable) applicable)
CARES Act ESSER The SCDE has obligated all of Remaining state-level funds
its ESSER I funds, and has will be used for procurements
expended roughly $13,155,386 with the LOR, developing
of state-level funds as of June materials for the LOR, and for
15, 2021. Approximately 65 continued licenses for LMS
percent was used to support or systems.
address data and technology
needs, including standing up a LEAs primarily allocated their
LOR and procuring licenses subgrant funds for PPE and
for LMS for LEAs. Roughly sanitation supplies, educational
one-quarter of the state-level technology, and other uses to
activity funds were or are ensure the continuity of
being used for curriculum and operations. LEAs plan to spend
instruction, including $9,899,396.52 to provide
developing materials for the principals and school leaders
LOR. Approximately six with resources for individual
percent of funds were used for schools. $9,897,759.58 will be
supplies and materials. used to develop and implement
procedures to improve
To date, LEAs have expended preparedness for emergencies.
the majority of the ESSER I LEAs plan to spend
allocation on the following $28,672,092.37 in PPE and
allowable activities: sanitation supplies. An
developing and implementing additional $62,125,944.35 is
procedures and systems to planned to be spent to provide
improve preparedness and schools with educational
response efforts, PPE and technology. $58,747,453.53
sanitation supplies, educational will be expended on other
technology and other activities activities necessary to maintain
necessary to maintain the operation of and continuity
operations and continuity of of services.
services. Eighty percent of
total expended funds to date The remaining 14 percent of
have been to fund the the SCDE’s allocation to LEAs
previously listed activities. The will be spent in the remaining
remaining funds have been allowable uses of activities.
spent on the unlisted allowable
activities under ESSER I.
CARES Act GEER Charter Schools: The SC Expansion of 4K – the SCDE
Public Charter School District was awarded $2,000,000 to
28
Funding source Prior/current SEA and LEA Planned SEA and LEA uses
uses (including funding (including funding amounts, if
amounts, if applicable) applicable)
and the Charter Institute at provide in-person, expanded
Erskine are the two statewide day or summer programs in
charter school authorizers in public schools for four-year-
SC. As part of how the olds eligible for the full day
Governors Education 4K program in SC.
Emergency Relief (GEER) Additionally, SC First Steps
funds were used, the SC was awarded $5,000,000 to
Governor’s Office designated provide similar services in
$9,000,000 for educational private 4K provider programs.
services for students in charter
schools. In school year 2020– Coordinating Council for
21, student enrollment in the Workforce Development: The
two LEAs increased 25 percent Coordinating Council is a state
due to COVID-19. Funds may council chaired by the SC
be expended for the following Secretary of Commerce; it
costs: PPE, instructional includes the State
salaries, substitute pay, Superintendent of Education
technology, etc. The LEA may and staff, representatives from
also retain up to two percent higher education and business,
for district administration and representatives from the
costs. Although these funds SC Department of
have been obligated, as of Employment and Workforce.
April 30, 2021, no funds have The Governor awarded
been expended for this area. $1,500,000 to the Coordinating
Council to implement the SC
SC Department of Juvenile Workforce Journey’s Initiative
Justice (DJJ) – The Governor that will provide career
awarded $12,054,124 to DJJ to exploration and job
be invested in evidence-based, preparation; funds will allow
community-based, juvenile 30,000 individuals to take an
delinquency prevention assessment to measure soft
interventions targeting at-risk skills and core competencies
youth. These interventions will for entry and mid-skill jobs.
include the areas of
Multisystemic Therapy and
Functional Family Therapy.
Funds will also be used to
expand summer programs
through a partnership with the
SCAA, especially in rural
areas of the state. These funds
will also help implement full-
time mentoring programs in
29
Funding source Prior/current SEA and LEA Planned SEA and LEA uses
uses (including funding (including funding amounts, if
amounts, if applicable) applicable)
public schools for the 2021–22
school year.
CRRSA Act ESSER The SCDE has contracted with The SCDE has a robust plan to
(ESSER II) school facilities vendors to support LEAs and much of this
assist LEAs in facility repair work extends and expands
and improvements as well as state-level activities initiated
indoor air quality projects. with ESSER I funds. Roughly
LEAs have been spending $52 million in state-level funds
funds for summer activities is budgeted for curriculum and
and programs to address instructional activities to
learning loss. targeted LEAs to assist them
with students most impacted
by COVID-19.
Roughly $11 million is
reserved for data and
technology needs to 1) analyze
data to understand better the
impact the pandemic has had
and continues to have; and 2)
ensure data systems are up-to-
date.
Another $11 million is
budgeted for activities for
engagement – inclusive of
students, parents, and
communities – with the goal of
re-engaging students and
families back to school.
Approximately $5 million is
budgeted for health and safety
activities, including activities
to address the social and
emotional needs of students.
With respect to LEAs, the vast
majority of funds are being
budgeted and expended for
activities to address learning
loss, school facility repairs,
and indoor air quality projects
(roughly 70 percent of
budgeted funds) to ensure and
enable the safe return to in-
person instruction.
30
Funding source Prior/current SEA and LEA Planned SEA and LEA uses
uses (including funding (including funding amounts, if
amounts, if applicable) applicable)
CRRSA Act GEER As of June 15, 2021, no GEER II As of June 15, 2021, no GEER II
(GEER II) funds have been awarded. funds have been awarded.
ii. To what extent ESSER I and ESSER II funds have been awarded to
LEAs and, if funds have not yet been made available to LEAs, when
they will be. In addition, please provide any available information on
the total dollar amounts of ESSER I and ESSER II funds that have
been obligated but not expended by the SEA and its LEAs, including
whether the SEA is able to track LEA obligations.
All ESSER I funds have been awarded to LEAs, which reflects the 90 percent flow-through of
funds. Of the ESSER I amounts awarded, $124,486,260.52 has been expended and claimed by
LEAs as of June 15, 2021. With respect to ESSER II, all funds have been obligated, and
$2,487,156.84 have been expended as of June 15, 2021. The half of one percent used for
administrative costs is still being utilized to pay for ESSER-related staff’s time and effort, as
well as fringe costs.
Regarding ESSER II funds, 76 of 80 LEAs have received subawards; LEAs were required to
submit an application that included a budget and details on how they planned to expend funds.
The remaining four LEAs are finalizing their ESSER II applications, so that all ESSER II funds
will be awarded by August 15, 2021.This process enabled the SCDE to ensure that LEAs
intending to use funds for activities to address learning loss had aligned those activities with
other academic learning loss activities. Likewise, for LEAs planning to use funds for facilities
repairs and indoor air quality improvement projects, their applications provided the SCDE with
information that allowed its Office of Facilities to determine the alteration level (and determine
whether architectural plans or permits were needed) and give prior approval.
iii. In supporting LEAs as they plan for the safe return to and continuity
of in-person instruction and for meeting the academic, social,
emotional, and mental health needs of students resulting from the
COVID-19 pandemic, the extent to which the SEA is also using
other Federal funding sources including but not limited to under the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (“ESEA”), IDEA,
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (“WIOA”), funding for
child nutrition services, and McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
Act, and the funds to support the needs of students experiencing
homelessness provided by section 2001(b)(1) of the ARP Act.3
3
Please note that the needs of students experiencing homelessness must be addressed (along with the other groups
disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic) through the use of the ARP ESSER SEA reservations and
the required LEA reservation for the academic impact of lost instructional time; the funding provided to support the
needs of students experiencing homelessness by section 2001(b)(1) of the ARP Act is in addition to the supports and
services provided with ARP ESSER funds.
31
The SCDE will continue to provide clear guidance to assist LEAs in engaging a broad and
diverse set of stakeholders; identifying data to drive decisions; and setting priorities to ensure
funding is targeted to students who need it most. Technical assistance to LEAs will be
coordinated across program offices at the SCDE to ensure coordination of programs, initiatives,
and use of funds. This coordination across SCDE offices will ensure LEAs are able to create safe
and equitable learning environments and provide whole child supports, particularly for those
students most impacted by the pandemic.
With respect to funds from the ESEA and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the
SCDE’s Office of Federal and State Accountability (OFSA) revised processes to meet the needs
of LEAs during the pandemic. For example, the OFSA worked closely with LEAs to revise
subgrant budgets, provide professional development, and conduct monitoring activities via
digital platforms. By doing so, this supported LEAs by not having to use precious time with
instruction (e.g., by setting aside time for professional development or meeting onsite with
SCDE staff for monitoring). In addition, some of the initiatives undertaken with ESEA state-
level funds created a venue for expansion with ESSER I funds, including working with districts
with the most need. School improvement funds also were revisited during the pandemic to allow
districts to review the best use of funds in meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs
within the changed context COVID-19 created. In addition, the SCDE has used state-level ESSA
funds to support LEAs with low achievement in ELA and math, which continued from the 2019–
20 school year.
With respect to IDEA funds, the SCDE’s Office of Special Education Services (OSES) likewise
revised processes similar to the OFSA. Furthermore, in summer 2020, the OSES, using IDEA
state-level funds, provided supplemental grants to LEAs to ensure that students’ needs were
being met. In fact, early on in the pandemic, the SCDE created and supported the need for
districts to ensure that LEAs were meeting their obligations under the IDEA for special
education and related services as outlined in a memorandum issued May 4, 2020. Throughout the
summer 2020 into the fall, bimonthly conference calls were held with all LEA special education
directors to attend to unique needs arising in meeting the needs of students with disabilities. The
OSES used other state-level IDEA funds for contracts with partner organizations to provide
support to LEAs for students with disabilities.
In supporting LEAs as they plan for the safe return to and continuity of in-person instruction and
for meeting the academic needs of students resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the SCDE’s
Office of Adult Education (OAE) is using funds from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (WIOA), to aid in the recruitment of students, and to provide digital literacy training for
local adult education practitioners as a part of the professional development process.
Prior to the pandemic, all student registration into local adult education programs was completed
face-to-face. When schools closed and were only working with students through distance
education, new students were locked out of adult education. The OAE contracted with a
company to develop an online registration process that allowed providers to register and bring
new students into adult education virtual classrooms.
The digital literacy class was developed internally and is delivered virtually through the College
of Charleston as a graduate level course for local adult education practitioners for the purpose of
improving in-class and online teaching, learning, professional development, productivity, and
32
system efficiencies. The course has been offered twice since summer 2020 and its participants
can now perform the following tasks as a result of the class:
1. Integrate digital literacy resources into instruction to assist students in finding,
evaluating, organizing, creating, and communicating information.
2. Integrate strategies into instruction to assist adult education students in finding,
evaluating, organizing, creating, and communicating information.
