Ellen Weaver

South Carolina Superintendent of Education

[Russell Fry @RussellFrySC]

@Votejimjordan @DrewMcKissick @CodyForSC @mburkhold @MarkHammondSC @ellenfored @VoteStumbo @WesClimer @VoteSheriBiggs @TeamJoeWilson @MikeForSC @AGAlanWilson @DarlineGrahamSC @tedcruz @votetimscott Thank you to our incredible State Superintendent of Education, @ellenfored! 🎓🇺🇸

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

@RussellFrySC Can't wait to be back in Horry with #TeamSC!

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

Earlier today I announced endorsements from eleven South Carolina Sheriffs.

I’m honored by this recognition, but the real credit belongs to the many people who have come together around a shared commitment to keeping students safe.

School safety isn’t a slogan. It’s the daily work of ensuring teachers can teach, students can learn, and first responders have the tools and information they need when every second counts. I’m grateful for the sheriffs, school resource officers, educators, administrators, first responders, and state leaders who have partnered in this effort to make South Carolina’s schools safer for every child and every educator,

Sheriffs Across South Carolina Back Ellen Weaver’s School Safety Agenda

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sheriffs from every corner of South Carolina are standing with State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver, citing her leadership in creating the Safe Schools Office, strengthening emergency preparedness, and advancing a comprehensive approach to protecting students and educators.

From creating the Department’s Safe Schools Office and bringing experienced law enforcement professionals into its ranks to investing in school security and advancing policies that help students focus on learning, Weaver has made school safety a priority backed by action, resources, and results.

“School safety cannot be a talking point or a checklist. It takes real investment, strong partnerships, and people who understand what it takes to protect a school. Superintendent Weaver has made it clear that keeping students and educators safe is a priority, and she has backed that commitment with meaningful action,” said Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis.

Sheriffs Supporting State Superintendent Ellen Weaver

Ray Watson, Abbeville County
Chad McBride, Anderson County
Max Dorsey, Chester County
Cambo Streater, Chesterfield County
Jody Rowland, Edgefield County
Carter Weaver, Georgetown County
Hobart Lewis, Greenville County
Phillip Thompson, Horry County
Jay Koon, Lexington County
Bill Rhyne, Spartanburg County
Tony Breeden, York County

Safe Schools Initiatives Led by Ellen Weaver

- Under Superintendent Weaver’s leadership, the State Department of Education has:

- Established the Office of Safe Schools, whose work is dedicated exclusively to improving school safety statewide.

- Leveraged federal funding to conduct physical security assessments and safety audits of school facilities.

- Championed funding for next-generation school mapping technology to help first responders navigate school buildings and improve emergency response during critical incidents.

- Secured $20 million annually in each state budget, $80 million total, through a school safety grant program. Those investments have helped schools strengthen security through:
- Classroom door locks and improved perimeter security
- Bullet-resistant windows and weapons detection systems
- Additional physical security enhancements tailored to school needs

Weaver recognizes that technology is an important part of school safety, but also that it can become a distraction when misused. Protecting students means paying attention to what happens in the classroom as well as at the front door, which is why she has supported both advanced safety tools and phone-free learning environments through the Free to Focus initiative.

What Sheriffs Across South Carolina Are Saying:

“The digital school mapping technology Superintendent Weaver has championed gives our deputies and first responders accurate, real-time information on their devices the moment they arrive. When seconds count, that kind of preparation can make the difference.” – Chesterfield County Sheriff Cambo Streater

“Creating a dedicated Office of Safe Schools and staffing it with people who understand law enforcement operations has strengthened coordination between our offices and local districts. Superintendent Weaver has treated school safety as a shared responsibility, not just an education-department issue.” – Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver

“The physical security assessments and the funding that followed them have given schools concrete ways to harden their buildings while we continue to focus on rapid response. Superintendent Weaver has backed the work with both resources and consistent follow-through.” – Edgefield County Sheriff Jody Rowland

“School safety works best when education leaders and law enforcement stay aligned on preparedness, information-sharing, and practical tools. Superintendent Weaver has made that partnership a priority and delivered results our communities can see.” – Abbeville County Sheriff Ray Watson

“When we had that serious incident at Chester Park last Halloween, the Department of Education under Superintendent Weaver was responsive and supportive from the start, staying in contact, offering resources, and standing with our schools and deputies. That kind of partnership matters when a community is dealing with something like that.” – Chester County Sheriff Max Dorsey

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

Thank you Cameron! And for all you do for South Carolina students and families.

