SC K-12 schools to receive $84 million in coronavirus relief money starting this week

Public schools in South Carolina will be receiving a total of $84 million in coronavirus relief funds, the S.C. Department of Education announced Monday.

The $84,264,890 comes from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund and can only be spent on certain things, according to a release from the state education department. Schools can use the money to purchase safety equipment such as personal protective equipment (PPE), hire school nurses, hire employees to support struggling students and buy equipment to help with online learning, according to the release.

“Our teachers, nurses, and school staff have gone above and beyond to support students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said in a press release. “These funds are to be used to maintain and support their efforts to welcome additional students back safely for face-to-face instruction and meet the needs of those that are struggling both online and in the classroom.”

The money will be awarded on a per-student basis and will be distributed starting this week, the release said.

Here is how much school districts in Lexington and Richland counties will receive, according to the news release:

• Richland 1: $2,709,405
• Richland 2: $2,904,700

• Lexington 1: $2,572,728

• Lexington 2: $1,040,790

• Lexington 3: $239,202

• Lexington 4: $413,684

• Lexington-Richland 5: $1,602,281