This article does not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.
K-12 education in South Carolina | |
Education facts | |
State superintendent: Molly Mitchell Spearman | |
Number of students: 735,998 | |
Number of teachers: 48,072 | |
Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:15 | |
Number of school districts: 85 | |
Number of schools: 1,239 | |
Graduation rate: 77.6% | |
Per-pupil spending: $9,514 | |
See also | |
South Carolina Department of Education • List of school districts in South Carolina • South Carolina • School boards portal | |
Public education in the United States Public education in South Carolina Glossary of education terms | |
Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes. |
The South Carolina public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 South Carolina had 735,998 students enrolled in a total of 1,239 schools in 103 school districts. There were 48,072 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 274 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average South Carolina spent $9,514 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 33rd highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 77.6 percent in 2013.[1][2][3]
Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The South Carolina Department of Education initially adopted the standards on July 14, 2010. Full implementation took place during the 2013-2014 academic year.[4][5]
On May 30, 2014, Governor Nikki Haley (R) signed legislation that removed South Carolina from Common Core. Common Core standards for mathematics and English remained in place for the 2014-2015 academic year, but new standards were to be written and implemented for the 2015-2016 academic year. Some argued, however, that the substance of the new state-drafted standards would differ little from the Common Core standards. State Senator Brad Hutto (D) said, "The spin is that we did away with, abolished, Common Core. We didn't do anything this year other than move up in time the cyclical review, probably to the detriment of the review."[6][7]
The South Carolina State Board of Education approved new state standards in March 2015. This action officially repealed the Common Core standards in the state.[8]
The following chart shows how South Carolina compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. Compared to its neighboring states, South Carolina had the most administrators relative to students, with a ratio of 1:274.
Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.
Regional comparison, 2012-2013 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Schools | Districts | Students | Teachers | Teacher to pupil ratio | Admin. to pupil ratio | Per pupil spending* |
South Carolina | 1,239 | 103 | 735,998 | 48,072 | 1:15.3 | 1:273.8 | $9,514 |
Georgia | 2,387 | 218 | 1,703,332 | 109,365 | 1:15.6 | 1:280 | $9,099 |
North Carolina | 2,557 | 244 | 1,518,465 | 98,590 | 1:15.4 | 1:282.8 | $8,390 |
Tennessee | 1,817 | 141 | 993,496 | 66,406 | 1:15 | 1:284.3 | $8,208 |
United States | 98,454 | 18,093 | 49,771,118 | 3,109,101 | 1:16 | 1:294.1 | $10,700 |
*Per pupil spending data reflects information reported for fiscal year 2013. Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 2 - Number of operating public schools and districts, state enrollment, teacher, and pupil teacher ratio, by state: School year 2012–13" United States Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013 (Table 20)" |
Education policy on Ballotpedia |
---|
|
Education policy in the U.S. |
Public education in the U.S. |
Higher education by state |
School choice in the U.S. |
Education statistics |
State information |
|
Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.
The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in South Carolina and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.[9]
In South Carolina, there were 1,166 regular schools as of 2013. Magnet schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 100 schools classified as such.
Number of schools by type, 2012-2013 | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Total schools | Regular | Special education | Vocational | Alternative | Charter | Magnet | Title I | |||||||
South Carolina | 1,239 | 1,166 | 10 | 42 | 21 | 55 | 100 | 1,054 | |||||||
Georgia | 2,387 | 2,253 | 59 | 1 | 74 | 93 | 86 | 1,575 | |||||||
North Carolina | 2,557 | 2,444 | 25 | 7 | 81 | 108 | 106 | 2,120 | |||||||
Tennessee | 1,817 | 1,764 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 51 | 132 | 1,504 | |||||||
United States | 98,454 | 89,031 | 2,034 | 1,403 | 5,986 | 6,079 | 3,151 | 68,140 | |||||||
† Not applicable. Some states/jurisdictions do not have charter school authorization and some states/jurisdictions do not designate magnet schools. ‡ Reporting standards were not met due to data that were missing for more than 20 percent of schools in the state or jurisdiction. Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a |
The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in South Carolina as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.[10]
During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.