[Cameron Runyan @cameronrunyan]

Educational freedom is on the ballot this year. Re-electing my friend @ellenfored means keeping the child at the center of every education decision - not bureaucratic institutions. I encourage every South Carolinian to join me in re-electing Ellen Weaver as State Superintendent.

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

Weaver Heads Into Early Voting With Nearly $178,000 Cash on Hand as Questions Mount Over Wright Campaign Finances

COLUMBIA, S.C. — State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver's reelection campaign today reported raising $124,310 in its Quarter 3 and Pre-Election report. The campaign enters the final two weeks of the general election with $177,879.83 cash on hand, nearly two and a half times what it had at the start of the period. It has raised more than $303,000 this cycle.

Her Democratic opponent, Sylvia Wright, is in a very different position. As of this morning, Wright had not filed her third-quarter disclosure with the State Ethics Commission. Her most recent filing showed her campaign more than $10,700 in the red.

Wright is also facing an ethics complaint, filed last month by former state Rep. Sandy McGarry. It alleges she repeatedly failed to disclose the sources of her personal and campaign income. A federal lawsuit filed this month in Charleston adds a further claim: it alleges that roughly $10,000 taken from her husband's bank account went toward her campaign, close to the amount of the deficit in her last report.

"Ellen Weaver has built a campaign the right way, with thousands of dollars in support from South Carolinians who have seen her results for students, parents, and teachers," said Matt Moore of First Tuesday Strategies. "Sylvia Wright wants to run an $8 billion education agency, but she can't even run a campaign account. She hasn't filed her report, she's in the red, and she's facing serious questions about where her money comes from. South Carolina voters deserve answers."

Early voting in South Carolina is open through Saturday, October 31; Election Day is November 3. Voters can find their early voting locations at https://t.co/ltTltYZvXi.

[Clifford Jones @CJ_HCS_Sup]

Proud to celebrate Loris Middle School today as State Superintendent Ellen Weaver recognized their outstanding academic gains as one of South Carolina’s highest-growth schools! A testament to the hard work of students, teachers, and school leaders. This is what stepping forward looks like! #HCS #RiseWithReading #SouthCarolinaSurge @ellenfored @HCSInfo @EducationSC

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

Thank you, Mike, I look forward to serving alongside you!

[Mike Burkhold @mburkhold]

Excellent schools went from 270 to 320. That's what measuring results looks like. Great results! Every agency should report the same way: what we spent and what we got. Also these scores are the result of a lot of hard work by everyone. #scpol. Thank you @ellenfored !

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

One day after releasing the 2026 South Carolina School Report Cards, and I’m still smiling.

Four years ago, we set a simple standard for South Carolina: high expectations and strong support for every school, in every ZIP code. No exceptions.

Yesterday, our students showed what that standard produces.

320 Excellent schools, up from 270. An 87.5% graduation rate, the highest in at least a decade. The strongest reading and math results in the history of SC READY. And some of the biggest gains in the entire state came from our high-poverty schools.

What struck me most standing at the State House wasn’t the numbers. It was who earned them. A teacher who stayed after the bell with a struggling reader. A principal who refused to accept excuses. A parent who sat at the kitchen table every night and did the homework alongside their child. Nobody in Columbia did that. They did.

When I first asked for this job, I made a promise: higher expectations, higher support, and no excuses. Hope is not passive. It is an action plan. We raised teacher pay, brought phonics back, put phones away, kept kids safe, and gave families real choices. And the General Assembly and Governor @HenryMcMaster were true partners every step of the way.

