$20 million in federal COVID rescue money for SC schools will go to arts programs
The South Carolina Department of Education is putting $20 million into arts programs, coming from federal funds meant to help schools recover educational time loss from the coronavirus.
The education department announced Tuesday that it is partnering with the South Carolina Arts Commission to provide more arts educations with money provided by the federal American Rescue Plan.
The plan is meant to get the nation running again after the pandemic shut much of it down.
South Carolina received $2.1 billion from the plan, according to the education department. Most of that went directly to school districts, but some was set aside for “state-level activities to address learning loss, summer enrichment programs, and comprehensive after school programs.”
The art commission proposed an initiative to help schools fill learning loss gaps in the arts, use arts as part of core subject areas and provide art-based summer and after-school learning opportunities throughout the state.
The art commission will implement its plan over the next three years and hopes to better integrate arts in schools, get kids learning about art early and allow high schools to gain job credits for the art industry, according to a statement about the funds. Part of the money will go to getting undeserved communities better art education and bettering how instructors teach art.
“As a longtime music teacher, I have seen firsthand the impact that arts education can have on students,” State Superintendent Molly Spearman said in the statement. “The arts have a unique ability to engage students of diverse backgrounds across all subject areas which makes this initiative well suited for the receipt of these funds.”