3. Integrate strategies that build resilience in adult education students.
4. Use digital resources for professional learning and development.
During the pandemic, the SCDE completed a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a consolidated,
online grants management system. The system, when procured, will streamline federal program
subgrant applications, grant awards, reporting, and monitoring that will enable LEAs and the
SCDE to manage funds in a more efficient, streamlined approach, and reduce administrative
burden so as to better support LEAs. The implementation of this new grants management system
will begin in 2021–22, and is being funded by ESEA, IDEA, WIOA, Perkins, and other non-
emergency administrative funds.
D. Maximizing State-Level Funds to Support Students
The Department recognizes that States have an extraordinary opportunity to address the
disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on underserved students through the
ARP Act’s required State set-asides to address the academic impact of lost instructional time,
provide summer learning and enrichment programs, and provide comprehensive afterschool
programs. In this section, SEAs will describe their evidence-based strategies for these
resources.
1. Academic Impact of Lost Instructional Time: Describe how the SEA will use the
funds it reserves under section 2001(f)(1) of the ARP Act (totaling not less than 5
percent of the State’s total allocation of ARP ESSER funds) on evidence-based
interventions to address the academic impact of lost instructional time by
supporting the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer
learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool
programs, or extended school year programs, and ensure that such interventions
respond to students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. The
description must include:
i. A description of the evidence-based interventions (e.g., providing
intensive or high-dosage tutoring, accelerating learning) the SEA has
selected, and the extent to which the SEA will evaluate the impact of
those interventions on an ongoing basis to understand if they are
working;
The SCDE plans to use a portion of the state’s total allocation of ARP ESSER funds to provide
training and instructional materials to schools where 33 percent or more of 3rd graders scored in
the lowest performance level, Does Not Meet (DNM), on the 2019 state summative assessment,
SC READY, English language arts (ELA) Assessment. The training and materials must meet
evidenced-based criteria in the science of reading.
33
Learning loss in one academic area affects all others. Conversely, an interdisciplinary approach
that implements the arts strengthens learning in other content areas, including ELA and math
(Investigating Causal Effects Study; Critical Evidence Study). The arts allow students to
experience language repetition, grow in fluency, internalize content, and increase
comprehension. To this end, the SCDE will provide funds directly to the SC Arts Commission
(SCAC) to ameliorate for lost learning opportunities in the arts and to support acceleration in key
content areas. In partnership, the SCAC and the SCDE will establish a Fine Arts career pathway
that meets the criteria for SC’s College and Career Readiness accountability indicators and
strengthens the competencies and skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. This
collaboration with the SCAC will increase access to quality arts education, develop arts-rich
learning environments, build and support infrastructure for arts learning at the LEA level, and
research and develop new and innovative practices. State-level funds will be provided directly to
the SCAC via an interagency agreement. The SCAS, working with the SCDE, will target and
provide services directly to those LEAs most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SCDE will work with partner organizations and LEAs to support and provide high-dosage
tutoring to students, who data illustrates, have been most impacted by COVID-19. This includes
services in all grade levels and in all content areas. The SCDE’s work will be guided by best
practices in core areas, including the tutoring frequency, group size, tutoring focus, curriculum
(tied to classroom content), scheduling, safety, and subject and grade prioritization.
SC’s youngest learners were significantly impacted by the pandemic, particularly those in under-
served areas of the state. In partnership with SC First Steps to School Readiness (First Steps), the
SCDE will use ARP ESSER funds to transition students into pre-kindergarten and kindergarten,
recruit and retain pre-kindergarten teachers, engage parents, and monitor the physical and mental
health of early learners through early identification and referrals to appropriate medical care.
Interim assessment data indicate a loss in math achievement in upper elementary and middle
school. Grade distribution data highlights an increase in the number of students failing high
school math courses. To address the learning loss in math, the SCDE will procure and upload
math interventions into the LOR which will be available to all middle and high school
classrooms in the state. The interventions to be procured will compliment and existing statewide
elementary math intervention.
To assist students with a seamless transition to post-secondary education, the SCDE will partner
with the SC Commission on Higher Education (CHE) and the SC Technical College Board to
develop innovative pathways to post-secondary education and reducing the number of students
needing remediation in their freshman year.
Further, because of school closures and the pandemic’s impact on families and businesses across
the state, thousands of South Carolina citizens who were adult education students disconnected
from the educational process. Adult education saw a forty-two percent decrease in the number of
students served over the last two school years. Many students disconnected because of the lack
of distance education platforms and processes for handling remediation needs of students
virtually. To close the learning loss gap, the SCDE will engage local communities in identifying
34
adults who have stopped attending adult education and assist local providers in serving them
through an online platform for equitable access to earning a General Educational Development
(GED) diploma. Online as well as in-person counseling will be provided to ensure that adult
learners have a smooth transition to the adult virtual learning environment and are equipped for
the education and training needed for the workforce.
Over the past year, the SCDE’s virtual instruction program, Virtual SC, has seen a significant
increase in the number of courses requested by high school students. To meet the demand, the
SCDE plans to expand the course offerings of Virtual SC which will assist with on-time
graduation and an equitable access of opportunities to students in the underserved areas of the
state. Using ESSER I funding, Virtual SC began offering middle school courses during the
pandemic. The SCDE will continue to provide technical support to ensure these courses are
delivered, retained, and stored properly.
Interim assessment data also indicate that the learning loss of our multilingual learners escalated
as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To help multilingual learners recover from the loss, the
SCDE will provide a focus on improving access to quality multilingual learners instruction. By
developing a cohesive, statewide data system, multilingual learners’ teachers will have timely
and accurate data to plan for personalized needs of multilingual learners. Additionally, the SCDE
will develop a statewide model that emphasizes differentiating instruction through content in all
classroom settings. The intent of the statewide model is to build greater capacity in teachers to
delivery effective, results oriented instruction to ML students as well as ensure engagement of
multilingual learners during instruction.
The SCDE will use funding for SEL, a recommendation of the AccelerateED Task Force, by
developing a MTSS to impact the needs of all learners. An education associate was hired through
ESSER II funds and will focus on support of tier one SEL instruction for all students. ARP
ESSER funds will be used to identify evidence-based curricula and instructional materials that
can be accessed and integrated in all classrooms. Professional development will be provided
through the state’s LOR, the Instruction Hub, as well as face-to-face and virtual delivery. To
meet the needs of tier two and three, multiple offices and divisions within the SCDE along with
key external partners will provide LEAs with evidence-based strategies and referrals to services
that can provide support to the student and their families.
The COVID-19 pandemic also escalated the need to recruit and retain quality teachers,
specifically in underserved and low performing areas of the state. To address this critical need,
the SCDE will collaborate with institutes of higher education, LEAs, and the Center for Educator
Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) to develop a pipeline of new talent with a
specific focus on attracting minorities to the classroom. The collaboration will include support to
the Call Me MISTER® (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) Initiative,
strengthening LEA teacher cadet programs, and broadening the support for the SC Teaching
Fellows program. In addition, the SCDE will focus on launching innovative pathways for
entering the teaching profession and will develop a communication platform to inform
stakeholders of various pathways for becoming a teacher. The SCDE also recognizes the
opportunity to develop and recruit talent through afterschool programs across the state.
35
To ensure the most promising, evidenced-based practices are implemented, the SCDE will
collaborate with Marzano Research to establish an infrastructure and professional development
system to establish replicable data on evidence-based interventions in a teacher-friendly
environment. With this partnership, the SCDE will engage LEAs to conduct action research on
practices that show evidence of increased student performance. These practices and results will
be published and made available to teachers and administrators for the purpose of replicating the
most promising interventions.
ii. How the evidence-based interventions will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of students,
including each of the student groups listed in question A.3.i.-viii.
When possible, please indicate which data sources the SEA will use
to determine the impact of lost instructional time; and
Using the RALLY Tool and state summative assessment data, the SCDE will identify students in
all subgroups who are scoring below proficiency and need annual growth as well as accelerated
growth. The RALLY Tool uses historical summative assessments and interim assessments to
predict scores if COVID-19 had not occurred, so it provides strong insight on the impact of the
pandemic on learning loss. Evidence-based strategies for each subgroup will be aligned to the
specific needs of each group of students to ensure equity and access.
iii. The extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify
and engage 1) students who have missed the most in-person
instruction during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years; and 2)
students who did not consistently participate in remote instruction
when offered during school building closures.
The SCDE will continue its collaboration with ENGAGE SC in identifying students who missed
significant amounts of in-person and remote instructional time. The collaboration will focus on
including disengaged students in the SCDE’s learning loss strategies.
The SCDE operates a statewide school bus transportation system with 5,600 school buses. Buses
are assigned to LEAs based on various factors, such as student ridership, fueling infrastructure,
and route complexity. The SCDE will use ARP ESSER funds to extend student-learning
opportunities while riding school buses.
The SCDE will use funds to equip 500 state-owned school buses with Wi-Fi capabilities to serve
rural and vulnerable communities. Enhanced Wi-Fi routers will be installed on buses that will be
assigned to eligible communities, depending on community geography, economic status,
community Wi-Fi connectivity capacity, and average student ride time, amongst other
considerations. Once activated, this enhanced Wi-Fi system will provide internet access for
multiple simultaneous users/students and will access multiple cellular providers serving these
geographic areas. The system can be used while students are on board the bus and can also be
used as mobile Wi-Fi hotspots in the community.
36
2. Evidence-Based Summer Learning and Enrichment Programs: Describe how the
SEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(f)(2) of the ARP Act
(totaling not less than 1 percent of the State’s total allocation of ARP ESSER
funds) for evidence-based summer learning and enrichment programs, including
those that begin in Summer 2021, and ensure such programs respond to students’
academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. The description must
include:
i. A description of the evidence-based programs that address the
academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of students
(e.g., providing intensive or high-dosage tutoring, accelerating
learning) the SEA has selected, and the extent to which the SEA will
evaluate the impact of those programs;
In collaboration with the SCAC, the SCDE will invite LEAs to include in summer programs
innovative enrichment interventions that are aligned to the SC College- and Career-Ready
Standards for English Language Arts and for Mathematics. The goal of the evidence-based
interventions is to further accelerate learning for students to reach grade level proficiency and
reduce the number of retentions. The SCDE is not providing funds directly to LEAs for summer
programs. The SCDE will collaborate with the SCAC through an inter-agency agreement who
will provide innovative summer enrichment programs to students disproportionately impacted by
COVID-19. The inter-agency agreement requires the SCAC to partner with LEAs and
community-based arts’ organization to provide summer programs that address academic and
social and emotional learning needs. Research found in Arts Ed Search, National Assembly of
State Arts Agencies, and American Institutes for Research will be used by the SCAC,
community organizations, and LEAs to plan summer programs using arts-based education to
accelerate learning in academic and social / emotional areas. Priority will be given to students
with chronic absences, were reported as disengaged during remote instruction, low performance
on state interim and summative assessments, high percentage of failing classroom grades, and
referrals to local and state agencies for mental health concerns.
