Education: Is South Carolina Failing Its Students?

Empty Classroom

According to a recent analysis done by South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center, “South Carolina’s regular public school districts received less financial support per student on an inflation- adjusted basis in 2013-2014 than they did five years earlier.”  It was also found that support declined most severely in districts with the highest poverty rate.

Official state estimates show South Carolina is continuing to fail the 35,000 students in the 15 poorest districts, based on the fiscal year 2014-2015. South Carolina is not alone in reducing state funding for education.

According to the data collected, “a January report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that South Carolina was one of more than 30 states that provided less state funding per student on an inflation-adjusted basis in FY 2013-2014 than in 2007-2008, a six-year period.”