In South Carolina, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 389,179, which was about 52.9 percent of the student population in the state. There were 260,336 black students in the state, accounting for about 35.4 percent of the population.
Public education enrollment by race/ethnicity, 2012-2013 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Pop. category | Am. Indian /Alaska Nat. |
Asian | Black | Hawaiian /Pac. Islander |
Hispanic | White | Two or more races |
South Carolina | Number | 2,268 | 10,170 | 260,336 | 864 | 51,859 | 389,179 | 21,322 |
Percentage | 0.31% | 1.38% | 35.37% | 0.12% | 7.05% | 52.88% | 2.9% | |
Georgia | Number | 3,576 | 59,067 | 628,849 | 1,869 | 217,122 | 740,789 | 52,060 |
Percentage | 0.21% | 3.47% | 36.92% | 0.11% | 12.75% | 43.49% | 3.06% | |
North Carolina | Number | 21,219 | 39,929 | 397,779 | 1,382 | 215,472 | 787,559 | 55,125 |
Percentage | 1.4% | 2.63% | 26.2% | 0.09% | 14.19% | 51.87% | 3.63% | |
Tennessee | Number | 1,890 | 17,024 | 228,812 | 992 | 72,204 | 658,568 | 14,006 |
Percentage | 0.19% | 1.71% | 23.03% | 0.1% | 7.27% | 66.29% | 1.41% | |
United States | Number | 533,098 | 2,363,484 | 7,798,560 | 179,935 | 12,064,310 | 25,366,857 | 1,390,514 |
Percentage** | 1.07% | 4.76% | 15.69% | 0.36% | 24.28% | 51.04% | 2.80% | |
**Note: This is the percentage of all students in the United States that are reported to be of this ethnicity. Source: United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey, 2012-2013" |
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.[11]
A plurality of students in South Carolina attended suburban schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 54.5 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 45.5 percent who attended rural or town schools.
Student distribution by region type, 2012-2013 (as percents) | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | City schools | Suburban schools | Town schools | Rural schools | |||
South Carolina | 19.2% | 35.3% | 12.4% | 33.1% | |||
Georgia | 15.7% | 45.9% | 11.5% | 26.9% | |||
North Carolina | 27.9% | 23.9% | 10.8% | 37.4% | |||
Tennessee | 31.7% | 20.9% | 17.1% | 30.3% | |||
U.S. averages | 30% | 39.8% | 11.5% | 18.7% | |||
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey, SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a" |
Education terms |
---|
|
For more information on education policy terms, see this article. |
The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee), South Carolina had the smallest share of fourth grade students who scored at or above proficient in both math and reading.[12]
Percent of students scoring at or above proficient, 2012-2013 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Math - Grade 4 | Math - Grade 8 | Reading - Grade 4 | Reading - Grade 8 | |
South Carolina | 35% | 31% | 28% | 29% |
Georgia | 39% | 29% | 34% | 32% |
North Carolina | 45% | 36% | 35% | 33% |
Tennessee | 40% | 28% | 34% | 33% |
United States | 41% | 34% | 34% | 34% |
Source: United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables" |
The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for South Carolina and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.[12][13][14]
In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.[15]
South Carolina schools reported a graduation rate of 77.6 percent, second lowest among its neighboring states.
In South Carolina, more students took the SAT than the ACT, earning an average SAT score of 1436.
Comparison table for graduation rates and test scores, 2012-2013 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Graduation rate, 2013 | Average ACT composite, 2013 | Average SAT composite, 2013 | ||||
Percent | Quintile ranking** | Score | Participation rate | Score | Participation rate | ||
South Carolina | 77.6% | Fourth | 20.4 | 51% | 1436 | 64% | |
Georgia | 71.7% | Fifth | 20.7 | 51% | 1452 | 75% | |
North Carolina | 82.5% | Third | 18.7 | 100% | 1479 | 62% | |
Tennessee | 86.3% | Second | 19.5 | 100% | 1709 | 8% | |
United States | 81.4% | 20.9 | 54% | 1498 | 50% | ||
**Graduation rates for states in the first quintile ranked in the top 20 percent nationally. Similarly, graduation rates for states in the fifth quintile ranked in the bottom 20 percent nationally. Sources: United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express" ACT.org, "2013 ACT National and State Scores" The Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT scores by state, 2013" |
The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for South Carolina was lower than the national average at 2.8 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 2.5 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.[16]
As of June 2015, school choice options in South Carolina included charter schools, a tax incentive program, inter-district open enrollment policies and online learning programs. In addition, about 7.46 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.
