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Charleston County School District, South Carolina
| Charleston County School District |
|---|
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| Charleston County, South Carolina |
| District details |
| Superintendent: Anita Huggins |
| # of school board members: 9 |
| Website: Link |
Charleston County School District is a school district in South Carolina.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...
- Superintendent
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
 |
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Anita Huggins is the superintendent of the Charleston County School District. She was named acting superintendent in October 2023 and took over full time in January 2024.[1]
Past superintendents
- Eric Gallien was the superintendent of the Charleston County School District from 2023 to 2023.[1] His previous experience includes serving as superintendent of Racine Unified School District. He has also served other administrative roles in the Racine Unified and Milwaukee Public school districts.[1]
- Donald Kennedy was the superintedent of the Charleston County School District from December 29, 2021 until June 30, 2023.[2]
- Gerrita Postlewait was the superintendent of the Charleston County School District from July 9, 2015 until her resignation on December 29, 2021.[3] Postlewait's previous career experience includes working as the chief K-12 officer for an education foundation.[4] In May 2022, Gerrita was appointed interim superintendent of Lexington County School District One and was confirmed as her own permanent successor in October 2022.[5]
- Michael Bobby was the acting superintendent of the Charleston County School District from 2014 to 2015. Bobby's previous career experience included working as the district's chief financial officer.[6]
- Nancy McGinley was the superintendent of the Charleston County School District from 2007 to 2014.
School board
The Charleston County School District school board consists of nine members elected by district to four-year terms.[7] The school board was redistricted in 2022. The East Cooper, North Area, Peninsula, and West Ashley Districts were replaced with Districts 1 through 9.
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston County School District school board, District 1 | Keith Grybowski | November 18, 2022 |
| Charleston County School District school board, District 2 | Carolina Jewett | November 18, 2024 |
| Charleston County School District school board, District 3 | Pam McKinney | November 18, 2022 |
| Charleston County School District school board, District 4 | Kevin Hollinshead | November 18, 2024 |
| Charleston County School District school board, District 5 | Carlotte Bailey | November 18, 2022 |
| Charleston County School District school board, District 6 | Michele Leber | November 18, 2024 |
| Charleston County School District school board, District 7 | Leah Whatley | November 18, 2022 |
| Charleston County School District school board, District 8 | Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson | November 18, 2022 |
| Charleston County School District school board, District 9 | Carol Tempel | November 18, 2022 |
Elections
Members of the Charleston County School District school board are elected to four-year terms. Four or five seats are up for election on a staggered basis every even-numbered year in November
Four seats on the board were up for general election on November 5, 2024.
Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The Charleston County School District school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[8]
| “ | Public Participation in Meetings
The public is invited to participate in regular board meetings and public hearings. Board meetings and public hearings shall be conducted in an orderly and efficient manner. Members of the public shall not speak out of turn during the meeting. Those wishing to attend and/or address the board must follow any safety and/or security protocols established by the superintendent, including those that follow public health guidance. Failure to do so may result in removal of the individual from the meeting room. Safety and security protocols will be noticed on the agenda in Board Docs and at the entrance to the meeting room. When the meeting room capacity is reached, staff shall provide additional space to have commentors safely line-up while waiting to address the board. Reasonable controls shall regulate public