The SCDE will collaborate with First Steps to offer summer learning opportunities to rising pre-
kindergarten and kindergarten students as a transition to the early childhood learning
environment. To increase family awareness of kindergarten expectations, create positive home-
school relationships, and ensure smooth transitions to school, connections will be made to
students’ soon-to-be teachers for one-on-one home visits and school visits. The one-on-one visits
will include learning activities for students that will better ensure school readiness.
The SCDE will use summer learning to collaborate with the CHE and the SC Technical College
System to employ post-secondary students as summer teaching interns. Participating students
will receive a stipend for their work and summer tuition costs. This summer teaching intern
program will be an opportunity to engage with post-secondary students about the necessary steps
to earn teacher certification and develop a pipeline for preparing such students to become
certified teachers. The tuition costs will cover coursework to prepare post-secondary students to
deliver high quality, evidence-based instruction in afterschool and summer learning
opportunities. Using post-secondary students will also provide much needed assistance in
meeting the shortage of providers to meet afterschool and summer vacancies in school districts.
37
These students, along with the relative institute of higher education, will be identified and
assigned to schools and districts that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, and
will work with those students (including certain subgroups) most impacted by the pandemic.
The SCDE also will generate summer learning opportunities for high school students to connect
with post-secondary institutions and earn dual credit in areas of student interest. Through career
counseling, students will be made aware of the post-secondary entry requirements, access to
programs of interest, and opportunities for employment. Participation in a career training
program will be required as part of the summer learning program.
The SCDE will evaluate summer learning and enrichment programs through a random sample of
site visits and an external evaluation that will include an analysis of pre- and post-assessment
data. Education associates employed by the SCDE will be placed in five regions throughout the
state to monitor, provide feedback, and provide redirection if necessary.
ii. How the evidence-based programs will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of students,
including each of the student groups listed in question A.3. i.--viii.
When possible, please indicate which data sources the SEA will use
to identify students most in need of summer learning and enrichment
programs; and
Using the RALLY Tool and state summative assessment data, the SCDE will identify students in
all subgroups who are scoring below proficiency and need annual growth as well as accelerated
growth. The RALLY Tool uses historical summative assessments and interim assessments to
predict scores if COVID-19 had not occurred, so it provides strong insight on the impact of the
pandemic on learning loss. The summer programs outlined by the SCDE provide a strategic
focus to underserved students and those impacted most by COVID-19, beginning in pre-
kindergarten with preparation for school readiness, through post-secondary with ensuring on-
time graduation and transition into the workforce.
iii. The extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify
and engage 1) students who have missed the most in-person
instruction during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years; and 2)
students who did not consistently participate in remote instruction
when offered during school building closures.
The SCDE will continue its collaboration with ENGAGE SC to identify students who missed
significant amounts of in-person and remote instructional time. The collaboration will focus on
including disengaged students in the SCDE summer learning opportunities.
3. Evidence-Based Comprehensive Afterschool Programs: Describe how the SEA
will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(f)(3) of the ARP Act (totaling
not less than 1 percent of the State’s total allocation of ARP ESSER funds) for
evidence-based comprehensive afterschool programs (including, for example,
before-school programming), and ensure such programs respond to students’
38
academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs. The description must
include:
i. A description of the evidence-based programs (e.g., including
partnerships with community-based organizations) the SEA has
selected, and the extent to which the SEA will evaluate the impact of
those programs:
The SCDE will provide funds directly to the SCAA to enable them to implement afterschool
programs designed to address academic learning loss and meet the following criteria:
1. Are based on youth development principles;
2. Provide opportunities for remediation and acceleration;
3. Explicitly build on or supplements instruction that is occurring during the school day;
4. Are staffed with certified educators or “educators in training”;
5. Maintain a student-to-staff ratio that does not exceed 15:1;
6. Operate a minimum of three days per week;
7. Provide 50-60 minutes of academic instruction/tutoring, beyond homework help, in
literacy and math; and
8. Incorporate activities/services proven to address the SEL and mental health needs of
students.
Through its partnership with the SCAA, these programs will be evaluated to ensure fidelity of
implementation.
ii. How the evidence-based programs will specifically address the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on certain groups of students,
including each of the student groups listed in question A.3.i.-viii.
When possible, please indicate which data sources the SEA will use
to identify students most in need of comprehensive afterschool
programming; and
Using the RALLY Tool and state summative assessment data, the SCDE will identify students in
all subgroups who are scoring below proficiency and need annual growth as well as accelerated
growth. The RALLY Tool used historical summative assessments and interim assessments to
predict scores if COVID-19 had not occurred; therefore, it provides strong insight on the impact
of the pandemic on learning loss. Evidence-based strategies for each subgroup will be aligned to
the specific needs of each group of students to ensure equity and access. The subgroup data,
when coupled with applicable evidence practices implemented with fidelity will respond to those
students most impacted by COVID-19.
iii. the extent to which the SEA will use funds it reserves to identify and
engage 1) students who have missed the most in-person instruction
during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years; and 2) students
who did not consistently participate in remote instruction when
offered during school building closures.
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The SCDE will continue its collaboration with ENGAGE SC in identifying students who missed
significant amounts of in-person and remote instructional time. The collaboration will focus on
including disengaged students in afterschool programs.
4. Emergency Needs: If the SEA plans to reserve funds for emergency needs under
section 2001(f)(4) of the ARP Act to address issues responding to the COVID-19
pandemic, describe the anticipated use of those funds, including the extent to
which these funds will build SEA and LEA capacity to ensure students’ and
staff’s health and safety; to meet students’ academic, social, emotional, and
mental health needs; and to use ARP ESSER funds to implement evidence-based
interventions.
The SCDE will reserve a proportion of its ARP ESSER funds to supplement $85 million of state
funding to be set aside for facility upgrades of small, rural, and high poverty LEAs with aging
buildings. This is an opportune time to target and maximize use of state appropriations, a portion
of the SCDE’s ARP ESSER allocation and portions of LEAs’ ESSER and other local funding for
facility improvements in some of the neediest districts. The SCDE will subgrant a portion of its
allocation to various LEA capital improvement and construction projects leading to safer, more
efficient school buildings. School and facility renovations, improvements, and upgrades will also
mitigate the spread of COVID-19. These funds will support, among other things, capital projects
for additional classrooms or spaces that facilitate physical distancing, projects that improve
indoor air quality, heating system upgrades, ventilation and window replacements, and air
conditioning systems. Depending on the age of buildings, the condition of building systems and
equipment, costs related to code compliance, and other factors, these shared funding sources
could be more effectively used, when feasible, for new construction or building replacement
instead of building renovations.
Additional emergency ARP ESSER funding will be used to enhance web-based applications
used to collect data on capital needs and track the status of projects. Funds also will be used to
procure contractors and design professionals to assist in reviewing design plans and inspecting
projects; this assistance is needed to comply with state requirements that certain school
renovation or new construction projects conform to the latest Building Code standards and
specifications in the SC Facilities Planning and Construction Guide.
E. Supporting LEAs in Planning for and Meeting Students’ Needs
The Department recognizes that the safe return to in-person instruction must be accompanied
by a focus on meeting students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs, and by
addressing the opportunity gaps that existed before – and were exacerbated by – the
pandemic. In this section, SEAs will describe how they will support their LEAs in
developing high-quality plans for LEAs’ use of ARP ESSER funds to achieve these
objectives.
1. LEA Plans for the Use of ARP ESSER Funds: Describe what the SEA will
require its LEAs to include in LEA plans consistent with the ARP ESSER
requirements for the use of ARP ESSER funds, how the SEA will require such
plans to be made available to the public, and the deadline by which the LEA must
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submit its ARP ESSER plan (which must be a reasonable timeline and should be
within no later than 90 days after receiving its ARP ESSER allocation). The LEA
plans must include, at a minimum:
i. The extent to which and how the funds will be used to implement
prevention and mitigation strategies that are, to the greatest extent
practicable, in line with the most recent CDC guidance, in order to
continuously and safely operate schools for in-person learning;
ii. How the LEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(e)(1)
of the ARP Act (totaling not less than 20 percent of the LEA’s total
allocation of ARP ESSER funds) to address the academic impact of
lost instructional time through the implementation of evidence-based
interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment,
extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended
school year programs;
iii. How the LEA will spend its remaining ARP ESSER funds consistent
with section 2001(e)(2) of the ARP Act; and
iv. How the LEA will ensure that the interventions it implements,
including but not limited to the interventions under section
2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act to address the academic impact of lost
instructional time, will respond to the academic, social, emotional,
and mental health needs of all students, and particularly those
students disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,
including students from low-income families, students of color,
English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing
homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory
students.
The ARP ESSER application package that all SC LEAs must submit by August 24, 2021, will
contain:
1. An application with contact information for each LEA;
2. An ARP ESSER Plan;
3. A detailed Spending Plan; and
4. A GEPA Statement.
Consistent with the ARP Act and guidance from the USED, the SCDE issued subawards to
LEAs within 60 days of receiving the state’s grant award (i.e., on May 24, 2021); included with
the subaward for signature were ARP ESSER-specific Assurances and the SCDE’s Assurances
and Terms and Conditions for Federal Subawards.
LEAs will complete their ARP ESSER Plan using an accessible PDF form document for the
LEA to provide narrative and information on:
1. ESSER Budget Overview
a. Funding amounts – both the total subaward amount the LEA receives and the
required 20 percent set-aside for learning loss;
b. How funds will be used for prevention and mitigation strategies; and
c. a high-level Budget (i.e., budget summary) by all categories and the 20 percent
set-aside for learning loss.
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2. Activities to Address Learning Loss
Each LEA submitted an Academic Recovery Plan to the SCDE in May 2021, that
detailed goals, strategies, and evidence-based interventions they will implement to
address the academic and social/emotional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather
than requiring LEAs to “re-invent the wheel” and create a new plan for ESSER, the
SCDE is requiring that LEAs align their planned ESSER activities with their Academic
Recovery Plan to address learning loss.
3. Activities for Other ESSER Funds
LEAs will describe planned activities for the remainder of their funds, by category.
4. Evaluation and Review
LEAs must describe how the interventions it implements address the academic and
social/emotional/mental health impact that COVID-19 has, and continues to have on
students and staff, including students most impacted by the pandemic.
5. Consultation and Public Input
LEAs must describe how they obtained public input on their ESSER plans, and describe
the specific groups of constituents from whom the input was obtained. LEAs must also
include how they used the input in the development of their plans.
6. Assurances
In the plan form, LEAs must check each of the assurances. When subawards were issued
to LEAs on May 24, 2021, each LEA received the ARP ESSER-specific Assurances in a
document requiring signature by their superintendent and chief financial officer. LEAs
are required to return this signed document with the signed copy of the LEA’s subaward.
