(The Center Square) – Analysis of South Carolina education concludes only two states in the country from 2020 to 2022 decreased more in average teacher salary, and only 15 states had larger spending increase percentages for students.
The period is in line with the COVID-19 era, when the state and most of the world began to shut down on Thursday, March 12, 2020. Second-term Republican Gov. Henry McMaster on June 7, 2021, ended the declaration of emergency.
Education picked up more than $1.6 billion in relief money from the federal government. Other states got even more; how states spent pandemic era money and went ahead in future budget would reflect additional context for the rankings.
Taxpayers provide more money for education than any other part of the state budget. For fiscal year 2024-25, the figure was $4.5 billion. First-term Republican Ellen Weaver is the elected superintendent leading the Department of Education.
The state has about 56,000 public school educators spread among 72 districts for more than 1,200 traditional public schools, more than 80 charter schools, and nearly 800,000 students.
In 2020, the Reason Foundation’s K-12 Education Spending Spotlight said average teacher pay in the state dropped 8.7% from 2020 to 2022.
Reason says South Carolina spends $18,222 per students, 26th best in the nation. It has increased 9.2% since 2020, ranking 16th.
The Reason Foundation is a Libertarian think tank. It promotes liberty, free markets and the rule of law.