presentations to the board. All speakers will sign in and be asked to identify themselves or the group they represent and give their address. Public Comment Any individual who desires to appear before a regular meeting of the board shall sign in prior to the 5:15 p.m. open session and will be allowed a maximum of two minutes to address the board. A maximum of 30 minutes shall be provided for public comment to the board. If the list of those signed up to speak exceeds 15 names, the 30-minute period will be divided equally among those speakers. Each speaker shall be allowed a minimum of one minute. In the event that all speakers cannot each be afforded one minute within the 30-minute period, the period may be extended only by board vote. A suitable visible timing device shall be employed and it shall audibly mark the end of the presentation period. No speaker may use the public comment session for personal or derogatory comment of any individual, to discuss personnel matters, or to discuss matters otherwise private or confidential. Speakers are to discuss issues, not individuals. Issues addressed should reflect business that is before the board and/or is relevant to the district. The chairman or their designee is authorized to terminate any speaker’s time who does not observe this policy. Those wishing to address the board electronically may continue submitting public comments via electronic form once the agenda has posted and at least one (1) hour prior to the scheduled start of the meeting. The form will request information similar to in person sign in. Comments will be summarized by noting which agenda items were addressed and approximately how many spoke for and against specific agenda items. If considered necessary, the superintendent or their designee shall make a clarifying statement at the end of public comments in order to alleviate any confusion about the district’s policies and protocols, including matters of public health and safety.[9] |
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District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[10]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $90,948,000 | $1,882 | 9% |
| Local: | $619,471,000 | $12,818 | 60% |
| State: | $329,772,000 | $6,823 | 32% |
| Total: | $1,040,191,000 | $21,523 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $984,936,000 | $20,379 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $689,539,000 | $14,267 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $362,454,000 | $7,499 | 37% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $103,296,779 | $2,137 | 10% |
| Administration: | $84,086,000 | $1,739 | 9% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $139,702,221 | $2,890 | 14% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $185,416,000 | $3,836 | |
| Construction: | $177,769,000 | $3,678 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $9,483,000 | $196 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $25,121,000 | $519 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
| Year | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025[11] | $56,146 | $121,726 |
| 2023-2024[12] | $48,146 | $113,726 |
| 2021[13] | $39,675 | $83,190 |
| 2020[14] | $38,897 | $88,297 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[15]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 48 | 77 | 17 | 27 | 40-59 | 49 | 73 |
| 2018-2019 | 50 | 80 | 23 | 33 | 60-79 | 55 | 75 |
| 2017-2018 | 49 | 76 | 23 | 33 | 60-79 | 52 | 73 |
| 2016-2017 | 46 | 73 | 21 | 29 | 40-59 | 46 | 70 |
| 2015-2016 | 50 | 73 | 26 | 35 | 40-59 | 50 | 73 |
| 2014-2015 | 55 | 79 | 32 | 45 | 60-79 | 59 | 76 |
| 2013-2014 | 71 | 91 | 51 | 63 | 60-79 | 79 | 89 |
| 2012-2013 | 73 | 90 | 54 | 69 | 60-79 | 78 | 89 |
| 2011-2012 | 73 | 90 | 55 | 69 | 60-79 | 79 | 89 |
| 2010-2011 | 71 | 93 | 53 | 67 | >=50 | 74 | 89 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 53 | 78 | 25 | 31 | 40-59 | 57 | 77 |
| 2018-2019 | 53 | 79 | 25 | 33 | 60-79 | 61 | 77 |
| 2017-2018 | 50 | 74 | 23 | 30 | 60-79 | 55 | 75 |
| 2016-2017 | 49 | 70 | 23 | 30 | 40-59 | 53 | 73 |
| 2015-2016 | 53 | 70 | 27 | 35 | 40-59 | 55 | 77 |
| 2014-2015 | 45 | 65 | 23 | 27 | 40-59 | 45 | 67 |
| 2013-2014 | 75 | 87 | 56 | 65 | 60-79 | 83 | 92 |
| 2012-2013 | 77 | 88 | 60 | 70 | 60-79 | 82 | 92 |
| 2011-2012 | 74 | 86 | 57 | 67 | >=80 | 81 | 91 |
| 2010-2011 | 72 | 90-94 | 55 | 66 | >=50 | 78 | 90 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 87 | >=95 | 81 | 75-79 | PS | 93 | |
