Are SC schools really that bad? (Columbia, Charleston: home, find a job, school districts)

[SteveO813]

This is starting to concern me. My fiance will graduate in May with an elementary education degree, and the last thing I want for her is to be stuck in a run-down, poorly performing school. I'm sure there are good schools out there, but I worry that she might only be able to find work in a subpar district.

Can someone give me some insight into the overall schooling situation in South Carolina? Right now we're looking at the Greenville, Columbia and Charleston areas. I've searched for nationwide school statistics, but I'm having trouble coming up with useful numbers. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[scjj]

In the Charleston area for the most part the worst will be the public schools in downtown Charleston and in the lower income North Charleston areas. The usual obvious reasons, lower incomes, bad home environments and lack of parent involvement and discipline. It really is sad that the cycle for these kids just keeps repeating itself. They have no chance. Out in the rural areas they are offering bonuses to teachers to work in their schools. These schools though are the poorer and lower achieving schools with kids from mostly lower incomes.

Don't get completely discouraged though, there are also some very good schools and school districts around as well. Dorchester District 2 (Summerville) has good schools and a new elementary and middle school are due to open within the next year, and a new high school in 2008. Mount Pleasant also has very good schools. There is also the Goose Creek area which is growing and adding new schools and the West Ashley area. So good schools are around, you just need to weed out the bad ones.

[GoPadge]

There are good schools in South Carolina. Hand Middle School in Columbia was Time magazine's School of the Year in 2001. Earlier this year SC ranked 2nd in Teacher Improvement initiatives and 3rd in efforts to raise standards and improve accountability.

[catschmidt]

It just depends on the individual school districts. Some are very poor and have substandard ratings; others have outstanding ratings and are schools of excellence. You just have to research and dig up the info. For example, we're in the Dist 1 of Anderson Co and it's the 'best of the best.' That's why we moved here. My SIL teaches at a Greenville Co school and it is also known for being a school of excellence. Then, I have college buds who teach at 'poorer,' substandard schools and are trying hard to make a difference and change things. They get frustrated with lack of budget money needed for a change. They also get frustrated with lack of parent participation. Some of thier students have parents that don't really care if their child gets an education or not. I'd suggest your fiancee come here and visit and research before she just moves here and tries to find a job. She needs to network and get to know some teachers and get their opinions on what districts are good and which ones need improvement. I'm sure there is a SC teacher's forum online out there.

[friendnc]

Like ANYWHERE, it depends on the idividual district. York County near Charlotte has outstanding schools.

[carolinajack]

for really good schools, rock hill, and mt pleasant are good areas. I wouldnt say they are any worse than pennsylvania, massachusetts and New york school systems where 50% of the teachers cant pass the NTE. there are good schools and bad schools in each state

[carolinajack]

mt pleasant academy is a blue ribbon school

[carolinajack]

if sending your kids to public schools anywhere these days, you are taking a big risk.

[SteveO813]

Thank you everyone for your responses!

carolinajack, just to clarify, I'm not as worried about sending my future kids to South Carolina schools. To be honest, we may end up moving back to KC once we have kids to be near family. At this point, I'm more concerned with finding a good school for my fiance to teach in. She's done some student teaching-type things in low-income, poorly performing schools, she was highly frustrated with the whole experience. I understand that as a beginning teacher, she may not just be able to pick and choose wherever she wants to teach, but I'd like her to find a school she could be happy with.

Like everyone has said, there are bad schools everywhere. I just hope there are enough good ones for her to find a good place to teach. Seriously though, thank you everyone; I feel much more relieved after reading all of your responses, and I'll definitely continue to look into it.

Steve

[carolinajack]

As a former teacher, i can tell you that it is the public school systems which puts teachers unions and the state agenda above the welfare and intellectual growth of our kids in SC and all over the country. So in asking the question, no, this issue of bad schools is not endemic to SC schools.
I receive a good education in SC elementary schools and it was because it was before the state became the nanny in a pc culture.