State Department of Education outlines strategic plan, Read to Succeed rollout and budget requests including $200M for starting teacher pay
May 01, 2025 | 2025 Legislative Meetings, South Carolina
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Philip Cease, director of governmental affairs for the South Carolina Department of Education, briefed the House Education and Public Works Committee on the department's strategic plan, implementation priorities and budget requests.
Cease described the department's "one-four-one-four" plan and a moonshot goal to raise the share of students at or above grade level to 75% by 2030. He said the department is scaling the Science of Reading professional development (LETRS) for K-3 teachers and expanding Palmetto Math Project pilots to target underperforming schools.
"By the end of '25-'26 school year, every K through 3 teacher will have been through LETRS," Cease told the committee, describing a statewide training pipeline and associated stipends. He said the legislature funded nearly $40 million two years ago for high-quality professional learning in K-3 literacy and that the department is seeking funding for high-quality math instructional materials.
Cease summarized a recently passed appropriations proviso that required the State Board of Education to adopt a model cell-phone policy and directed local districts to adopt a policy or risk state classroom aid. He described the model as "Free to Focus," defined school day as bell-to-bell, allowed local exceptions (medical devices, first-responder duties, IEP/504 accommodations) and left specific consequences to local districts.
Cease reviewed the department's budget requests as presented to the committee: an ask that would add $200 million to raise starting teacher salaries to $50,000, $20 million recurring and $95 million nonrecurring for high-quality instructional materials (math request), $13 million for a CTE Rural Renaissance initiative, recurring funding for school safety and a request of $100 million recurring for a rural infrastructure bank to address facility needs in districts with small tax bases.
He also described other items in the request such as funding for summer reading camps to support retention and remediation, strategic compensation pilots for administrators and teachers, and support for district-level school climate and behavioral health resources.
Cease encouraged members to review the department's literacy webpage (ed.sc.gov/literacy) and to use the department's materials when communicating with constituents about the Read to Succeed and cell-phone provisions. He said many districts had submitted local implementation plans for the cell-phone model policy and that early anecdotal feedback from some teachers has been positive.
Cease closed by saying the department would continue to provide data and district-level plans and encouraged committee members to raise questions with department staff.
Cease described the department's "one-four-one-four" plan and a moonshot goal to raise the share of students at or above grade level to 75% by 2030. He said the department is scaling the Science of Reading professional development (LETRS) for K-3 teachers and expanding Palmetto Math Project pilots to target underperforming schools.
"By the end of '25-'26 school year, every K through 3 teacher will have been through LETRS," Cease told the committee, describing a statewide training pipeline and associated stipends. He said the legislature funded nearly $40 million two years ago for high-quality professional learning in K-3 literacy and that the department is seeking funding for high-quality math instructional materials.
Cease summarized a recently passed appropriations proviso that required the State Board of Education to adopt a model cell-phone policy and directed local districts to adopt a policy or risk state classroom aid. He described the model as "Free to Focus," defined school day as bell-to-bell, allowed local exceptions (medical devices, first-responder duties, IEP/504 accommodations) and left specific consequences to local districts.
Cease reviewed the department's budget requests as presented to the committee: an ask that would add $200 million to raise starting teacher salaries to $50,000, $20 million recurring and $95 million nonrecurring for high-quality instructional materials (math request), $13 million for a CTE Rural Renaissance initiative, recurring funding for school safety and a request of $100 million recurring for a rural infrastructure bank to address facility needs in districts with small tax bases.
He also described other items in the request such as funding for summer reading camps to support retention and remediation, strategic compensation pilots for administrators and teachers, and support for district-level school climate and behavioral health resources.
Cease encouraged members to review the department's literacy webpage (ed.sc.gov/literacy) and to use the department's materials when communicating with constituents about the Read to Succeed and cell-phone provisions. He said many districts had submitted local implementation plans for the cell-phone model policy and that early anecdotal feedback from some teachers has been positive.
Cease closed by saying the department would continue to provide data and district-level plans and encouraged committee members to raise questions with department staff.
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