My top priority for action as Superintendent of Education will be to restore credibility and faith in the office. The Superintendent of Education’s main function is to serve as an advocate for South Carolina’s students, teachers, and families. In recent years, education in South Carolina has become increasingly politicized. As Superintendent, I would ensure that every decision made benefits the students of South Carolina public schools, rather than serving any agenda.
South Carolina’s public schools face three key challenges: teacher retention, curriculum censorship, and school safety. Retaining teachers requires not only better pay but improved working conditions, including protected planning time. When teachers lose that time to cover classes, it increases burnout; they should be compensated for it. Curriculum censorship has also risen, limiting access to books and undermining local expertise. I would repeal Regulation 43-170 and restore decision-making to local librarians. School safety is also critical. I would work with the General Assembly to ensure safety measures are fully funded, and schools remain secure for students and staff.
While I believe public funds belong in public schools, as Superintendent, it is my duty to implement the policies established by our General Assembly. I will continue to push the legislature to establish transparency and accountability measures for any learning space receiving state funds, as long as the ESTF program remains law. This would include, but is not limited to, standards for curriculum, testing regulations, and student achievement measurement.
One of my top priorities as Superintendent of Education is making high quality pre-K available to every four-year-old in South Carolina. The research is undeniable. Children who enter kindergarten ready to read and learn outperform peers all the way through high school. South Carolina currently serves less than half of its eligible pre-K population. Investing in early childhood education is a proactive approach with the highest return on investment in all public education.
One of the most critical issues for public education in SC is the teacher exodus. The testing culture and pressure to teach to the test is stifling teacher creativity and negatively impacting our students' ability to think critically. As State Superintendent, I will work with the General Assembly to establish legislation to eliminate end of year, high stakes testing like SC Ready and transition to a growth model similar to Florida. This growth model will provide students, teachers, and families with data that identifies areas of strength and improvement. This means individualized learning plans for students that allow them to set and monitor their own goals. This data will also help teachers and families support student needs.
Before we talk about improving the ESTF program, it's important to highlight that this program violates Article XI, Section 4 of our State Constitution. If the ESTF program is unchallenged or if it is challenged and ruled constitutional, then my plan as Superintendent is to improve accountability by strengthening oversight with stricter program monitoring of providers and participant spending which includes verification requirements once funds are distributed, and implementing periodic reviews/audits of the program to include testing results as outlined by the law.
