English language acquisition: state formula grant program

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDOE) received a $6.75 million Formula Grant from the Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition under the English Language Acquisition State Grants program (CFDA 84.365) for the period July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. As the state educational agency prime grantee, SCDOE distributed these funds through sub-grants to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and other eligible entities to provide comprehensive English language instruction services to English learners, including immigrant children and youth, enabling them to achieve English language proficiency while meeting challenging state academic standards. Per program requirements, SCDOE expended at least 95 percent of its allocation through sub-grants to school districts and educational service providers across South Carolina.

SCDOE awarded sub-grants to 27 school districts and educational entities including Richland School District 2, Spartanburg School District #6, Greenville County Schools, Florence School District One, Charleston County School District, Beaufort County School District, Limestone Charter Association, and the South Carolina Public Charter School District, among others. These sub-recipients utilized Title III, Part A funding to deliver English language development services, academic enrichment programs, professional development for educators, curriculum development, and parent engagement initiatives. The sub-awards, dated March 31, 2026, and February 23, 2026, supported both immigrant student services (Title III, Part A-Immigrant) and multilingual learner programs (Title III, Part A-ML), ensuring equitable access to language acquisition services across diverse school jurisdictions and student populations throughout the state.