SC lawmaker: The problems in Richland 1 school district are far worse than I thought | Opinion

I am the product of public education. I grew up poor but worked hard and had teachers willing to do the same. That led to a volleyball scholarship, college, the chance to own my own home, and the opportunity to serve my community in the South Carolina House.

I believe in public education, but Richland County School District One (Richland 1) is failing students, parents and teachers. Our kids need a change.

Last week, Richland 1 shocked the community by reassigning 11 teachers 45 days into the school year. It is not clear how many total transfers Richland 1 implemented. Regardless, let’s be clear about what prompted it: an inexcusable failure to plan by the administration.

Of course, every school deserves an excellent teacher-student ratio. But teacher assignments should have been assessed before classes began, before teachers made plans, and before students formed relationships with instructors. As I’ve heard from constituents in the Brennan Elementary community, everyone was surprised and confused by the abrupt reassignments.

The need to abruptly reassign teachers is apparently precipitated by a shocking number of teacher resignations in some of our district’s most troubled schools. For example, in Burton/Pack Elementary, Columbia High and Hopkins Middle Schools, the teacher resignation rate is 50%, 42% and 37%, respectively. Such extreme numbers beg serious questions about what is going on in these schools. Nevertheless, to solve a crisis in some schools, Richland 1 precipitated a new one in others. That was wrong.

Other facts demonstrate our school district is in crisis. According to the 2022–23 report card issued this month by the S.C. Education Oversight Committee (EOC), Richland 1 is 10% behind in English and math, 14% behind in science, and 15% in U.S. History and the Constitution when compared to the average S.C. public school.

When compared to our neighbor, Richland School District 2, Richland 1 is 11% behind in English, 10% behind in math, 14% behind in science and 12% behind in history and civics. Yes, there are some differences between the student populations in Richland 1 and Richland 2 — but there is nothing so different that it should cause Richland 1 children to be so far behind other children in the same county.

Richland 1’s failing grade is punctuated by the fact that it has more “unsatisfactory” schools — six of South Carolina’s 61 failing schools — than any district except the experimental public charter school district.

Resources have historically been a concern for public schools, but a lack of resources does not explain Richland 1’s failed record. We are blessed to have a well-funded school district, but those resources are not getting into the classroom.

According to the EOC, Richland 1 spends just 52.7% of its budget on student instruction, down from 54.6% last year. By comparison, Richland 2 is spending 68.3% on instruction. In addition, teachers in our district were unhappy before the precipitous reassignments; we rank behind the state average on teacher perception on instructional focus, working conditions and safety.

Listening to constituents and following the facts, has led me to conclude the problems with Richland 1 are far worse than the teacher relocations that prompted outcries this week. Too many students aren’t having success, money isn’t getting into classrooms, and teachers are unhappy. These facts all lead to the same conclusion: district leadership is failing.

This is not a conclusion I sought or relish. Richland 1 school board members are my friends and members of my party. But I am troubled that when I reached out during the public outcry last week, I was offered “talking points” instead of answers. I don’t have all the answers yet, but I know the disrespect shown to teachers will only exacerbate our problems and that the children in our district don’t have time for these political games.

I’m using my position in the state legislature to press for change. I encourage everyone to use their voice to do the same.

This story was originally published October 25, 2023 at 2:05 PM.