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COLUMBIA, S.C. — State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman has declared a state of emergency in the Allendale County School District due to continued poor student academic performance.
"As State Superintendent, my top priority is to build a brighter future for every South Carolina student. Too often it seems education has been about serving the interest of adults rather than the needs of students in our classrooms,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “Management decisions that put self-interest ahead of our students’ achievement are unacceptable. I will not stand by while students get left behind because of the poor decision making of adults. With this in mind, I am declaring a state of emergency and will take over direct management of the Allendale County School District."
Both Appropriations Acts of 2017 and 2018 include Proviso 1A.12, which provides that the State Superintendent of Education "may declare a state of emergency in a district if the accreditation status is probation or denied, if a majority of the schools fail to show improvement, if the district is classified as being in "high risk" status financially, or for financial mismanagement resulting in a deficit.” Upon declaration of a state of emergency, the State Superintendent may take over management of the district.
Three of the four schools in the Allendale County School District are currently on the state priority school list, meaning they are in the bottom five percent academically of all schools in the state. Additionally, district wide student academic achievement has been at some of the lowest levels in the state for multiple years.
In addition to poor student performance and lack of improvement, there are significant financial and programmatic concerns in key federal and state programs run by the district. Allendale County School District receives over $17,000 per student in local, state, and federal funds, one of the highest of any district in the state, according to estimates provided by the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office.
"Allendale County Schools have received significant increases in funding yet continue to have some of the worst results. These students deserve better and we must remain accountable to the taxpayers,” said Spearman. "I have significant concerns about district finances not being used efficiently nor effectively. We will take corrective action and ensure that every tax dollar is spent transparently in ways that improve student academic achievement.”
As part of the state of emergency, Superintendent Spearman has appointed Dr. Walter Tobin, Sr., an experienced district administrator, to serve as district superintendent effective immediately. Dr. Tobin will report directly to Spearman and will begin meeting with school and district employees, parents, and community leaders this week. The South Carolina Department of Education will provide hands-on technical assistance in the form of school transformation coaches, professional development, and direct program oversight.
“I do not make this decision lightly,” said Spearman. “Our schools perform best when parents and the local community are involved. Local input is vital to successfully getting Allendale schools back on the right track. Dr. Tobin and I will be meeting regularly with parents, teachers, and community leaders in order to keep the Allendale community involved as we make the tough decisions required to move the district forward.”
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