State assumes full management of Jasper County School District after board dissolved

The State Board of Education has unanimously approved the request by State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver for the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) to take full management control over the Jasper County School District (JCSD). This action follows a declaration of a state-of-education emergency in JCSD made by Superintendent Weaver on July 28, 2025, under South Carolina Code Section 59-18-1640. The decision was prompted by ongoing fiscal concerns and findings from a recent report by the State Inspector General that identified serious fiscal mismanagement, conflicts of interest, possible criminal activity, and failures in oversight by the JCSD Board.

With this move, SCDE now manages all academic, personnel, and governance matters within JCSD. The district's board will be dissolved. The SCDE had already assumed financial control over JCSD as of December 2024 due to previous concerns about the district’s financial health.

“Students, educators, and communities in every corner of South Carolina deserve accountable leadership and responsible stewardship,” said Superintendent Weaver. “Today’s action, with the support of many local leaders, fulfills my sworn duty to act in the best interest of our students and taxpayers.”

According to state law, the JCSD Board can appeal the state-of-education emergency to the Administrative Law Court within ten days; however, such an appeal does not pause or reverse the declaration.

Superintendent Weaver has appointed Dr. Laura Hickson as Interim Superintendent for JCSD. Dr. Hickson brings more than forty years of experience in education and previously served as superintendent for Florence School District 3 for ten years. Her tenure there was marked by progress in financial stability, academic programming improvements, and enhanced student support services.

“This action marks a new chapter of hope for Jasper County as it grows,” added Superintendent Weaver. “Our priority is to restore trust, stability, and establish a clear path to success for JCSD. Dr. Hickson and I are committed to working alongside educators, families, and the community to build a brighter future where every student is equipped to reach their full potential.”

A timeline shows that concerns about JCSD began when it failed to submit its annual audit on time in March 2023. The situation escalated through several stages—Fiscal Watch in March 2023 after missing an audit deadline; Fiscal Caution in February 2024 due to worsening finances; Fiscal Emergency declared on August 2, 2024 when issues became critical; followed by SCDE assuming financial operations on December 4, 2024; then an Inspector General report released July 11, 2025 detailing significant problems including potential criminal activity; culminating with today’s approval of full intervention.