An LEA must post their ESSER plan publicly on its website; SCDE staff will confirm each
LEA’s public posting of their plan.
To accompany its ARP ESSER plan, each LEA must complete a detailed spending plan that
indicates by category, by function, and by object code the budget for their full ARP ESSER
subaward. As part of its spending plan, an LEA must provide a narrative about the budgeted
items.
LEAs must submit their full ARP ESSER package to the SCDE on or before August 24, 2021.
2. LEA Consultation: Describe how the SEA will, in planning for the use of ARP
ESSER funds, ensure that, consistent with the ARP ESSER requirements], its
LEAs engage in meaningful consultation with stakeholders, including, but not
limited to:
i. students;
ii. families;
iii. school and district administrators (including special education
administrators); and
iv. teachers, principals, school leaders, other educators, school staff, and
their unions.
The LEA must also engage in meaningful consultation with each of the following
to the extent present in or served by the LEA:
i. Tribes;
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ii. civil rights organizations (including disability rights organizations);
and
iii. stakeholders representing the interests of children with disabilities,
English learners, children experiencing homelessness, children and
youth in foster care, migratory students, children who are
incarcerated, and other underserved students.
The description must also include how the SEA will ensure that LEAs provide the
public the opportunity to provide input in the development of the LEA’s plan for
the use of ARP ESSER funds and take such input into account.
As part of LEA’s ESSER application package, LEAs must describe how they obtained public
input on their ESSER plans, and describe the specific groups of constituents from whom the
input was obtained. LEAs must also include how they used the input in the development of their
plans. Through technical assistance sessions, LEAs have been informed that the SCDE will
include a review of this documentation in the state monitoring of ESSER funds to ensure that
such input happened, and continues to happen, as applicable.
3. Describe how the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in using ARP ESSER
funds. The description must include:
i. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs’ implementation of
evidence-based interventions that respond to students’ academic,
social, emotional, and mental health needs, such as through summer
learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive
afterschool programs, or extended school year programs – including
the extent to which the SEA will collect evidence of the
effectiveness of interventions employed;
As part of its oversight, the SCDE has established the Office of Emergency Programs to
administer and oversee ESSER I, II, and ARP ESSER programs. New and existing SCDE staff
will be placed in five regions throughout the state to monitor and provide feedback and technical
assistance to LEAs. The LEA or provider must include an evaluation of the ESSER
activity/program’s impact on student learning, using multiple data sources including RALLY
Tool data. The evaluation is due to the SCDE no later than June 30 each year.
ii. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in specifically
addressing the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
on certain groups of students, including each of the student groups
listed in question A.3.i.-viii; and
The SCDE will use subgroup data from the RALLY Tool as well as summative assessment data
to monitor the implementation and impact of school and LEA interventions for key groups of
students. The SCDE will monitor non-academic data sources, such as attendance and
engagement data from LEAs and information from ENGAGE SC, during monitoring and support
activities.
iii. How the SEA will support and monitor its LEAs in using ARP
ESSER funds to identify, reengage, and support students most likely
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to have experienced the impact of lost instructional time on student
learning, such as:
a. Students who have missed the most in-person instruction during
the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years;
b. Students who did not consistently participate in remote
instruction when offered during school building closures; and
c. Students most at-risk of dropping out of school.
The SCDE will continue its collaboration with ENGAGE SC in identifying students who missed
significant amounts of in-person and remote instructional time. The collaboration will focus on
including disengaged students in afterschool programs.
4. Describe the extent to which the SEA will support its LEAs in implementing
additional strategies for taking educational equity into account in expending ARP
ESSER funds, including but not limited to:
i. Allocating funding both to schools and for districtwide activities
based on student need, and
ii. Implementing an equitable and inclusive return to in-person
instruction. An inclusive return to in-person instruction includes, but
is not limited to, establishing policies and practices that avoid the
over-use of exclusionary discipline measures (including in- and out-
of-school suspensions) and creating a positive and supportive
learning environment for all students.
The SCDE will develop monitoring and support plans using 2020–21 district attendance data for
face-to-face students and LMS engagement data for those learning remotely, in addition to
interim and summative assessment data. These students should be prioritized in district
intervention planning. The SCDE will also continue to use the data and services of ENGAGE SC
to track students with extended absences and low engagement.
The SCDE supports LEAs in taking education equity into account in expending ESSER funds. In
particular, each LEA was required to develop an Academic Recovery Plan based on data that
identified particular students most impacted by COVID-19. LEAs are instructed to use their
Academic Recovery Plans in developing plans for their ARP ESSER learning loss activities, so
that their use of ARP ESSER funds for these activities will be based on student need as indicated
by date.
In addition, through the passage of S. 704, all LEAs are required to offer in-person instruction.
The SCDE will use its state-level ESSER funds to provide support to LEAs in student
engagement.
In 2018, the State Superintendent convened a School Safety Taskforce to review discipline
policies, sanctions, and practices statewide. As a result of this work, the SBE revised discipline-
related state regulation to further define offenses that should not result in exclusionary discipline
(including in- or out-of-school suspension) for any student.
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To help LEAs avoid the over-use of exclusionary discipline measures, SCDE staff will
coordinate and facilitate a series of professional development opportunities on the following
topics: 1) how to properly define and code discipline offenses equitably based on state
requirements; 2) how to impose discipline sanctions equitably using the SCDE’s Discipline
Matrix; and 3) how to implement evidence-based behavior intervention strategies, including
restorative practices, trauma-informed schools, and SEL, to create a positive and supportive
learning environment for all students.
F. Supporting the Educator Workforce
The Department recognizes the toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on the Nation’s
educators as well as students. In this section, SEAs will describe strategies for supporting and
stabilizing the educator workforce and for making staffing decisions that will support
students’ academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs.
1. Supporting and Stabilizing the Educator Workforce:
i. Describe the extent to which the State is facing shortages of
educators, education administration personnel, and other school
personnel involved in safely reopening schools, and the extent to
which they vary by region/type of school district and/or groups of
educators (e.g., special educators and related services personnel and
paraprofessionals; bilingual or English as a second language
educators; science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM”)
educators; career and technical education (“CTE”) educators; early
childhood educators). Cite specific data on shortages and needs
where available.
Complete the table below, changing or adding additional rows as
needed, or provide a narrative description.
Table F1.
Area Data on shortages and needs Narrative description
Special educators According to the South Carolina To meet annual reporting
and related service Annual Educator Supply & requirements related to the IDEA,
personnel and Demand Report (2020-21 School the SCDE’s OSES collects and
paraprofessionals Year), vacancies in the field of reports data related to the number of
special education comprised 20 full-time equivalent (FTE)-related
percent of all vacant teaching services personnel employed or
positions reported by LEAs at contracted to provide related
the beginning of the 2020–21 services for children with disabilities
school year. This represents who were age 3–21. The report does
approximately 120 vacancies. not require data related to vacant
Special education certifications positions. Except as noted in this
fields (all areas) remain critical table, data on shortages and needs
need subject areas for the 2021– for related services personnel and
22 school year. The SBE paraprofessionals are not collected.
45
designates critical need subject
areas annually using data
collected through the Annual
Supply and Demand Survey of
LEAs conducted by the SC
CERRA. These designations
reflect the percentage of full-
time teaching positions that are
vacant or filled by individuals
not fully certified in the subject
area.
Speech-Language The SBE has designated the
Pathologists certification field of Speech-
Language Pathologist (SLP) as a
critical need subject area for the
2021–22 school year. LEAs
reported 32.4 vacant SLP
positions at the beginning of the
2020–21 school year; these
positions comprised 38 percent
of vacant service positions
reported statewide.
English as a second The SBE has designated the
language educators certification field of English for
Speakers of Other Languages
(ESOL) as a critical need subject
area for the 2021–22 school
year. LEAs reported 13.5vacant
positions in ESOL at the
beginning of the 2020–21 school
year. These positions comprised
two percent of vacant teaching
positions reported statewide.
STEM educators The SBE has designated the
certification fields of Science,
Computer Science, and
Mathematics as critical need
subject areas for the 2021–22
school year. LEAs reported 134
vacant positions in science,
technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) fields at
the beginning of the 2020–21
school year. These positions
comprised 22 percent of vacant
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teaching positions reported
statewide.
Career and CTE work-based certification
Technical fields have been designated by
Education (CTE) the SBE as critical need subject
educators areas for the 2021–22 school
year. The related academic
certification field of Business
and Marketing Education has
also been designated as a critical
need subject area for 2020–21.
LEAs reported 24 vacant
positions in CTE fields at the
beginning of the 2020–21 school
year and 15 vacant positions in
Business and Marketing. These
positions comprised 6.3 percent
of vacant teaching positions
reported statewide.
Early childhood LEAs reported 93 vacant CERRA’s Annual Supply and
educators positions in Early Childhood and Demand Survey does not collect data
Elementary Education at the regarding new hires and vacancies
beginning of the 2020–21 school for Early Childhood positions.*
year. These positions comprised LEAs provide aggregate data
15 percent of vacant teaching regarding new hires and vacancies in
positions reported statewide. primary and elementary schools.
LEAs reported hiring a total of
2,004 Early Childhood and
Elementary teachers for the
2020–21 school year.
School counselors LEAs reported 12.5 vacant The American School Counselor
School Counselor positions at Association (ASCA) recommends a
the beginning of the 2020–21 250-to-1 ratio of students to school
school year. According to the counselors; the national average is
SCDE’s Professional Certified 424-to-1 for the 2019–20 school
Staff (PCS) system, 2,392 school year.
counselors are employed
currently in the state.
Considering the state’s total
student enrollment of 782,315
for 2019–20 (the most recent
year for which a complete count
is available) the student-to-
guidance personnel ratio is 327:1
(782,315/2,392=327).
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Social workers According to the PCS, 233 social According to the National
workers (full- or part-time) Association of Social Workers
currently serve in schools and/or (NASW), “School social work
district offices in 42 of the services should be provided at a ratio
state’s 87 LEAs. Considering the of one school social worker to each
state’s total student enrollment school building serving up to 250
of 782,315 for 2019–20, the general education students, or a ratio
student-to-school-based social of 1:250 students. When a social
worker ratio is 3,357:1 worker is providing services to
(782,315/233=3,357). students with intensive needs, a
lower ratio, such as 1:50, is
suggested (NASW, 2012).”
