2 days Ago
Change can be unsettling. But in South Carolina, we know that stability doesn’t come from fearing change; it comes from leading through it with clarity and confidence. We have a choice: panic or progress.
Let’s choose to keep calm and educate on. President Donald Trump’s recent executive order and the ongoing changes at the U.S.
Department of Education offer an unprecedented opportunity to return public education to what it was always meant to be: a rigorous, student-centered system led by local educators and parents, preparing young people for success in life and citizenship. Let’s start with the facts. We don’t yet have the answers for how Congress will proceed — how funding may flow, what federal accountability could look like or what new flexibilities states might have.
But here’s what we do know: • Federal protections for students with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are not going anywhere. In fact, these protections pre-date the U.S Department of Education’s creation under Jimmy Carter in 1979.
• Title funds that support low-income students are not in jeopardy. Congress enacted this support 15 years prior to the creation of the federal department. These programs and protections are written into federal law and cannot be undone with the stroke of a pen.
South Carolina’s commitment to serving these students is ironclad. The administration has also appointed proven leaders who understand the real challenges states face. Secretary Linda McMahon is already bringing stability and clear direction to the department, leveraging her business acumen, leadership experience and fresh perspective to cut through red tape.
Educational leaders such as Penny Schwinn and Kirstin Baesler, who have led at every level — classroom, district and state — have been nominated in supporting deputy roles and bring practical experience to the table. They know firsthand the frustration of dealing with federal bureaucracy, and they have the relationships and insight to help states navigate this transition for the benefit of students. I speak regularly with my fellow state education chiefs, sharing South Carolina’s successes, learning from their ideas and working together to advocate for the needs of our states.
Just last week in Washington, several of my colleagues and I sat down with Secretary McMahon. She was humble, engaged and laser-focused on how her department’s actions impact our ability to serve students. We shared concrete examples of how the U.
S. Department of Education has historically made it difficult for us to push federal resources into classrooms — forcing us to spend time and money on compliance paperwork instead of direct student support. We proposed practical solutions to ease that burden in the near-term while working with Congress on long-term fixes, such as block-granting funds back to states.
And we made one thing clear: We welcome accountability for student success — if it comes with real flexibility to achieve it. Our charge isn’t to make paperwork perfect but to steward every dollar for the greatest possible impact on students. This is South Carolina’s golden opportunity to lead the way with what we know works.
To double down on our back-to-basics approach and show the nation what great public education was always meant to be. That’s why in the Palmetto State we are: • Investing in teachers. We’ve increased starting teacher pay 47% since 2018 (from $32,000 to $47,000), launched a strategic compensation pilot program and put forward commonsense policy ideas to elevate and expand the teaching profession.
• Strengthening reading instruction. We’re equipping teachers with proven, phonics-based and knowledge-building strategies to ensure every child becomes a confident, capable reader. • Advancing math success.
We’re pairing strong, new South Carolina-created math standards with high-quality curriculum, teacher professional development and coaching, and high-dose tutoring for students through our Palmetto Math Project . • Expanding career and technical education. We’re working with business and higher education to create high-value, workforce-aligned career pathways through certifications, dual enrollment, apprenticeships and other practical work-based learning opportunities.
• Creating focused learning environments. We’re tackling classroom discipline issues — a major driver of teacher burnout — through our Free to Focus cell phone-free school day. Now, imagine if we could redirect all the time and money spent on federal paperwork to expand these and other commonsense initiatives.
That’s the promise of this new era: less red tape, more student learning and meaningful teacher support. So, despite what national naysayers would have you believe, protections for students with special needs remain. Funding for low-income students hasn’t diminished.
What’s changing is that we’re finally poised to focus on what truly matters: student success, not federal forms. Let’s turn down the noise, work together and keep calm and educate on. With smart policies, strong leadership, good communication and a relentless focus on students, the best is yet to come for education in South Carolina.
Ellen Weaver is South Carolina's education superintendent..
