COLUMBIA, SC (WCBD) — State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman has declared a state of emergency in the Williamsburg County School District due to financial mismanagement, systemic programmatic issues, and poor student academic performance. 

“I believe that education is an issue that is best served on the local level with input from students, parents, and the school community. However, when a district has continuous financial and programmatic issues that put its students at risk, as State Superintendent, I am compelled to take action,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “The management decisions of the Williamsburg County School District have led to a high financial risk rating, years of deficiencies in special education and other integral programs, and a loss of hundreds of thousands of federal dollars meant to serve our most vulnerable students. With these issues in mind, I am declaring a state of emergency and will take over direct management of the Williamsburg 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.

The South Carolina Department of Education has attempted to work with the Williamsburg County School District since the 2014-15 school year to clear up deficiencies in federal programs. The district has failed to address substantial, systematic issues that have resulted in its loss and redirection of over $600,000 that could have been used to provide specialized instruction to students with disabilities.

In addition, under a new state law, the district has been given ten days to respond to a notice that a state of fiscal caution will be declared due to repeat negative audit findings. On the April 2018 accreditation report, of the district’s 10 schools and career center, only two are “all clear” for accreditation purposes. Seven have an “advised” accreditation status, one is “warned,” and one is on “probation”. 
 
District-wide student academic achievement has been at some of the lowest levels in the state for multiple years. Only 21% of students in grades three through eight met or exceeded state standards on the state English Language Arts assessment. Only 15% met or exceeded standards in Math, 19% met or exceeded in Science. 
 
“Williamsburg County Schools receive 74% of their $16,645 per pupil funding from the state or federal governments.  The district and state must remain accountable to the taxpayers and it is clear that the district has failed to use these dollars efficiently and effectively. These students deserve better and we must use every dollar wisely and in ways that improve student academic achievement,” said Spearman. 

As part of the state of emergency, Superintendent Spearman has appointed Dr. Rose Wilder, an experienced district administrator and former South Carolina superintendent of the year, to serve as district superintendent effective immediately.

Dr. Wilder 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. 

“This decision is not one that I take lightly and comes after many months of reflection and discussions with stakeholders,” said Spearman. “Our schools perform best when parents and the local community are involved. Local input is vital to successfully getting Williamsburg County schools moving in the right direction. Dr. Wilder and I will be meeting regularly with parents, teachers, and community leaders in order to keep the Williamsburg community involved as we make the tough decisions required to move the district forward.”