Dr. Charlie G. Williams held the post of State Superintendent of Education for three consecutive terms from 1979 to 1991.
Dr. Williams is best known for his involvement in the crafting and the subsequent passing of the Education Improvement Act (EIA) in 1984. With the enactment of the EIA, a one-cent sales tax was instituted to provide additional funding for educational initiatives in South Carolina. Over sixty new programs and practices, many of which led to improvement in a variety of areas of public education, were created as a result of the EIA.
In 1989, several of the nation's most prestigious newspapers praised education reform in South Carolina and the progress achieved thanks to the EIA.
The Washington Post wrote, "No state is more identified with education reform than South Carolina."
The Chicago Tribune stated, "Once near the bottom, (South Carolina) state schools rank first in improvement."
Some of Dr. Williams' other key achievements were:
- the implementation of a full-fledged statewide kindergarten program,
- the expansion of programs for vocational and adult education and for handicapped students, and
- the completion of a plan for over two-thirds of South Carolina's school districts to have programs for gifted and talented students.
Dr. Williams received his Bachelor of Science degree from Newberry College and his Master of Arts and doctorate degrees from the University of South Carolina. Prior to his term as state superintendent, he served as deputy state superintendent of education at the State Department of Education.
Dr. Williams died in September 1998
