Charleston, S.C. – As the start of the new school year approaches, Charleston County School District (CCSD) is making significant updates under the leadership of Superintendent Anita Huggins, who begins her second year in the role. Huggins recently sat down with Live 5 News to discuss several key developments shaping the district as it prepares for the 2024-2025 school year.
The Weighted Student Funding Model
One of the major initiatives introduced last year is the Weighted Student Funding (WSF) model, which allocates resources based on the specific needs of students in each school. This model, which completed its first full year and will enter its second in 2025-2026, takes into account factors such as poverty, multilingual learners, and special education students. This year, the district is increasing the funding by $4 million, bringing the total allocation to $36 million.
Huggins highlighted that the extra resources would be used to strengthen personnel and human resources working directly with students, especially in areas like reading and math remediation, as well as providing social-emotional support. She expressed confidence that these investments are already showing positive results. “Preliminary results suggest increases across all three student groups, which is a testament to the efforts of principals and teachers,” Huggins said.
Changes to Disciplinary Action and the Constituent Board
In a significant change, the district will no longer have a Constituent Board for the first time in many years. The Charleston School Board absorbed the responsibilities previously handled by the Constituent Board, including student transfers, attendance zones, and disciplinary decisions. Huggins noted that while the district is working toward consistency in its disciplinary actions across all schools, there could be a slight increase in rates of alternative school placements or expulsions. The district will monitor this closely, ensuring that policies are fair and consistent across the board.
“We would hope that whether you’re a parent in James Island or Mount Pleasant, that you can rely on the student code of conduct in all disciplinary instances,” Huggins added.
New Schools and Campuses for Lower Performing Areas
To address educational needs in under-served areas, the district will be opening new campuses, including Johns Island Elementary School and Angel Oak Primary. These new schools aim to support early education, which Huggins sees as a critical part of preventing achievement gaps from forming.
“I believe in Universal Pre-K and acknowledging what our children need early on,” Huggins said. “It’s critically important to me to prevent gaps from ever being created.”
Huggins also expressed that while early education presents challenges, the district is committed to supporting parents and ensuring students get the resources they need to succeed.
Teacher Retention and Salaries
A major point of pride for the district is its progress in teacher retention. For the first time, CCSD is reporting zero vacancies, including special education positions. Over the past two years, the district has reduced the need to hire new teachers from around 700 to just 400 positions.
Huggins attributed this success, in part, to the district’s competitive starting salary of $65,000, which makes Charleston County the highest-paying district in South Carolina. She emphasized the importance of teachers feeling valued and being compensated fairly for their critical work in shaping the lives of students.
“What’s even more critically important is what takes place once they arrive inside these classrooms that we love so much across the Charleston County School District,” Huggins said.
Looking Ahead to the New School Year
As Charleston County School District enters the new school year, Huggins is optimistic about the direction the district is heading. With an increased focus on resource allocation, early education, and teacher retention, the district is preparing for a year of continued progress. Huggins emphasized that partnerships between parents, teachers, and the district will be key to ensuring student success in the coming year.