On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.[17]
In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.[18]
The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.
South Carolina is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.
According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.[19][20]
South Carolina spent approximately 17.6 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from state funds. South Carolina spent a smaller percentage of its total budget on public education than any of its neighboring states.
Comparison of financial figures for school systems, fiscal year 2013 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Percentage of budget | Per pupil spending | Revenue sources | ||||
Percent federal funds | Percent state funds | Percent local funds | |||||
South Carolina | 17.6% | $9,514 | 9.9% | 46.3% | 43.8% | ||
Georgia | 24.1% | $9,099 | 10.3% | 43.4% | 46.2% | ||
North Carolina | 24.8% | $8,390 | 12.4% | 62% | 25.6% | ||
Tennessee | 17.8% | $8,208 | 13.1% | 46.1% | 40.8% | ||
United States | 19.8% | $10,700 | 9.1% | 45.6% | 45.3% | ||
Sources: NASBO, "State Expenditure Report" (Table 8). U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 5 and Table 8). |
According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.[20]
In South Carolina, the primary source of school system revenue was state funding during fiscal year 2013, at $3.8 billion. South Carolina reported the lowest total public education revenue when compared to its neighboring states.
Revenues by source, fiscal year 2013 (amounts in thousands) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
State | Federal revenue | State revenue | Local revenue | Total revenue |
South Carolina | $814,137 | $3,819,285 | $3,608,526 | $8,241,948 |
Georgia | $1,805,878 | $7,577,585 | $8,065,837 | $17,449,300 |
North Carolina | $1,579,889 | $7,891,977 | $3,257,536 | $12,729,402 |
Tennessee | $1,165,801 | $4,097,627 | $3,622,027 | $8,885,455 |
United States | $54,367,305 | $272,916,892 | $270,645,402 | $597,929,599 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 1) |
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.[21]
Public education expenditures in South Carolina totaled approximately $8 billion in fiscal year 2012. South Carolina reported the lowest total public education expenditures when compared to its neighboring states.
Expenditures by type, fiscal year 2012 (amounts in thousands) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
State | General expenditures | Capital outlay | Other | Total expenditures |
South Carolina | $6,600,733 | $889,985 | $465,351 | $7,956,070 |
Georgia | $15,623,633 | $1,566,186 | $275,277 | $17,465,095 |
North Carolina | $12,303,426 | $683,545 | $73,186 | $13,060,157 |
Tennessee | $8,351,056 | $664,129 | $280,056 | $9,295,241 |
United States | $527,096,473 | $48,773,386 | $25,897,123 | $601,766,981 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)" (Table 5) |
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in South Carolina, the average salary decreased by 2.8 percent.[23]
Estimated average salaries for teachers (in constant dollars**) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999-2000 | 2009-2010 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | Percent difference | |
South Carolina | $49,308 | $50,712 | $48,217 | $47,924 | -2.8% |
Georgia | $56,062 | $56,694 | $53,819 | $52,880 | -5.7% |
North Carolina | $53,849 | $50,010 | $46,712 | $45,947 | -14.7% |
Tennessee | $49,645 | $49,412 | $47,866 | $48,289 | -2.7% |
United States | $57,133 | $58,925 | $56,340 | $56,383 | -1.3% |
**"Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI does not account for differences in inflation rates from state to state." |
The mission statement of the South Carolina Department of Education reads:[24]
“ | Our mission is to ensure that every student in South Carolina receives an education that meets their individual needs while also preparing them to be contributing members of society. We work closely with students, parents, teachers, staff, school districts, government officials, and the media to facilitate the best possible education for South Carolina's students.[25] | ” |
The Superintendent of Education is responsible generally for the administration of the Department of Education.[26] The Superintendent of Education is elected to a four-year term. Molly Mitchell Spearman was first elected to the office in 2014.[27]
The South Carolina State Board of Education is the governing body for public elementary and secondary education in the state. The board is composed of 17 members: 16 are appointed from each of the state's judicial circuits by their respective legislative delegations and one is appointed directly by the governor. Members serve four-year terms.[28]
In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas, including resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. South Carolina ranked 49th overall for union power and influence, or "weakest," which was in the fifth of five tiers.[29]
The main union related to the South Carolina school system is the South Carolina Education Association (SCEA), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA).[30]
List of local South Carolina school unions:[31]
The main education government sector lobbying organization is the South Carolina School Boards Association.
