South Carolina Increases Scholarships for Education Majors in Effort to Address Teacher Shortage

In Columbia, students majoring in education at South Carolina colleges will now have access to additional scholarship funding starting this fall, thanks to a new law signed by Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday.

This legislation, approved unanimously by both the House and Senate, aims to address the growing teacher shortage by incentivizing more individuals to pursue careers in teaching.

Similar to the support offered to math and science majors since 2007, education majors will now benefit from lottery-funded scholarships extended under this law.

Recipients of these scholarships must commit to teaching at public schools in the state for the same duration they received the scholarship, with a maximum duration of four years.

Senate Education Chairman Greg Hembree, who spearheaded the bill, expressed his excitement, stating, “It was one of those no-brainer pieces of legislation to assist with trying to retain teachers.”

Recent data from February revealed that South Carolina’s K-12 public schools had 1,315 vacant positions for teachers, librarians, counselors, psychologists, and speech therapists, according to the mid-year report from the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention & Advancement.

Beginning this academic year, sophomores, juniors, and seniors at colleges who are South Carolina high school alumni and existing recipients of LIFE or Palmetto Fellows scholarships will be eligible for these scholarships, which aim to cover the remaining tuition costs after accounting for other scholarships.

LIFE Scholarship awardees could receive an additional $2,500 on top of their existing $5,000, while Palmetto Fellows Scholarship recipients may receive up to $3,300 in addition to their current $7,500, all funded by lottery earnings.

Should education enrollment rates remain consistent next year, students stand to benefit from an estimated $8 million increase in scholarships, as projected by the state’s Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office analysis.

These scholarship figures are expected to rise if the program succeeds in attracting more students to the teaching profession, according to Hembree.

While scholarships alone may not fully address the teacher shortage, they could sway undecided students towards a teaching career by providing additional financial aid, noted the Little River Republican.

“The program not only encourages high schoolers to pursue teaching but also assists in retaining teachers by alleviating their student loan burdens,” explained Patrick Kelly, a representative from the Palmetto State Teachers Association who also teaches government courses at Blythewood High School.

Legislators are also considering raising the minimum teacher salary in South Carolina from $42,500 to $47,000 in the forthcoming year, as part of their efforts to combat the teacher shortage. While the final budget is pending, both the House and Senate have tentatively agreed on the proposed salary adjustments.

Additional Initiatives

Several other bills aimed at addressing the teacher shortage did not come to fruition this year.

One bill sought to provide teachers with more flexibility in contract agreements, while another aimed to factor in non-classroom experience when determining teachers’ salaries.

“These measures could have had a significant impact,” remarked Kelly.

Advocates have long advocated for increased contract flexibility for teachers, given the current constraints on contract obligations and pay timelines. Notably, teachers must commit to contracts before their salaries are finalized, and breaking a contract could lead to certification suspension for a year.

The failed bill would have allowed teachers to withdraw from contracts within a specified timeframe after learning about their salaries to reduce penalties. This provision could have expedited the return of teachers to the classroom in various situations such as relocating due to personal reasons.

Although the House passed the bill, the Senate did not take action on it.

Considering that teacher salaries typically hinge on years of service, incorporating real-world experience into salary determinations could make teaching a more attractive option for career changers, opined Kelly.

Both chambers approved separate versions of this provision but failed to reconcile the differences before the session concluded.

“The failure to advance this proposal to the finish line is quite disappointing,” remarked Kelly.

Additionally, a bill introduced by Hembree that would have allowed individuals with five or more years of field experience to teach without certification did not pass this year.

Compared to other proposals, this bill faced notable opposition from Kelly and lawmakers concerned about teacher preparedness for managing classrooms.

While not expected to draw large numbers, this proposal could potentially address the need for virtual teachers or long-term substitutes in classrooms. Hembree intends to reintroduce the bill in the next legislative session.

“Persistence is key in this process,” affirmed Hembree. “We will continue to pursue these goals.”

Gov. Henry McMaster recently signed over 50 bills into law, including: