Supporting Schools After the Pandemic

Early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, South Dakota schools committed to providing face-to-face learning to the greatest extent possible. This commitment allowed schools to balance the equally important needs of keeping students and staff healthy and ensuring continued learning.

In 2021, South Dakota received $382 million via the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) fund, of which 90 percent was disbursed to public school districts. At the state level, the South Dakota Department of Education (DOE) is using a portion of that funding - about 10 percent - to address the impact of the pandemic on students.

DOE set the following priorities to drive its efforts and investments of these funds:

Related Resources

• ESSER Year 4 Annual Reporting Walk-through
  See this recording for a step-by-step process of how to complete the workbook for ESSER Year 4 reporting.
• Financial Transparency Dashboard
  See how school districts are spending their American Rescue Plan ESSER funds
• South Dakota's Report Card
  See how South Dakota schools perform
• ARP ESSER State Plan
  Read DOE's plan for using its ARP ESSER dollars