Nurses According to the PCS, 1,518 In a typical school year, the National
nurses currently work in schools Association of School Nurses
and/or LEAs statewide, full-time (NASN) uses nurse-to-student ratios
or part-time. Seventy-five to determine how many nurses were
schools have a school nurse that needed in a school setting. In the
works part-time and 129 schools general population, the NASN
do not employ a nurse. recommends 1 nurse to 750 students
Considering the state’s total as an acceptable ratio, with 1:225 for
student enrollment of 782,315 students with needs for daily nursing
for 2019–20, the student-to- services. The NASN changed its
school nurse ratio is 515:1 position to urge schools to use the
(782,315/1,518=515). following as current best practice
criteria: 1) number of students; 2)
how the social determinants of
health impact the student population;
3) acuity levels; 4) what other
responsibilities the nurse will be
expected to perform; 5) what barriers
to care exist in the school
community; 6) what the technology
infrastructure is in the school and the
health office; and 7) what other
resources are available from a health
care team such as mental health
services, social work, and
counseling. If this is thought of as a
continuum from compliance with
numerical ratios to full
implementation of best practices,
most LEAs have not considered
numerical ratios yet.
School The SBE has designated the The National Association of School
psychologists certification field of School Psychologists (NASP) recommends
Psychologist as a critical need a ratio of 1:500 students in order to
subject area for the 2021–22 provide comprehensive and
school year. LEAs reported 13 integrated school psychological
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vacant School Psychologist services. Few LEAs in SC can meet
positions at the beginning of the this NASP recommended service
2020–21 school year. These ratio.
positions comprised 15 percent
of vacant service positions
reported statewide. According to
the PCS, 618 school
psychologists currently work in
schools and/or LEAs statewide.
When considering the state’s
total student enrollment of
782,315 for 2019-20, the
student-to-school psychologist
ratio is 1,266:1
(782,315/618=1,266).
ii. Describe how the SEA will assist its LEAs in identifying the most
urgent areas of shortages or potential shortages, with particular plans
for individual LEAs facing the most significant needs (e.g., by
avoiding layoffs, providing high-quality professional learning
opportunities, and addressing the impact of stress or trauma on
educators). Include a description of how other Federal COVID-19
funding (e.g., ESSER and GEER funds under the CARES Act and
CRRSA Act) have already been used to avoid layoffs during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
As described below, the SCDE will continue to assist LEAs in identifying the most urgent areas
of shortages or potential shortages.
Annually, the SBE approves critical need subject and geographic areas for the purposes of the
SC Teacher Loan Program, the employment of retired teachers exempt from the earnings
limitation imposed in state statute, and federal student loan forgiveness through teaching service.
The SBE approved designations for the 2021–22 school year in January 2021. The critical need
subject areas are determined using a federal formula, are reported to the USED annually, and
reflect the percentage of full-time teaching positions that either are vacant or filled by individuals
not fully certified in the specific subject area. Pursuant to SC statute, a critical need geographic
area is defined as a school that meets at least one of the following criteria:
a poverty index of 70 percent or higher;
a three-year average teacher turnover rate of 20 percent or higher; or
a school report card rating of Below Average or Unsatisfactory.
These annual designations assist LEAs in recruiting and retaining teachers in shortage areas and
hard-to-staff schools, providing incentives for educators to work in critical need areas.
CERRA, in collaboration with the SCDE and the SC Education Oversight Committee (EOC), is
charged with the continued development and implementation of a program of recruitment and
49
retention incentives. The Rural Recruitment Initiative (RRI) is designed to assist underserved
LEAs with excessive turnover rates in recruiting and retaining teachers. According to the most
recent SC Annual Supply and Demand Report (December 2020), 29 LEAs that received funding
through the RRI in 2019–20 reported some improvement in recruitment and retention at the
beginning of the 2020–21 school year—either having fewer teachers leave or fewer vacancies at
the start of this school year.
The SCDE’s OFSA monitors LEAs and schools to ensure that educators are appropriately
credentialed to meet the learning, developmental, social, and emotional needs of PK–12 learners
and for the positions and roles to which they are assigned. When deficiencies are identified and
educators have been assigned out-of-field, the OFSA works with LEA and school leaders as they
develop action plans to address staffing needs and ensure compliance with state mandates.
Additionally, the SCDE’s Office of Educator Services (OES) offers direct technical assistance to
LEAs through assigned district certification contacts and supports educators in meeting
requirements to become certified or credentialed in additional areas.
As part of each LEA’s annual educator effectiveness report to the SCDE’s Office of Educator
Effectiveness and Leadership Development (OEELD), LEAs will analyze the school-level
human capital report to identify schools with higher percentages of inexperienced teachers and
lower percentages of highly effective teachers. In partnership with the Urban Schools Human
Capital Academy, the OEELD will provide LEAs with a follow-up assessment to help them
identify specific human capital strategies based on their needs.
The SCDE also supports LEAs by providing high-quality professional learning, including:
partnering with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching to provide free
professional learning modules centered on strategies for engaging virtual and hybrid
instruction aligned with the SC Teaching Standards;
leading a micro-credential academy centered on issues identified by schools and LEAs as
essential to the COVID-19 response: virtual instruction, collective leadership, and equity
and culturally responsive instruction;
providing supports for LEAs interested in embedding SEL in their curriculum as well as
adult mental health supports for educators;
o In 2021, the SCDE will hire a full-time temporary grant employee to lead the
agency’s SEL initiative and another full-time temporary grant employee to lead
the agency’s mental health initiative. These individuals will provide professional
development opportunities designed to assist LEAs in addressing the SEL and
mental health needs of students and staff.
o The SCDE launched a website devoted to SEL: Social and Emotional Learning.
embedding self-care reflections and commitments into the Principal Induction Program,
Foundations in School Leadership, and Leadership Advancement and Development
cohorts for teachers, counselors, librarians, and other school support professionals;
providing Youth and Adult Mental Health First Aid trainings and conducting training of
trainers sessions.
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offering, in collaboration with Children’s Trust of South Carolina, professional
development for educators related to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma-
informed classrooms, and teaching resilience in the classroom; and
hosting, in collaboration with the National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI) SC, a
series of self-care workshops for school staff.
Unlike other states, SC has been fortunate to maintain its state base budget at pre-pandemic
levels throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, ESSER I subaward funds allowed LEAs
to ensure continuity of operations and continued employment. In fact, 81.6 percent of LEAs
(n=71 out of 87) budgeted and are expending ESSER I funds for continued operations and
employment. As a result, there have been no layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact,
LEAs have been able to bring on additional staff to meet the unique needs of their districts,
schools, and staff. Data provided by LEAs as part of their ESSER I annual report indicate there
were 102,287 FTEs in SC LEAs on March 13, 2020, and by September 30, 2020, the number of
FTEs had increased to 103,126. From preliminary discussions with LEAs, many plan to bring on
additional instructional and interventionist staff to meet the exigent needs of their students.
iii. Describe the actions the SEA will take to fill anticipated gaps in
certified teachers for the start of the 2021-2022 school year and to
what extent the SEA will further support its LEAs in expanding the
educator pipeline and educator diversity while addressing the
immediate needs of students disproportionately impacted by the
pandemic (e.g., recruiting teaching candidates to provide high-
dosage tutoring or implementing residencies for teacher candidates).
To support LEAs in meeting staffing needs for the 2021–22 school year and to assist educators
impacted by the public health emergency, the SCDE will offer additional flexibility related to
educator certificate renewal and certificate extensions.
To assist graduates of educator preparation programs who were unable to complete their
required certification examinations due to the closure of testing centers in 2020, the
SCDE offered a Provisional certificate option for the 2020–21 school year. This option
allows an LEA to employ an eligible teacher candidate and request the Provisional
certificate for an individual who otherwise met all requirements for educator certification
except for testing. For the 2021–22 school year, an LEA will be able to request a one-
year extension of the Provisional certificate for an educator who has not been able to
complete the certification assessment requirement for issuance of a standard Initial
certificate.
The 2020–21 school year presented extraordinary challenges for teachers, leaders, and
service professionals who have re-designed curriculum, implemented safety protocols,
and shifted instructional and service modalities to meet the evolving needs of the state’s
PK–12 learners. Transitions to hybrid and virtual instruction impacted the ability of some
LEAs to complete all components of the performance evaluation process. Additionally,
educators seeking to complete certificate renewal requirements have encountered limited
51
availability of professional learning opportunities and, in many instances, have struggled
to balance their many additional responsibilities related to the pandemic with the time
and other resources needed to complete renewal requirements. To assist LEAs and
educators, the SCDE is automatically adding a one-year grace period to certificates that
will expire June 30, 2021, for educators who have been unable to complete requirements
for certificate advancement or renewal.
Similarly, the SCDE will offer a one-year extension option for 2021–22 for alternative
certification route participants who are unable to complete requirements to advance to a
standard, renewable certificate by June 30, 2021.
The SCDE also is engaged in other actions to expand and diversify the educator pipeline and to
support educator preparation providers, not just in recruiting candidates, but in ensuring
candidates progress in their preparation programs despite the impacts of the pandemic.
Pursuant to state statute, candidates seeking full admission to an undergraduate teacher
preparation program must earn passing scores on the basic skills assessment in reading,
writing, and mathematics adopted for program admission by the SBE. The SCDE has
requested flexibility from the General Assembly to allow college and university providers
to develop program admission criteria using other measures for candidates to demonstrate
basic skills proficiency. If the General Assembly approves this flexibility, providers will
be able to submit proposals for SBE approval. The intent of this flexibility, if approved, is
to expand the number of candidates eligible for admission to a teacher preparation
program and to address barriers that may disproportionately impact underrepresented
demographic groups.
To address critical shortage areas, the SCDE has provided technical assistance to
approved alternative route program providers seeking to prepare candidates in additional
certification fields. For the 2021–22 school year, three additional alternative route
providers will be approved to prepare candidates in special education certification fields.
The OES continues to support LEAs and the OSES with the certification process for LEA
employees seeking initial or add-on certification in a special education field through the
South Carolina Centers for the Re-Education and Advancement of Teachers (SC-
CREATE).
The OES also continues to assist LEAs and college and university providers by issuing
the Internship certificate to eligible teacher candidates. This option, pursuant to SBE
regulation, allows an LEA to employ an eligible candidate as a classroom teacher while
the individual is enrolled in and completes the student teaching or clinical component of
the preparation program. This Internship certificate option requires partnerships between
LEAs and providers, assists LEAs in meeting staffing needs, and offers selected
candidates a combined support system during their initial employment.
The SCDE has extended additional flexibility to college and university providers for the
2021–22 school year to ensure candidates nearing completion of an educator preparation
program have access to placements in public schools for culminating clinical experiences
despite limitations related to safety protocols. Additionally, the SCDE continues to
encourage and support providers in designing and implementing innovative field
experiences in virtual, hybrid, and face-to-face settings so that candidates continue to
52
progress in their certification programs and engage in meaningful experiences working
with in-service teachers and PK–12 students.
Based on public input, the SCDE will encourage LEAs to develop residency partnerships
with high-quality teacher preparation programs to address the need for additional
qualified educators to meet the needs of PK–12 learners.
