Public education in South Carolina

in South Carolina

Fiscal Budgets South Carolina state budget and finances Tax policy in South Carolina Finance Financial regulation in South Carolina Pensions Public pensions in South Carolina Pension health in South Carolina Civil liberties Affirmative action in South Carolina Campaign finance requirements in South Carolina Campaign finance requirements for South Carolina ballot measures Nonprofit regulation in South Carolina Education Charter schools in South Carolina Higher education in South Carolina Public education in South Carolina School choice in South Carolina Elections Ballot access Ballot access requirements for political candidates in South Carolina Ballot access requirements for political parties in South Carolina Political parties in South Carolina Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in South Carolina Redistricting in South Carolina Voting in South Carolina Energy and Environment Energy policy in South Carolina Fracking in South Carolina Oil and gas extraction on federal land in South Carolina Endangered species in South Carolina Environmental policy in South Carolina Healthcare Healthcare policy in South Carolina Medicaid spending in South Carolina Effect of the Affordable Care Act in South Carolina Immigration Immigration in South Carolina

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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[edit]

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]

General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

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.

Schools by type[edit]

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School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

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.

Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

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.

Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

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.

Academic performance[edit]

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

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]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

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.

Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

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]

Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in South Carolina

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.

Developments[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

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.

Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: South Carolina state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

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.

Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the United States

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.

Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

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.

Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

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]

Organizations[edit]

State agencies[edit]

See also: South Carolina Department of Education

The mission statement of the South Carolina Department of Education reads:^[24]

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]

Unions[edit]

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]

• South Carolina Education Association
• Greenville County Education Association

Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: South Carolina government sector lobbying

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]

Transparency[edit]

"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.

Studies and reports[edit]

Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

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:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

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.

State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

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[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

District types[edit]

School districts in South Carolina are organized by county. Each county has at least one public school district offering K-12 courses.^[36]

School board composition[edit]

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]

• At-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, regardless of geographic location.
• Trustee area at-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, but candidates must reside in specific geographic areas within the school district.

School boards can consists of five, seven or nine members. Board members serve terms of two, three or four years.^[37]

Term limits[edit]

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]

Elections[edit]

See also: South Carolina school board elections, 2021

No South Carolina school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope are holding school board elections in 2021.

Path to the ballot[edit]

To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in South Carolina, a person must be:^[37]

• 18 years of age or older
• A resident of the school district at the time of the election

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]

Campaign finance[edit]

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]

Recent legislation[edit]

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.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of South Carolina ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. South Carolina Amendment 1, Appointed Superintendent of Education Measure (2018)
2. South Carolina Establishment of a State Board of Education, Amendment 6 (1972)

In the news[edit]

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.

See also[edit]

• Historical public education information in South Carolina
• South Carolina state budget and finances
• South Carolina Department of Education
• List of school districts in South Carolina
• School choice in South Carolina
• Charter schools in South Carolina
• South Carolina
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links[edit]

• South Carolina Department of Education
  • School directory
• South Carolina Superintendent of Education
• South Carolina State Board of Education
• South Carolina Virtual School

Footnotes[edit]

	v • e State of South Carolina Columbia (capital)
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