Student Success, Teacher Support, and School Safety Highlight 2026 SCDE Budget Requests

Strategic investments that support teachers, make schools safer, and provide every child with the opportunity to gain skills for lifelong achievement are some of the key points from the South Carolina Department of Education’s budget requests for 2026.

Driving the News: State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver presented the agency’s budget requests to members of the House Ways & Means committee Wednesday morning. The proposals build on the momentum of the South Carolina Surge and focus resources on classrooms while delivering results for students, educators, and families.

The Big Picture: This budget proposal reflects a student-centered approach supporting great teachers, protecting learning environments, and making targeted investments that deliver real results for South Carolina’s classrooms and students.

STUDENT SUCCESS

Disconnect to Reconnect

$17 million for age-appropriate curriculum (3rd to 8th grade) that educates students on how smartphones, screens, and social media impact mental health, relationships, development, and academic performance
Builds on the success of South Carolina’s Free to Focus initiative reducing distractions in the classroom
This is not homework students complete alone and it is not a mandate on families. It is a supplemental educational resource—delivered through schools—to spark age-appropriate conversations, reinforce healthy habits, and support parents as the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives

Summer Reading Camps

$30 million to meet expanded demand for camps under updates in Read to Succeed law
Supports first, second, and third graders who need targeted literacy intervention

High Quality Instructional Materials

$70 million in new instructional materials funding – including $20 million recurring and $50 million non-recurring to help districts adopt and implement standards-aligned materials
Ensures classrooms have modern, high-quality textbooks and learning materials
Gives teachers consistent, standards-aligned resources so they can focus on teaching and not building lessons from scratch

Education Scholarship Trust Fund

$61 million to serve at least 20,000 students in 2026-27 through the program
Anticipates increased eligibility pool with families up to 500% of federal poverty guidelines now eligible
Addresses a waitlist of more than 6,000 students

SUPPORTING TEACHERS

Teacher Pay

$150 million to increase teacher salaries statewide by $2,000
Would raise starting teacher pay from $48,500 to $50,500
Since 2019, South Carolina has increased starting teacher pay by 52%

Strategic Compensation Pilot Teacher Career Ladder Pilot

$1.4 million to pilot a new pathway that rewards excellence
Creates leadership and advancement opportunities without requiring teachers to leave the classroom
Recommendation from the START Report, informed by models in North Carolina and Texas

SAFER SCHOOLS

Education Infrastructure Bank

$120 million to establish permanent funding for school safety and facility construction, renovation, and modernization
Supports rural public schools and public charter schools
Replaces a one-time $20 million safety grant with a sustainable solution

School Safety Personnel Pilot

$347,500 to partner with districts and law enforcement to train non-law enforcement school staff
Expands schools’ ability to respond to safety needs with trained adults
Would supplement not replace School Resource Officers

Bus Lease/Purchase Program

$40 million to maintain the mandated 15-year bus replacement cycle
Would add 300 new buses statewide
In recent years, South Carolina has cut the average age of its fleet in half and added 4,850 buses

What They’re Saying:
“Our South Carolina Surge continues with this proposal—putting teachers first, strengthening student achievement, and ensuring safe learning environments. I’m deeply grateful to the General Assembly for its continued commitment to public education and for partnering with us to drive meaningful reform. I also appreciate the trust placed in our hardworking Department team to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.” — Ellen Weaver, State Superintendent of Education

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