The SCDE is partnering with the Urban Schools Capital Alliance to offer a SC Human Capital
academy that will teach LEA teams how to better support recruitment, retention, and
advancement at the school-level. The SCDE plans to invite school and LEA teams based on the
critical need geographic areas and the educator effectiveness needs assessment.
2. Staffing to Support Student Needs: Describe the extent to which the SEA has
developed or will develop strategies and will support its LEAs in increasing
student access to key support staff within school buildings, including school
counselors, special education personnel, nurses, social workers, and psychologists
(e.g. hiring additional personnel or freeing up these staff to focus on providing
services to students).
School Counselors: In 2005, the SC General Assembly passed the Education and Economic
Development Act (EEDA). One of the goals of the legislation was to increase the number of
guidance personnel in schools who provide direct services to students. Currently, the SCDE
allocates funds from its appropriation from the General Assembly to every LEA to assist with
reducing the student-to-school counseling personnel ratio. These funds have helped reduce the
ratio which is, on average, slightly below 350:1, but still above the ratio recommended by the
ASCA. In LEAs where the ratio is less than 300:1, funds are used to support hiring career
specialists who relieve school counselors of some of the duties associated with career counseling
and thereby increase the counselors’ availability to focus on the academic and social emotional
needs of students.
Special Education Personnel: SC-CREATE in Special Education and Related Services
Professionals is an ongoing personnel preparation initiative funded by the OSES. Since its
inception in 2003, SC-CREATE’s chief mission has been to grow a highly qualified special
education and related services workforce in SC public schools.
Working in conjunction with the OES, SC-CREATE is a scholarship program that underwrites
tuition and textbook costs for individuals pursuing add-on, alternative, or initial state certification
in special education or national certification in a related service area. The program provides
funds for coursework delivered through 15 SC-CREATE centers located at 13 SC colleges and
universities. Most of the add-on/alternative certification coursework (83 percent) offered through
the SC-CREATE centers was provided online. The centers are located throughout the state, but
strategically in the areas of the state with the highest need for special educators.
Although LEAs continued to report shortages in the areas of special education personnel,
including paraprofessionals, the number of paraprofessionals reported as employed rose from
4,904 in the 2018–19 school year to 5,574 in the 2019–20 school year.
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Funded programs currently include behavior interventionist, orientation and mobility specialist,
school psychologist, secondary transition specialist, special education teacher (Early Childhood
Special Education, Emotional Disabilities, Hearing Impairments, Intellectual Disabilities,
Learning Disabilities, Multi-categorical Special Education, Severe Disabilities, and Visual
Impairments), special education teacher at both the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels, and
speech-language pathologist.
Currently the OSES allocates state set-aside funds from the IDEA to support SC-CREATE in the
expansion of its programs throughout the state to address LEA needs related to special education
service providers. All individuals employed full-time by a SC public/charter school or by an
SCDE-operated program are eligible for SC-CREATE scholarship funds. These individuals
include teachers, teacher assistants, non-instructional staff, and central office staff in non-
leadership positions.
The OSES will continue the SC-CREATE program, and will continue to look for opportunities
to expand to other areas of special education service provision. The OSES will encourage LEAs
to consider using their ESSER funds to address these needs in critical areas.
Nurses: In a typical year, school nurses provide nursing services for students with both acute and
chronic needs. Nurses provide direct services such as medication administration, treatments, and
monitoring. They also create individualized health plans and educate students, families, and
educators about a student’s diagnosis and care. They promote wellness, provide first aid, and
help plan for field trips and other school-sponsored activities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the responsibilities of school nurses expanded exponentially.
School nurses became contact tracers, case managers, and liaisons with public health officials.
School nurses helped to plan and execute vaccination clinics for their staff and older students.
They carried out contact tracing and disease reporting at night, on weekends, and even during
holidays and other school breaks to optimize safety on their campuses and to reduce and prevent
spread of the disease. School nurses had to become experts on PPE, set up isolation rooms, and
maintain infection control and safety in their health rooms.
The federal school-based testing program afforded schools the opportunity to participate in using
the Binax Now testing kits to perform real-time, school-based testing to mitigate virus spread
and help keep staff and students in school when testing negative and at home when testing
positive. About half of SC’s LEAs participate in the Binax Now testing program, which requires
school nurses to report all results to both the SCDHEC and to parents or staff. The nurses must
maintain Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments logs and other documentation for this
testing process. School nurses are now being asked to implement school-based screening, which
will be a new on-site testing program that will involve nurses either performing the tests or
coordinating with testing services to provide this campus-based testing for disease mitigation.
A growing concern is that the workload and demands added to the job responsibilities of school
nurses because of the pandemic may negatively impact recruitment and retention of these critical
personnel. To further support LEAs in providing health services and increase student access to
54
school nurses, the SCDE will employ additional staff. The SCDE’s staff will continue to
encourage schools to address staffing gaps and support new nurses with trainings.
Social Workers: Recognizing the role of school social workers during the COVID-19 pandemic,
the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) published a resolution statement. The
organization stresses that school:
social workers have been called upon to provide a continuum of support to
students, their families and educational communities who are struggling with
increased physical, emotional, and mental health needs such job loss, death of
family members or loved ones, and ongoing uncertainty and instability.
School social workers are also assisting their communities by bringing
specialized skills in networking and resource procurement to those who are
dealing with social isolation. Additionally, school social workers are critical
points of contact within a school district offering support to teachers and
school staff who must address their own needs and distress.
Resolution Statement: The Impact of School Social Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic, p. 1.
Recognizing the importance of school social workers and the lack of state funding for such
positions, the SCDE will actively encourage LEAs to use ARP ESSER funds to hire school
social workers.
School Psychologists: Information related to school psychologists is provided. While LEAs
continued to report shortages in this area, the number of school psychologists reported as
employed rose from 531 in 2018–19 to 586 in 2019–20.
G. Monitoring and Measuring Progress
The Department recognizes that transparency on how ARP ESSER funds are used and their
impact on the Nation’s education system is a fundamental responsibility of Federal, State,
and local government. In this section, SEAs will describe how they are building capacity at
the SEA and LEA levels to ensure high-quality data collection and reporting and to safeguard
funds for their intended purposes.
1. Capacity for Data Collection and Reporting: It is important for an SEA to
continuously monitor progress and make adjustments to its strategies, as well as
to support its LEAs in making adjustments to LEA strategies, based on impact.
Describe how the SEA will ensure its capacity and the capacity of its LEAs to
collect data on reporting requirements, including but not limited to the examples
of reporting requirements described in the SEA’s Grant Award Notification (listed
in Appendix B). Describe the SEA’s capacity and strategy to collect data from its
LEAs (disaggregated by student group, where applicable), to the greatest extent
practicable, including any steps the SEA will take to build its capacity in the
future (which may include the use of ARP ESSER and other Federal COVID-19
pandemic funds at the SEA and LEA levels), on issues that may include the
following:
55
i. Student learning, including the academic impact of lost instructional
time during the COVID-19 pandemic;
ii. Opportunity to learn measures (e.g., chronic absenteeism; student
engagement; use of exclusionary discipline; access to and
participation in advanced coursework; access to technology,
including educator access to professional development on the
effective use of technology; access to high-quality educators; access
to school counselors, social workers, nurses, and school
psychologists; and results from student, parent, and/or educator
surveys);
iii. Fiscal data that is comparable across the State (e.g., per-pupil
expenditures at the LEA and school levels);
iv. Jobs created and retained (by position type);
v. Participation in programs funded by ARP ESSER resources (e.g.,
summer and afterschool programs); and
vi. Other reporting requirements reasonably required by the Secretary
(please refer to Appendix B of this template; final requirements will
be issued separately).
Capacity and Strategy for Collecting Data: Although the SCDE has many systems for collecting
data, some of the data elements identified in G above are not currently collected at the state level,
and are ones for which the SCDE does not currently have capacity to gather. When the “other
reporting requirements reasonably required” (i.e., item vi.) are identified, the SCDE plans to
assess where data collection gaps exist and to possibly use ARP ESSER funds to bridge those
gaps.
i. Student Learning Impact: The SCDE partnered with Education Analytics to develop a teacher-
facing tool to inform teachers about student progress (K–9) in the absence of 2020 summative
assessments (RALLY). The RALLY Tool used the interim assessments approved through the
formative evaluation criteria designed by the SCDE and the Education Oversight Committee
(April 2017): NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), Renaissance STAR Assessments
(STAR), and Curriculum Associates i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment (i-Ready). Two other
assessments (Certica TE21 CASE, and HMH Reading Inventory and Mathematics Inventory)
undergoing evaluation were also included. The interim assessments were equated with the SC
summative assessments for ELA and mathematics (SC READY). The students’ historical interim
and summative scores were used to project expected scores on the interim and summative
assessments for the 2020–21 school year.
The students’ actual scores on the interim assessments were subtracted from the projected score
to determine missed learning opportunity score. The use of this RALLY Tool is being expanded
to provide school, LEA, and state aggregate data. Since these data were tied to student
identifiers, traditional subgroup reporting was available. In addition, the SCDE tracked the test
environment to disaggregate between remote and in-person testing. The SCDE added a new
attendance code, SC-Virtual Present, to track student-learning environment on a daily basis. The
SCDE used this information to derive three measures: estimated learning opportunity loss in
56
months, student-level achievement tier and quartile based on state norming, and student gap tier
and quartile.
ii. Opportunity to Learn Measures: The SCDE’s SIS tracks attendance from which chronic
absenteeism is calculated. The SIS also tracks use of discipline and access to and participation in
advanced coursework. The SCDE had a student engagement survey, but has terminated that
contract. Annually, the SCDE issues parent, teacher, and student surveys, which include some
questions from which student engagement, could possibly be assessed; however, it would not be
tied to demographic information.
Many of the opportunity to learn measures are embedded in the SCDE ESSA accountability
module. The SCDE is investigating a tool set to gather qualitative data electronically in
conjunction with an LEA’s student information system. The application would allow data to be
gathered from various stakeholder groups. Specifically parents, teachers, and students,
demographic identifiers could be embedded in the tool for parents and the demographics are
linked to the SIS for teachers and students. The SCDE has done repeated surveying of LEAs to
assess student and educator access to technology, and has added SIS fields as an effort to
formalize some of this voluntary tracking. Note, however, that the technology situation changes
daily with new broadband initiatives, access to hotspots, changes in computing devices, etc. Any
“snapshot” of the situation will likely be out-of-date as soon as collected.
With CARES Act funding, the SCDE purchased LMS licenses for any LEA requesting it
(Schoology, Canvas, Blackboard, and later Google Enterprise Suite) and a state-level LOR
(Safari Montage). Professional development on these systems and effective online teaching have
been made available and continue to be developed. The SCDE plans to use ARP ESSER funds to
extend those licenses.
