State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver released the following statement in response to the release of the 2024 Educator Supply and Demand Report by the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA). Noted below are initiatives underway by the South Carolina Department of Education and the South Carolina General Assembly to address teacher recruitment and retention, along with additional research from SC-TEACHER.
“This year’s Supply and Demand Report provides encouraging signs that we are making progress towards stabilizing the teacher workforce in the Palmetto State,” said State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver. “This progress is the result of hard work and a shared commitment at every level to our state’s future and students. It reflects the impact of crucial initiatives like raising teacher pay, seeking educator feedback on key issues and policies, enhancing school safety, and implementing strategic compensation programs.”
She concluded, “Our goal is nothing less than a great teacher in every classroom. By continuing to work together, we can build off this momentum and write the greatest chapter yet in South Carolina’s education story.”
Superintendent Weaver was proud to partner with the South Carolina General Assembly and Governor Henry McMaster this year to address teacher recruitment and retention:
Additionally, the SCDE continues to recruit teachers through Teach-SC, a state-supported online platform that provides a facilitated roadmap to the classroom for prospective teachers. SCDE is also partnering with districts to expand “Grow Your Own” and other alternative certification programs across South Carolina.
Superintendent Weaver emphasized caution however in making sweeping conclusions regarding this data, "While this report provides an interesting snapshot of South Carolina’s current teacher workforce at an aggregate level, detailed district level data is required for deeper analysis of trends in student enrollment and educator positions; teacher working conditions and exit survey data; and unique subject area, grade level, and geographic needs. This is work that SCDE, SC-Teacher, and others are currently taking concrete steps to address.”
In Spring 2024, Superintendent Weaver convened the Strategic Talent Acquisition and Retention Taskforce (START) to develop evidence-based policies that strengthen and support the state’s teacher workforce. Building on the recommendations of the General Assembly’s 2023 Teacher Recruitment and Retention Taskforce, START has brought together South Carolina educators, leading national researchers, and practitioners from other states addressing similar challenges.
The group is now finalizing a set of actionable recommendations designed to strengthen South Carolina’s teacher pipeline and ensure every student has access to high-quality educators.