| 2018-2019 | 84 | >=95 | 79 | 70-74 | >=50 | 90 | |
| 2017-2018 | 84 | 90-94 | 76 | 75-79 | >=50 | 90 | |
| 2016-2017 | 84 | 80-89 | 76 | 70-74 | >=50 | 92 | |
| 2015-2016 | 83 | 80-89 | 76 | 65-69 | <50 | 91 | |
| 2014-2015 | 84 | >=95 | 78 | 75-79 | >=50 | 89 | |
| 2013-2014 | 80 | 80-89 | 71 | 75-79 | PS | 88 | |
| 2012-2013 | 77 | 80-89 | 72 | 70-74 | PS | 83 | |
| 2011-2012 | 75 | 80-89 | 68 | 60-64 | >=50 | 85 | |
| 2010-2011 | 73 | 80-89 | 65 | 65-69 | PS | 84 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 49,929 | 1.2 |
| 2021-2022 | 49,331 | 2.0 |
| 2020-2021 | 48,330 | -4.1 |
| 2019-2020 | 50,299 | 1.1 |
| 2018-2019 | 49,769 | 0.3 |
| 2017-2018 | 49,607 | 2.1 |
| 2016-2017 | 48,551 | 1.0 |
| 2015-2016 | 48,084 | 2.7 |
| 2014-2015 | 46,790 | 2.4 |
| 2013-2014 | 45,650 | 2.3 |
| 2012-2013 | 44,599 | 1.2 |
| 2011-2012 | 44,058 | 0.9 |
| 2010-2011 | 43,654 | 1.4 |
| 2009-2010 | 43,063 | 1.8 |
| 2008-2009 | 42,303 | 0.2 |
| 2007-2008 | 42,216 | 1.0 |
| 2006-2007 | 41,792 | -2.8 |
| 2005-2006 | 42,970 | -2.0 |
| 2004-2005 | 43,812 | -0.7 |
| 2003-2004 | 44,109 | 0.2 |
| 2002-2003 | 44,008 | 1.1 |
| 2001-2002 | 43,516 | -2.9 |
| 2000-2001 | 44,767 | 2.2 |
| 1999-2000 | 43,793 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Charleston County School District (%) | South Carolina K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.6 | 1.8 |
| Black | 30.6 | 31.6 |
| Hispanic | 13.4 | 12.7 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 4.1 | 5.8 |
| White | 50.1 | 47.8 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Charleston County School District had 3,791.68 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 13.17.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 163.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 178.00 |
| Elementary: | 2,240.98 |
| Secondary: | 1,209.70 |
| Total: | 3,791.68 |
Charleston County School District employed 112.25 district administrators and 268.00 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 112.25 |
| District Administrative Support: | 503.20 |
| School Administrators: | 268.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 389.48 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 1,078.52 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 225.70 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 182.80 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 102.60 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 80.20 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 78.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 19.70 |
| Student Support Services: | 263.30 |
| Other Support Services: | 998.00 |
Schools
Noteworthy events
2014: Resignation of Superintendent Nancy McGinley
Charleston County School District's longest-serving superintendent, Nancy McGinley, tendered her resignation to the board on October 30, 2014, in a closed-door session. The board voted 8-1 to accept her resignation, with board member Michael Miller casting the dissenting vote. McGinley's resignation came after Academic Magnet High School football coach Bud Walpole was fired and rehired after his post-game victory celebrations were investigated. McGinley's staff fired Walpole after discovering his questionable practices, and the immediacy angered some people in the district. The Post and Courier columnist Brian Hicks stated that "even McGinley supporters will tell you that she handled that Academic Magnet fiasco poorly" and "by any measure, it was a public relations disaster." Conversely, McGinley was also commended for reducing at-risk schools in the district and bolstering school choice.
Board Chairwoman Cindy Bohn Coats insisted that the board did not ask for McGinley's resignation, nor was it related to the Walpole incident. Coats declined to say what prompted the resignation, saying, "that's not something I, as the chair, can comment on." As part of her resignation presentation to the board, McGinley stated that "within the last two weeks our fleet got hit by a tidal wave that has torn us apart" and that the board had "the right to pick the superintendent and make a leadership change." Miller, who was also the board member that alerted district officials of Walpole's post-game practices, stated that his reason for voting against the resignation was that he didn't think leadership should be changed amidst racial tension in the district. He said, "for Dr. McGinley to leave our school district in this manner, I was not willing to support that."