The South Carolina House of Representatives rejected a proposal in March 2010 that would have prohibited school districts from using taxpayer money to fund government sector lobbying associations. Representative Boyd Brown introduced the budget amendment, which would have eliminated government sector lobbying and prohibited the use of tax dollars for dues at any "organization which employs a lobbyist." The bill failed on March 18, 2010, by one vote.[32]
According to reports, public universities in the state had spent more than $1.5 million on lobbying as of September 2010.[33][34]
"South Carolina Spending Transparency" is the transparency website sponsored by the state. It discloses information about South Carolina's spending and is managed by the Comptroller General. On August 30, 2007, then-Governor Mark Sanford signed South Carolina Executive Order 2007-14, which mandated the creation of the website.
Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:
Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average, The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.
South Carolina received a score of 72.6, or a C average in the "chance for success" category. This was below the national average. The state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 94.4, or an A average. The lowest score was in "K-12 achievement" at 62.6, or a D average. South Carolina had the highest score in the "standards, assessments and accountability" category when compared to neighboring states. The chart below displays the scores of South Carolina and its surrounding states.[35]
Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.
Public education report cards, 2014 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Chance for success | K-12 achievement | Standards, assessments and accountability | The teaching profession | School finance | Transitions and alignment |
South Carolina | 72.6 (C) | 62.6 (D) | 94.4 (A) | 89.0 (B+) | 68.7 (D+) | 71.4 (C-) |
Georgia | 73.9 (C) | 70.7 (C-) | 91.1 (A-) | 79.8 (B-) | 71.6 (C-) | 100.0 (A) |
North Carolina | 75.7 (C) | 69.8 (C-) | 92.8 (A) | 77.8 (C+) | 67.0 (D+) | 85.7 (B) |
Tennessee | 73.9 (C) | 68.8 (D+) | 90.0 (A-) | 80.3 (B-) | 64.5 (D) | 92.9 (A) |
United States | 77.3 (C+) | 70.2 (C-) | 85.3 (B) | 72.5 (C) | 75.5 (C) | 81.1 (B-) |
Source: Education Week, "Quality Counts 2014" A full discussion of how these numbers were generated can be found here. |
State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.
School districts in South Carolina are organized by county. Each county has at least one public school district offering K-12 courses.[36]
South Carolina school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although some school board members are appointed to fill vacancies until the next election for the seat is held. South Carolina school board elections typically follow one of these two methods:[37]
School boards can consists of five, seven or nine members. Board members serve terms of two, three or four years.[37]
South Carolina does not impose statewide term limits on school board members. However, terms limits on school board members can still be imposed on the local level.[37]
No South Carolina school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope are holding school board elections in 2021.
To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in South Carolina, a person must be:[37]
Candidates file nominating petitions with county elections officials at least 75 days prior to the election. A valid petition features signatures from district residents totaling at least 5 percent of registered voters in the school district.[37]
State law requires local candidates to file campaign finance reports with the South Carolina State Ethics Commission. The first report for a school board candidate is due within 10 days of receiving or spending $500 in campaign funds. Candidates who do not receive or spend $500 are required to file pre-election reports within 15 days of the election. The maximum contribution amount in an election cycle for local candidates is $1,000 per person.[38]
The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the South Carolina state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms South Carolina education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.