But make no mistake about who deserves the credit. Our students, teachers, families, and school leaders did the work. They are the South Carolina Surge.

We are not finished. Every child in this state is capable, creative, and full of God-given purpose, and we are going to keep proving it. The best is yet to come.

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

Thank you @wachfox for covering today's event - full video here > https://t.co/qTKs1IpxjX

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

This morning at the State House, we released the 2026 South Carolina School Report Cards—and the results mark historic progress. The South Carolina Surge is real, and it is accelerating.

The number of Excellent schools jumped from 270 to 320. More schools than ever earned an Excellent or Good rating. Nearly half of our elementary schools and more than half of our middle schools earned Good or Excellent ratings. Nearly a quarter of elementary schools improved their overall rating this year. High-poverty schools delivered some of the strongest gains in the state, proving once again that ZIP code does not define destiny.

Our on-time graduation rate reached 87.5%—the highest in at least a decade. More than eight in ten high schools earned a Good or Excellent rating for College and Career Readiness, and the gap between earning a diploma and graduating prepared has narrowed to its smallest margin in state history.

These Report Card gains build on the strongest SC READY results in the assessment’s history. Statewide, 61.3% of students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts (up from 53.5% two years ago), and 47.9% did so in math—our strongest math year on record. Third graders are reading on grade level at higher rates than ever, and middle school students are making especially strong progress.

None of this happened by accident. It is the direct result of the hard work of South Carolina students, their dedicated teachers, supportive families, and strong school leadership. At the state level, the General Assembly, Governor @henrymcmaster, and I built a true partnership to provide high support for our schools. This is the work we have done together over the past four years—work I promised to deliver when I first ran for this office.

We raised starting teacher salaries by more than $10,000 to $50,500. We secured paid parental leave for teachers. We trained more than 20,000 educators in the Science of Reading, restored phonics-based instruction, and launched the Palmetto Math Project. We delivered South Carolina’s largest-ever school choice program through the Education Scholarship Trust Fund so families can choose the option that best fits their child.

We invested over $85 million in school safety—resource officers, infrastructure, and mapping technology. We passed the Free to Focus policy to remove cell phones from classrooms and give students the focus and friendships they deserve. And we cut red tape so teachers can spend more time teaching and less time on paperwork.

Hope is not passive. It is an action plan. And these results—higher expectations, stronger support, and rising achievement in every corner of our state—show what is possible when we refuse to accept the status quo.

If you believe every South Carolina child is capable, creative, and full of God-given purpose—and that poverty is never an excuse for low expectations—please share this good news with your friends and neighbors.

Thank you for standing with our students, our teachers, and our families. Together, the best is yet to come.

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

I applaud @AGAlanWilson and the bipartisan coalition of attorneys general for securing the landmark, multi-billion-dollar settlement with Meta—and, more importantly, meaningful new protections that put children and parents first.

We know the very real harm addictive social media can do to our children’s mental health, focus, and well-being. In South Carolina, we’ve led the way with phone-free schools because kids deserve the freedom to learn, grow, and build real relationships without the constant pull of a screen.

Now YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, X, and every other platform should follow Meta’s lead. These protections should be the industry standard. Our kids deserve nothing less.

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

I want to congratulate Darline Graham Nordone on her appointment to serve South Carolina in the United States Senate.

I've had the privilege of working alongside Darline through her leadership at the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, and I know firsthand the compassion, integrity, and servant's heart she brings to every responsibility.

Darline has dedicated her career to expanding opportunity and improving the lives of South Carolinians, especially those facing significant challenges.

At this moment, we also continue to mourn the loss of Senator Lindsey Graham—a devoted public servant who loved South Carolina deeply.

The extraordinary love and sacrifice he showed for his sister throughout their lives speaks volumes about the character of both Lindsey and Darline.

