Philip Cease, director of governmental affairs for the South Carolina Department of Education, presented the department’s strategic framework and budget priorities to the House Education and Public Works Committee.

“We spent a couple of sessions … to come up with that. To highlight it, the mission of South Carolina Department of Education is to serve students, support teachers, empower parents, engage the community so that every student graduates prepared to reach their full potential,” Cease said during his presentation.

The department’s “one‑four‑one‑four” strategy includes a moonshot goal to raise the share of students at or above grade level to 75 percent by 2030, four three‑year objectives and one‑year objectives that roll up into the longer-term target. Cease highlighted four priorities: evidence‑based foundational instruction (including LETRS/Science of Reading and the Palmetto Math Project), expanded career pathways and work‑based learning, school‑level behavioral and mental‑health supports, and statewide community engagement via a volunteer program.

Science of Reading and LETRS: Cease said the legislature funded nearly $40 million for high‑quality professional learning for K–3 teachers; the department expects every K–3 teacher to have LETRS training by the end of the 2025–26 school year. He reported roughly 20,000 teachers are either in the LETRS pipeline or have completed training.

Palmetto Math Project: the department is expanding a math pilot modeled on the Palmetto Literacy Project, targeting underperforming schools with additional supports and instructional materials. Cease said the department requested funding for high‑quality math materials; the request will be heard by Ways and Means.

Cell‑phone model policy (appropriations proviso): Cease described a proviso passed in the last appropriations bill that required the State Board of Education to adopt a model policy for student cell‑phone access during the school day; local districts must adopt a policy or risk losing state classroom aid. The proviso defines “access” and leaves specific consequences to local districts; exceptions (IEP/504, medical devices, volunteer first responders) are permitted. The policy is branded “Free to Focus” and the department published guidance and resources, including a handbook and FAQs.

Budget request highlights: Cease outlined a multi‑category request. Notable items cited in the presentation included a $200 million recurring request to raise starting teacher pay to $50,000 (including special‑school teachers), $20 million recurring and $95 million nonrecurring for high‑quality instructional materials (math and ELA), $13 million for CTE Rural Renaissance, expanded summer reading camps (to address students potentially retained under Read to Succeed rules), and a $100 million recurring ask for a rural infrastructure bank and safe‑schools supports (facility upgrades, bus lease purchases and cell‑phone storage solutions among eligible uses).

The department described Read to Succeed 2 retention thresholds that would have made approximately 16,238 third‑grade students eligible for retention under the stricter standards; Cease framed summer reading camps and the LETRS rollout as supports to reduce retention by improving early literacy outcomes.

Committee reaction: lawmakers asked for further details about AI use in classrooms, resource officers, and implementation timelines. Cease said some districts received innovation grants for AI tutoring pilots and that district plans for the cell‑phone policy had been submitted to the department for approval.

Ending: Cease offered to provide follow‑up materials and urged committee members to review the department dashboards and materials; the committee requested the written proviso language and district plans to help answer constituent questions and teacher concerns.