The SCDE’s Professional Certified Staff (PCS) system, recently replaced with the SCEducator
Compensation system, tracks numbers of staff employed in LEAs in various positions. This
system does not track contracted services, which sometimes is the case for nurses and
psychologists. A full picture of those services would require separate data collection that is not
currently done by the SCDE. The CERRA does do an annual “Supply and Demand” survey. Its
report has state-level totals of budgeted positions for school counselors and school psychologists.
iii. Comparable fiscal data: The ESSA requires that all states’ LEAs publish per-pupil
expenditures at the school building level by source of fund. The SCDE reports on per pupil
expenditures by school building level on LEA report cards. The SCDE will currently use the
agency’s manual data collection process to gather information on the ESSER per pupil
expenditures at both the LEA and school levels. In the near future, the SCDE intends to use
ESSER state-level activity funding to fund a robust and efficient financial collection and
reporting platform that will generate more efficient and timely reporting.
iv. Jobs created – retained: The SCDE will collect quarterly financial reports from LEAs on the
use of their ESSER I (CARES Act), ESSER II (CRSSA), and ARP ESSER subawards. The
SCDE will include in the reports for ARP ESSER a requirement for LEAs to report on the jobs
created and retained with ESSER funds.
57
v. Participation in ARP ESSER programs: The SC SIS has the capacity to track student
participation in programs; however, it requires that LEAs and schools be instructed on how to
code programs in the SIS, a link for those programs to ARP ESSER, and a directive to the LEAs
to enter this data for all students and funded programs. This has not been done; therefore, the
SCDE does not currently have capacity to supply this data.
vi. Appendix B
Public Health Protocols: The SCDE School Health Program has been working with the
SCDHEC to educate school nurses and the school community about the safe return to school and
what mitigation strategies can be used to maintain a safe environment for learning. This includes
layers of options such as screening testing programs, diagnostic testing programs, contact
tracing, and reporting. The school health room operating as a lab also requires the schools to
acquire a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certificate and maintain record
keeping, infection control procedures, and training that will be supported by the SCDE. The
SCDE also will work with SCDHEC regarding the infectious waste removal requirements
generated by the testing on campus. The SCDE will help schools plan and coordinate COVID-19
vaccination events for staff, students, and their families.
Return to in-person instruction: By state law, all SC LEAs were required to offer five-day, in-
person instruction by April 26, 2021. https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess124_2021-
2022/bills/704.htm All LEAs have plans for how to safely return post-pandemic. On May 25,
2021, the SCDE advised LEAs that plans must be posted by June 24, 2021, and that public input
must be requested.
Data on each school’s mode of instruction: During the 2020–21 school year, schools moved in
and out of various modes including virtual, hybrid, and full face-to-face instruction. The SCDE
has maintained a map showing the current operational status of LEA. Some LEAs had schools
operating in different modes; for example, a high school might have been virtual, but an
elementary school operated face-to-face. The SCDE created a “virtually present” attendance
code that tracks each students’ mode of school daily. (That coding has been used to coordinate
USDA P-EBT benefits for students in poverty.)
Use of funds for social, emotional, and academic needs and advancing equity: The SCDE will
track its expenditures within the categorical funding supplied under the ARP Act (administration,
learning loss, summer programs, after school programs, and emergency needs). The SCDE will
consider whether to focus funds on the rural and poorer areas of the state. Monitoring of LEA
expenditures will be through the application, budget approval, claim approval, and monitoring
processes.
Early childhood: The SCDE’s SIS has the ability to track information on 4K students; however,
it does not track the use of different funding sources for that instruction. The SCDE would have
to rely on LEA reporting to supply that information and it would not be available by subgroup.
Currently a state bill is pending that would expand funding for 4K students to all counties for
students in poverty.
Impacts and outcomes disaggregated: The SCDE does not currently have capacity to collect and
report data on impacts and outcomes connected to ARP ESSER uses of funds.
58
Student data disaggregated on the pandemic’s impact on instruction and learning: The student
data collected in the SIS can be disaggregated by subgroup. To the extent that the “virtually
present” coding was done appropriately, the SCDE can pull information on mode of instruction
by subgroup and tie those results to assessment performance via the RALLY Tool.
FFATA: The SCDE will continue to adhere to the requirements under the Federal Financial
Accountability Transparency Act as it relates to ESSER I, ESSER II, and ARP ESSER awards.
2. Monitoring and Internal Controls: Describe how the SEA will implement
appropriate fiscal monitoring of and internal controls for the ARP ESSER funds
(e.g., by updating the SEA’s plan for monitoring funds and internal controls under
the CARES and CRRSA Acts; addressing potential sources of waste, fraud, and
abuse; conducting random audits; or other tools). In this response, please describe
the SEA’s current capacity to monitor ARP ESSER; steps, if needed, to increase
capacity; and any foreseeable gaps in capacity, including how the SEA will
provide its LEAs with technical assistance in the anticipated areas of greatest
need.
The SCDE is updating its current CARES and CRRSA Act internal control and monitoring plans
to include fiscal monitoring for the ARP Act funds. Fiscal monitoring will be conducted by
auditors in the agency’s Office of Auditing Services. In addition, the agency is establishing an
Office of Emergency Programs that will also include monitors. The SCDE has provided
extensive technical assistance sessions prior to awarding the subgrant funds and will continue to
provide technical assistance. LEAs are advised to email ESSER-related questions to the ESSER
general inbox, scesser@ed.sc.gov; program coordinators and members of the agency’s leadership
team for ESSER funds provide timely responses to questions regarding the allowability of
activities and costs, documentation requirements, etc. The SCDE has updated its procedures for
determining the allowability of costs to address the specific requirements related to ESSER
funds.
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Appendix A: School Operating Status and Instructional Mode Data Template
Indicate the date or time period represented by the following data.
Data as of May 7, 2021
Table 1
In the most recent time period available, how many schools in your State offered each mode of
instruction or learning model described below? Each row should account for all schools in your
State, so that, for each row, the sum of the numbers in the “offered to all students,” “offered to
some students,” and “not offered” columns is equal to the number in the “all schools” column.
Add or change rows as needed
Number of All schools Offered to all Offered to Not offered
schools students some students
Remote or online 1220 5* 1030 185
only
School buildings 1220 927 103 190
open with both
remote/online
and in-person
instruction
(hybrid)
School buildings 1220 1215 0 5
open with full-
time in-person
instruction
*South Carolina has five virtual charter schools. Their regular mode of instruction is online.
To the extent data are available, please complete the above table for 1) all schools in the State,
and 2) separately for each instructional level (e.g., pre-kindergarten/elementary schools, middle
schools, high schools).
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Table 2
In the most recent time period available, what was the enrollment and mode of instruction for the
schools in your State?
Data from attendance records as of May 7, 2021. Records are incomplete because inconsistencies
in recording and reporting.
Number of Total Remote or Both Full-time in-
students enrollment online only remote/online person
and in-person instruction
instruction
(hybrid)
Students from 470,184 95,931 42,803 331,450
low-income
families
White, not 371,430 41,084 24,555 305,791
Hispanic
Black or African 248,699 74,524 29,118 145,057
American, not
Hispanic
Hispanic, of any 87,806 12,051 6,778 68,977
race
Asian, not 12,875 3,734 1,313 7,828
Hispanic
American Indian 2,231 435 152 1,644
or Alaskan Native,
not Hispanic
Native Hawaiian 997 192 74 731
or Pacific Islander,
not Hispanic
Two or more 38,829 6,936 3,037 28,856
races, not Hispanic
Race/Ethnicity 47 6 3 38
information not
available
English learners 42,871 4,871 3,236 34,764
Children with 108,762 17,545 8,805 82,412
disabilities
Students 8,824 1,063 521 7,240
experiencing
homelessness
Children and 3,209 389 260 2,560
youth in foster
care
Migratory students 405 40 25 340
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Appendix B: Reporting Language Included in the Grant Award Notification (“GAN”)
As described in the Grant Award Notification (“GAN”), the SEA will comply with, and ensure
that its LEAs comply with, all reporting requirements at such time and in such manner and
containing such information as the Secretary may reasonably require, including on matters such
as:
How the State is developing strategies and implementing public health protocols
including, to the greatest extent practicable, policies and plans in line with the CDC
guidance related to mitigating COVID-19 in schools;
Overall plans and policies related to State support for return to in-person instruction and
maximizing in-person instruction time, including how funds will support a return to and
maximize in-person instruction time, and advance equity and inclusivity in participation
in in-person instruction;
Data on each school’s mode of instruction (fully in-person, hybrid, and fully remote) and
conditions;
SEA and LEA uses of funds to meet students’ social, emotional, and academic needs,
including through summer enrichment programming and other evidence-based
interventions, and how they advance equity for underserved students;
SEA and LEA uses of funds to sustain and support access to early childhood education
programs;
Impacts and outcomes (disaggregated by student subgroup) through use of ARP ESSER
funding (e.g., quantitative and qualitative results of ARP ESSER funding, including on
personnel, student learning, and budgeting at the school and district level);
Student data (disaggregated by student subgroup) related to how the COVID-19
pandemic has affected instruction and learning;
Requirements under the Federal Financial Accountability Transparency Act (“FFATA”);
and
Additional reporting requirements as may be necessary to ensure accountability and
transparency of ARP ESSER funds.
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Appendix C: Assurances
By signing this document, the SEA assures all of the following:
The SEA will conduct all its operations so that no person shall be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under the ARP
ESSER program or activity based on race, color, national origin, which includes a
person’s limited English proficiency or English learner status and a person’s actual or
perceived shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics; sex; age; or disability. These non-
discrimination obligations arise under Federal civil rights laws, including but not limited
to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of
1972, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of
1975. In addition, the SEA must comply with all regulations, guidelines, and standards
issued by the Department under any of these statutes;
The SEA will comply with all ARP Act and other ARP ESSER requirements and all
requirements of its Grant Award Notification, including but not limited to:
o Complying with the maintenance of effort provision in section 2004(a)(1) of the
ARP Act, absent a waiver by the Secretary pursuant to section 2004(a)(2) of the
ARP Act; and
o Complying with the maintenance of equity provisions in section 2004(b) of the
ARP Act, and ensuring its LEAs comply with the maintenance of equity provision
in section 2004(c) of the ARP Act (please note that the Department will provide
additional guidance on maintenance of equity shortly);
The SEA will allocate ARP ESSER funds to LEAs in an expedited and timely manner
and, to the extent practicable, not later than 60 days after the SEA receives ARP ESSER
funds (i.e., 60 days from the date the SEA receives each portion of its ARP ESSER
funds). An SEA that is not able to allocate such funds within 60 days because it is not
practicable (e.g., because of pre-existing State board approval requirements) will provide
an explanation to the Department within 30 days of receiving each portion of its ARP
ESSER funds (submitted via email to your Program Officer at [State].OESE@ed.gov
(e.g., Alabama.OESE@ed.gov)), including a description of specific actions the SEA is
taking to provide ARP ESSER funds to LEAs in an expedited and timely manner and the
SEA’s expected timeline for doing so;
The SEA will implement evidence-based interventions as required under section 2001(f)
of the ARP Act and ensure its LEAs implement evidence-based interventions, as required
by section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act;
The SEA will address the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on
underserved students (i.e., students from low-income families, students from racial or
ethnic groups (e.g., identifying disparities and focusing on underserved student groups by
race or ethnicity), gender (e.g., identifying disparities and focusing on underserved
student groups by gender), English learners, children with disabilities, students
experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students), as
required under section 2001(f) of the ARP Act, and ensure its LEAs address the
disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on underserved students (i.e.,
students from low-income families, students from racial or ethnic groups, gender, English
learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and
63
youth in foster care, and migratory students), as required by section 2001(e)(1) of the
ARP Act; and
The SEA will provide to the Department: (1) the URL(s) where the public can readily
find data on school operating status and (2) the URL(s) for the SEA and/or LEA websites
where the public can find the LEA plans for a) the safe return to in-person instruction and
continuity of services required under section 2001(i) of the ARP Act, and b) use of ARP
ESSER funds. SEAs should consider ensuring a standardized URL format in all cases
(e.g., xxx.gov/COVIDplan).