Governor McMaster has selected someone who understands what it means to serve with humility, conviction, and grace. I have every confidence that Darline will honor both her brother's remarkable legacy and the people of South Carolina in this new role.

Please join me in congratulating Darline and praying for wisdom and strength as she begins this important chapter of public service.

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

Statement from State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver

South Carolina has lost one of her fiercest champions, and our nation has lost a devoted patriot.

Senator Lindsey Graham loved America, and he loved South Carolina. He worked tirelessly on behalf of both, rarely slowing down because he believed serving the people of our state was both an extraordinary privilege and a solemn responsibility.

I first met Lindsey as a young congressional staffer when I came to Capitol Hill. Like so many others, I learned simply by watching him. He possessed an incisive wit that could cut through the noise, get to the heart of an issue, and somehow still leave everyone laughing. He was a brilliant strategist, a relentless worker, and someone who never lost sight of the people he served.

Perhaps what I admired most was his loyalty. Whether it was the people of South Carolina, the staff who served alongside him, or his beloved sister, Darline, Lindsey invested deeply in the people he loved.

Today, my heart is especially with Darline and with Team Graham. I had the privilege of working alongside many members of his staff during my twelve years in the House and Senate, and I still count many of them among my dear friends. Lindsey cared deeply about his team, and I know they will feel this loss profoundly.

Senator Graham leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of service. May we carry his memory forward by serving our state and nation with the same sense of purpose, courage, and relentless commitment that defined his remarkable life.

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

Today's Supreme Court decision reaffirms an enduring truth: fairness begins with biological reality.

Every girl deserves the opportunity to compete on a level playing field and the privacy and safety of spaces designed for women and girls. At the same time, every student is created with inherent dignity and deserves to be treated with kindness, compassion, and respect.

These convictions are not at odds. In fact, truth is the foundation that makes both justice and compassion possible.

South Carolina has chosen to stand for common sense, and today the Court affirmed that decision. I will continue to support policies that protect women and girls, uphold biological reality, and ensure every student is treated with the dignity they deserve.

[Fox News @FoxNews]

🚨 BREAKING: Supreme Court decides in favor of West Virginia and Idaho laws restricting transgender athletes from competing in women's sports

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

What an extraordinary week to be a proud American...and a proud South Carolinian.

Two hundred fifty years ago yesterday, against all odds, a group of South Carolinians stood firm against the British Empire and won an improbable victory at Sullivan's Island.

Read more in my email update >>>

https://t.co/WAVyzhM4oR

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

@ChrisChapman60 I hope you will consider reading my latest update, where I focus on what's working and my vision for the next four years. https://t.co/z7AJCeZRR2

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

I've never believed in coasting, and I don't intend to start now.

The same energy I pour into our education mission every day is the same energy I'll bring to earning every possible vote this fall.

National headwinds have put this race squarely on the radar of Democrats and their allies. That's their right. But I'm not interested in political theater. I'm interested in results.

The choice before South Carolina is simple: continue building on the progress we've made together...or go back to the old ideas and failed approaches that held too many children back.

I know which future I'm fighting for.

https://t.co/6UenxzGGrb

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

Today is a great day for South Carolina students and teachers!

Our new Grade Floor law is an important tool to promote high expectations, accountability, and excellence in our schools.

This law helps ensure grades reflect real learning, real effort, and real achievement, better preparing students for success in school and life.

Our students rise to high expectations when we believe they can and support them on their journey!

Thank you to Governor @henrymcmaster, members of the General Assembly, educators, and parents for helping raise the bar for education in South Carolina.

[Ellen Weaver @ellenfored]

This week I officially filed for re-election as your State Superintendent of Education.

When I took office, I made a simple promise: every South Carolina child, regardless of zip code or circumstances, is capable, creative, and full of God-given purpose. Poverty is never an excuse for adults to fail our students. With high expectations and high support, our students can achieve anything.

Thanks to your support, we are delivering on that promise.

https://t.co/voI8HgZR1W