McGinley came to the district in 2004, and had served as superintendent since 2007. McGinley's contract was not scheduled to end until June 2015, and therefore she remained a district employee and received her salary and benefits until June 30, 2015. McGinley's annual salary was $226,278. Following that date, McGinley received a payment of eight months' salary and benefits. Michael Bobby, the district's chief financial officer, was named acting superintendent.[16][17][18][6]
2014: Michael Bobby address to the board and community
On November 10, 2014, the same night three new board members were sworn into office, acting superintendent Michael Bobby gave his first speech to teachers, parents, and administrators regarding the district's recent incidents. Bobby stressed the importance of respect and dignity in the coming months as the district transitioned from under the leadership of Nancy McGinley. In reference to McGinley, Bobby stated that "this district has been the fortunate recipient of a strong, courageous visionary leader who's left a legacy that we here have a responsibility to continue and to build upon." He stressed that unity was in the best interest of the district and "the only way that we can best serve 48,000 children." Other concerns were also addressed in the meeting, including changes to the district's Angel Oak Elementary, which had flooding and cockroach problems.[19]
2014: Football coach firing and rehiring
After district officials made the decision on October 20, 2014, to fire Academic Magnet High School football coach Bud Walpole as a result of his post-game victory celebrations, Superintendent Nancy McGinley offered him his job back. The decision to fire Walpole was met with criticism from the community, and after two days the coach was rehired. According to The Post and Courier, the grounds on which Walpole was initially fired involved his post-game tradition of smashing a watermelon, with players allegedly gathering around in a circle and making "monkey sounds." The watermelon also had a caricature face drawn onto it in black marker.[20]
School board member Michael Miller went to the district on October 13, 2014, with the coach's alleged actions, raising concerns over racial undertones after hearing from a disturbed parent. The Charleston Branch of the NAACP came out in support of the firing, calling the situation "inappropriate and racially insensitive." Support for Coach Walpole's reinstatement quickly developed, though, with a player-led petition gathering over 4,000 signatures to return Walpole to his coaching duties. After being briefed on the incident, several school board members, including Todd Garrett, Tripp Wiles, and Elizabeth Moffly were in support of rehiring Walpole. According to Garrett, while the sensitive reaction to the incident was understandable, administrators rushed the termination process. Garrett said, "it took a harmless student-led sports team celebration out of context" and that "this is a teachable moment, not a time for heads to roll." Coach Walpole's rehiring required that he submit a "written statement of commitment", attend any sensitivity training offered by the district, and counsel players on dealing with others from diverse racial backgrounds.[20]
2014: Yes 4 Schools referendum
On November 4, 2014, voters approved the Yes 4 Schools referendum that aimed to fix the county's overcrowding issue. For residents, it meant a one-cent sales tax that would continue through 2022. According to Board Chair Cindy Bohn Coats, "of the ways to fund school construction in the state of South Carolina, this is the best option. This is a user tax, it is a sales tax not a property tax." Those against the referendum agreed with the issue at hand but criticized the haste with which the measure was brought to voters. Charleston GOP chairman John Steinberger said, "we certainly need to build more schools in the high growth areas, but we don't need a $14-million football stadium in North Charleston or some of these other projects that just aren't warranted right now." The approved rate would raise a minimum of $540 million for the district throughout the next eight years.[21]
Contact information
Charleston County School District
75 Calhoun St.
Charleston, SC 29401
Phone: 843-937-6300
About school boards
Education legislation in South Carolina
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| South Carolina | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Charleston County School District
- South Carolina Department of Education
- South Carolina School Boards Association
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 ABC News 4, "Anita Huggins offered permanent role as superintendent of Charleston County School Board," accessed April 21, 2025 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "SIGallien" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "SIGallien" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Live 5 WCSC, "Kennedy announces plans to continue leading Charleston Co. Schools," accessed September 18, 2023
- ↑ Live 5 WCSC, "Charleston County schools superintendent Gerrita Postlewait resigns," accessed September 18, 2023
- ↑ Charleston County School District, "Superintendent of Schools," accessed July 20, 2016
- ↑ The Post and Courier Columbia, "Ex-Charleston superintendent Gerrita Postlewait takes job in Lexington district," accessed September 18, 2023
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Post and Courier, "McGinley out Charleston County School Board’s acceptance of superintendent’s resignation met with a mix of angry chants and tears Magnet coach gets his job back S.C. Rep. Seth Whipper calls for suspension, firing of Academic Magnet coach Uncertainty over McGinley not related to school sales tax extension, supporters say McGinley timeline," October 29, 2014
- ↑ Charleston County School District, "Board of Trustees," accessed November 20, 2014
- ↑ Charleston County School District, "Policy BEDH Public Comments," accessed May 3, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ Charleston County School District, "Compensation," accessed April 21, 2025
- ↑ Charleston County School District, "FY2024 190 Day Teacher Salary Schedule," accessed February 2, 2024
- ↑ Charleston County School District, "FY2021 190 Day Teacher Salary Schedule," accessed May 3, 2021
- ↑ Charleston County School District, "FY2020 190 Day Select Schools Teacher Salary Schedule*," accessed May 3, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "Parting ways with superintendent could be costly for Charleston County School District," October 28, 2014
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "Charleston schools chief's future is unclear," October 26, 2014
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "Politics, not policy, have doomed McGinley," October 28, 2014
- ↑ ABC News 4, "Interim Charleston schools chief calls for respect, dignity," November 10, 2014
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 The Post and Courier, "McGinley offers fired Academic Magnet coach his job back effective Thursday," October 20, 2014
- ↑ ABC News 4, "Yes 4 Schools passes by wide margin in Charleston County," November 4, 2014
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