News Releases

October 22, 2020
South Carolina Class of 2020 Sees Dip in ACT Performance: The ACT® has released assessment data for the 2020 South Carolina high school graduates who took the ACT test. Graduates from South Carolina public schools saw a decrease in average composite scores from 18.6 in 2019 to 18.1 in 2020. Additionally, 22% of graduates met three or four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks down from 24% in 2019.

October 20, 2020
South Carolina Among Nation's Leaders in Computer Science Education: Code.org, the Computer Science Teacher Association, and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance, released the 2020 State of Computer Science Education report. The report shows South Carolina continues to be on the cutting edge in Computer Science policy and as a result, student participation is among the fastest growing in the nation.

October 13, 2020
South Carolina Department of Education Funds Over $33 Million in Protective Equipment and Supplies for All School Districts: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced today at River Springs Elementary School that the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) will purchase and distribute over $33 million worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies to all eighty one public school districts to support efforts to maintain and return to face to face instruction.

October 7, 2020
South Carolina Department of Education Awarded $31.5 Million Charter School Grant: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced that South Carolina will receive a new grant award of more than $31.5 million over the course of the next five years from the U.S. Department of Education’s Charter School Programs (CSP). The funding will be used to expand existing public charter schools and open new ones across the state.

September 24, 2020
Six South Carolina Schools Receive National Blue Ribbon School Honors: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recognized six South Carolina schools nominated by State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2020. The recognition is based on schools' overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

September 11, 2020
South Carolina's Class of 2020 Outperforms Nation on Advanced Placement, SAT Scores Remain Steady Despite COVID-19: The College Board has released national and South Carolina specific results for their SAT and Advanced Placement assessments. South Carolina students again exceeded the nation on eight out of the top ten tested subjects of Advanced Placement exams. 64% of South Carolina public school graduates from the Class of 2020 took the SAT during high school mirroring the Class of 2019.

August 25, 2020
South Carolina Department of Education Releases Assessment Waiver Survey for Public Input: The South Carolina Department of Education released an online survey for public input on the requested assessment waiver to the United States Department of Education. As required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the SCDE must provide public notice and give an opportunity for public input on the waiver request.

August 11, 2020
South Carolina Offers Free Training to Support Teachers and Principals with Virtual Instruction: The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) announced a new option for teachers and principals to receive free online training that will equip them to provide effective virtual instruction. The training is available for up to 6,000 educators over the course of 2020-21 and is being funded by part the SCDE's federal CARES Act allocation.

August 10, 2020
State Superintendent Molly Spearman Approves Fourteen School District Reopening Plans: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced the approval of fourteen school district reopening plans. The additional approved plans brings the total to 81 meaning that reopening plans every South Carolina public school district as well as the S.C. Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, S.C. Governor's School for Arts and Humanities, John De La Howe School of Agriculture, and S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind have been approved.

July 31, 2020
State Superintendent Molly Spearman Approves Thirty Six School District Reopening Plans, Requires Face Masks in Public School Facilities - Copy: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced the approval of thirty six school district reopening plans as well as approval of the reopening plans for the two residential Governor's Schools who will both return with hybrid face to face and virtual options. Superintendent Spearman also instituted a face mask requirement for students and staff in South Carolina's public school facilities that will begin when students and staff return for Learn, Evaluate, Analyze, & Prepare (LEAP) added instructional days.

July 30, 2020
State Superintendent Molly Spearman Approves Twenty Five School District Reopening Plans: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced the approval of twenty five school district reopening plans submitted to the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE).

July 29, 2020
South Carolina Announced as Recipient of $15,000,000 Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant from U.S. Department of Education: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman and the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) were notified that South Carolina is a receipient of $15,049,608 in funding for the Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

July 27, 2020
State Superintendent Molly Spearman Approves Six Reopening Plans, Institutes Mask Requirement on Buses: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced the approval of six school district reopening plans submitted to the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) and instituted a face mask requirement for students and staff on state owned school buses.

Sarah Gams of Spring Hill High School Named 2021 South Carolina Teacher of the Year: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman, Lexington-Richland School District Five superintendent, Dr. Christina Melton, and others surprised Sarah Gams at her home today with news that she was selected as the 2021 South Carolina Teacher of the Year.

April 16, 2020
Superintendent Spearman Announces York Comprehensive High School's Richard Whitmore as Teacher of the Year Finalist: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman surprised York Comprehensive High School teacher, Richard Whitmore, today with news that he has been selected as one of five finalists for the South Carolina Teacher of the Year award.

April 9, 2020
Superintendent Spearman Announces Wilder Elementary's Tanya Peckham as Teacher of the Year Finalist: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman surprised Wilder Elementary teacher Tanya Peckham, today with news that she has been selected as one of five finalists for the South Carolina Teacher of the Year award.

April 15, 2020
Superintendent Spearman Announces Woodruff Middle School's Ashley Bennett as Teacher of the Year Finalist: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman surprised Woodruff Middle School teacher Ashley Bennett, today with news that she has been selected as one of five finalists for the South Carolina Teacher of the Year award.

April 7, 2020
Superintendent Spearman Announces Spring Hill High School's Sarah Gams as Teacher of the Year Finalist: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman surprised Spring Hill High School teacher, Sarah Gams, today with news that she has been selected as one of five finalists for the prestigious South Carolina Teacher of the Year award.

April 6, 2020
Superintendent Spearman Announces Satchel Ford Elementary's Shawn Norris as Teacher of the Year Finalist: State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman surprised Satchel Ford Elementary teacher, Shawn Norris, today with news that he has been selected as one of five finalists for the South Carolina Teacher of the Year award.

February 6, 2020
South Carolina Student Participation and Performance Climb on Advanced Placement: Today, the College Board released their AP Program Results: Class of 2019 report detailing the participation and performance of U.S. public high school graduates in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. South Carolina’s Class of 2019 saw growth in all three major areas of AP participation and performance including outpacing the nation on eight of the top ten most popular Advanced Placement tested subjects.