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Appendix D
OMB Control No. 1894-0005 (Exp. 06/30/2023)
NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS
The purpose of this enclosure is to inform you other program beneficiaries with special
about a new provision in the Department of needs. This provision allows applicants
Educations General Education Provisions discretion in developing the required
Act ("GEPA") that applies to applicants for description. The statute highlights six types
new grant awards under Department of barriers that can impede equitable access
programs. This provision is Section 427 of or participation: gender, race, national origin,
GEPA, enacted as part of the Improving color, disability, or age. Based on local
America's Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law circumstances, you should determine
(P.L.) 103-382). whether these or other barriers may prevent
your students, teachers, etc. from such access
To Whom Does This Provision Apply? to, or participation in, the Federally-funded
project or activity. The description in your
Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for
application of steps to be taken to overcome
new grant awards under this program. ALL
these barriers need not be lengthy; you may
APPLICANTS FOR NEW AWARDS
provide a clear and succinct description of
MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION IN
how you plan to address those barriers that
THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS
are applicable to your circumstances. In
THIS NEW PROVISION IN ORDER TO
addition, the information may be provided in
RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THIS
a single narrative, or, if appropriate, may be
PROGRAM.
discussed in connection with related topics in
(If this program is a State-formula grant the application.
program, a State needs to provide this
Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the
description only for projects or activities that
requirements of civil rights statutes, but
it carries out with funds reserved for State-
rather to ensure that, in designing their
level uses. In addition, local school districts
projects, applicants for Federal funds address
or other eligible applicants that apply to the
equity concerns that may affect the ability of
State for funding need to provide this
certain potential beneficiaries to fully
description in their applications to the State
participate in the project and to achieve high
for funding. The State would be responsible
standards. Consistent with program
for ensuring that the school district or other
requirements and its approved application, an
local entity has submitted a sufficient section
applicant may use the Federal funds awarded
427 statement as described below.)
to it to eliminate barriers it identifies.
What Does This Provision Require?
What are Examples of How an Applicant
Section 427 requires each applicant for funds Might Satisfy the Requirement of This
(other than an individual person) to include in Provision?
its application a description of the steps the
The following examples may help illustrate
applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable
how an applicant may comply with Section
access to, and participation in, its Federally-
427.
assisted program for students, teachers, and
65
(1) An applicant that proposes to carry American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, will be
out an adult literacy project serving, required to provide all activities and services
among others, adults with limited English in accessible formats for all families,
proficiency, might describe in its teachers, and non-public school students.
application how it intends to distribute a The SCDE and LEAs fully support Equal
brochure about the proposed project to Employment Opportunity and Affirmative
such potential participants in their native Action principles, practices, and programs,
language. and do not discriminate among applicants or
employees on the basis of gender, race,
(2) An applicant that proposes to develop national origin, color, disability, religion,
instructional materials for classroom use political affiliation, marital status, sexual
might describe how it will make the orientation, veteran status, or age.
materials available on audio tape or in
braille for students who are blind. Applicants or employees capable of
performing the duties of a position or job
(3) An applicant that proposes to carry classification may not be discriminated
out a model science program for against for any reason, including a physical
secondary students and is concerned that or mental disability. Project staff will ensure
girls may be less likely than boys to enroll that the materials and resources are
in the course, might indicate how it accessible to all stakeholders, including
intends to conduct "outreach" efforts to those with disabilities and English learners
girls, to encourage their enrollment. by complying with Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Web
(4) An applicant that proposes a project to
Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 AA
increase school safety might describe the
(WCAG 2.1 AA) set forth by the World
special efforts it will take to address
Wide Web Consortium’s Web Accessibility
concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
Initiative. All materials developed or curated
transgender students, and efforts to reach
through this project will be internally
out to and involve the families of LGBT
reviewed using the built-in accessibility
students.
checkers in programs such as Microsoft
We recognize that many applicants may Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat Pro
already be implementing effective steps to and checklists created by the SCDE to
ensure equity of access and participation in identify any issues with, but not limited to,
their grant programs, and we appreciate your the order of content, contrast ratios and uses
cooperation in responding to the of color, and the inclusion of alternative
requirements of this provision. text. In addition, materials developed will be
made available in multiple forms to
South Carolina GEPA Section 427 accommodate accessibility needs. Project
Statement staff will disseminate all materials in
formats that comply with Section 508 on the
The South Carolina Department of SC Remote Learning website, maintained in
Education (SCDE) ensures equitable access conformance with Section 508 and WCAG
to, and participation in, all federally assisted 2.1 AA. These efforts will deliberately
programs awarded to the SCDE for all address equitable access and participation by
students, teachers, and other beneficiaries. all students, teachers, and other program
Local educational agencies (LEAs) and beneficiaries.
other participating contractors and
subgrantees in South Carolina’s Elementary The SCDE will ensure that all buildings and
and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief facilities used for project activities, technical
(ESSER) funds, as provided by the assistance, and meetings are in compliance
66
with the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (ADA). All project activities will be
available through assistive and informational
technologies upon request. All public
entities are mandated by federal law to
comply with ADA. Training materials will
be provided upon request in a variety of
modalities including print, Braille, auditory
form, and experiential activities. The SCDE
will not prohibit participation of any
particular gender, race, national origin,
color, disability, or age. The SCDE remains
in full compliance with the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to
receive federal funds and sign an assurance
indicating we will comply with all federal
and state laws and constitutional provisions
prohibiting discrimination on the basis of
disability, race, creed, color, gender,
national origin, religion, ancestry, or need
for special education services; and adhere to
all provisions of federal law relating to
students with disabilities, including IDEA,
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, and Title II of the ADA.
.
67
Estimated Burden Statement for GEPA Requirements
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a
collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 3 hours per
response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources,
gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of
information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain
benefit (Public Law 103-382). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20210-4537 or
email ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1894-0005.
68
Appendix E: Acronym and Abbreviation List
Abbreviation Term(s) or Entity
SC’s COVID-response task force in education assembled by the State
AccelerateED Superintendent of Education, Molly M. Spearman
ACEs adverse childhood experiences
ADA Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
American Recovery Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency
ARP ESSER Relief
ASCA American School Counselor Association
CARES Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
CASEL The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CERRA Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement
CHE South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
CLIA Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of
CRSSA 2021
CTE Career and Technical Education
Data-Based Individualization (developed by the National Center for
DBI Intensive Intervention)
DJJ South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice
DNM does not meet
Education and Economic Development Act—SC legislation passed in
EEDA 2005
ELA English language arts
ELC Epidemiology Laboratory Capacity
EMS Emergency Medical Services
ENGAGE South Carolina; a partnership between the SCDE and
Graduation Alliance to re-engage K-12 students and support them and
ENGAGE SC their families
EOC South Carolina Education Oversight Committee
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ESOL English for Speakers of Other Languages
ESSA Every Student Succeeds Act
ESSER Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief
FFATA Federal Financial Accountability Transparency Act
First Steps South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness
SCDE’s Division of Federal Programs, Accountability and School
FPASI Improvement
69
Abbreviation Term(s) or Entity
FTE Full Time Employee
GED General Education Development
GEER Governors Education Emergency Relief
ICATT Increasing Community Access to Testing
IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IEPs Individualized Education Programs
i-Ready Curriculum Associates i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment
K–9 kindergarten through grade nine
K–12 kindergarten through grade twelve
KRA Kindergarten Readiness Assessment
LEA local education agency (school district)
LMS Learning Management System
MAP NWEA Measures of Academic Progress
MDI Metered dose inhalers
MTSS Multi-tiered Systems of Support
MUSC Medical University of South Carolina
NAMI National Association for Mental Illness
NASN National Association of School Nurses
NASP National Association of School Psychologists
NASW National Association of Social Workers
N&D Neglected and Delinquent
formerly known as Northwest Evaluation Association, NWEA is a
nonprofit organization that supports students and educators by creating
NWEA assessment solutions that precisely measure growth and proficiency.
OAE Office of Adult Education (SCDE office)
Office of Educator Effectiveness and Leadership Development (SCDE
OEELD office)
OFSA Office of Federal and State Accountability (SCDE office)
OSES Office of Special Education Services (SCDE office)
PK-12 Pre- kindergarten through grade twelve
PPE personal protective equipment
PCS professional certified staff
PUSD Palmetto Unified School District
Common data set of current and historical summative and interim
RALLY Tool assessments provided by the SCDE to all LEAs in SC
RFP request for proposals
RRI Rural Recruitment Initiative
RVIs Remote virtual inspections
70
Abbreviation Term(s) or Entity
SBE State Board of Education
SC South Carolina
SCAC South Carolina Arts Commission
South Carolina Centers for the Re-Education and Advancement of
SC-CREATE Teachers
SCDE South Carolina Department of Education
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control—SC’s
SCDHEC public health agency
SCDMH South Carolina Department of Mental Health
SCETV South Carolina Educational Television
SCMEP-PAC South Carolina Migrant Education Program Parent Advisory Council
South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessments, the state’s
SC READY summative assessments for ELA and mathematics
SC-Virtual new attendance code the SCDE added to track the student-learning
Present environment on a daily basis
SEL Social Emotional Learning
SIS student information system
SLP Speech-Language Pathologist
SSWAA School Social Work Association of America
STAR Renaissance STAR Assessments
STEM science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
USED US Department of Education
WCAG 2.1 AA Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 AA
WIOA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
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