In 2018, The Post and Courier undertook the daunting but important task of cataloging the many reasons why South Carolina’s public education system was failing to prepare students for college and beyond.
We didn’t mince our words. The first story in the multi-part series titled “Minimally Adequate” began like this:
“Divided by race, mired in inequities and hobbled by its history, South Carolina’s public school system is among the worst in the nation, saddled with a legacy of apathy and low expectations that threatens the state’s newfound prosperity. South Carolina’s schools trail other states in nearly every measure, leaving students unprepared for the world that awaits them as businesses struggle to find qualified workers to fill skilled jobs.”
This series of stories and forums held throughout the state garnered significant attention and seemed to galvanize lawmakers, educators and the public to do something about it. After a promising start, the most aggressive reform efforts ultimately went nowhere. Today, South Carolina’s public education system is in much the same place it was when our series first published.
That’s why The Post and Courier is partnering with funders and other organizations in our state to launch our own Education Lab. Over the next three years, and hopefully longer, we are going to bring our focused efforts to bear on this important issue.
The Post and Courier Education Lab will support one editor and two full-time reporters focused on education with a clear focus on South Carolina education reform. It is being founded on the principle that all children in South Carolina deserve equal access to quality education.
