Who Runs South Carolina State Government?
POLITICIANS YOU DIDN’T VOTE FOR. THAT’S WHO. From education to road funding, from the judicial system to your electric bill, the important decisions are made by state lawmakers who represent…
Why USC’s Budget Proviso Is Unconstitutional
SOUTH CAROLINA’S FLAGSHIP UNIVERSITY GOES AROUND THE LAW Recently the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education found itself the subject of debate in newspapers and on the Senate floor. A…
An “Enterprise Division” for Clemson?
IT’S ALL ABOUT POWER (A LOT OF IT) AND ACCOUNTABILITY (NONE OF IT) Last week, we posted a brief analysis of S.535, legislation that would create a murky new…
University Funding Up, Graduation Rates Down
OR: WHERE’S ALL THAT MONEY GOING, ANYWAY? State agencies submitted their budget requests earlier this month, as state law requires, and all but one higher education institution that submitted a…
The Clyburn Center Mess: A Multimillion Dollar Catastrophe
The James E. Clyburn University Transportation Research and Conference Center at South Carolina State University is a $107 million dollar project. The complex was intended to serve as a transportation…
How Higher Tuition Translates into More Debt for State Universities
The S.C. Budget and Control Board recently announced a moratorium halting construction at four-year public institutions that raised tuition by 7 percent or more for the 2010-2011 school year.
Higher Education in South Carolina: Cut Administrative Costs and Focus on Student Performance
While South Carolinians can take pride in our state’s higher educational system, costs and tuition have skyrocketed in recent years, even as graduation rates remain below 40 percent. At the…
An Analysis of 2010 SAT Scores, Part II
This is the final report in our ongoing analysis of the state’s 2010 SAT scores.
Improved Access No Excuse for Lower Scores: How S.C. Compares to Other States
Last week, the S.C. Department of Education almost suggested the state’s second-lowest-in-the-nation SAT score was excused by increased participation rates. At the very least, let’s say they focused on increased…
Contrary to DOE Claims, SAT Participation Rate Falls for 2010
Fewer South Carolina students took the SAT in 2010 than in 2009, as participation rates for African-American and white students fell. This finding raises questions about the S.C. Department of…
South Carolina SAT Scores Second-Lowest in the Nation
South Carolina student performance on the 2010 SAT declined by 5 points to a lowest-in-the-South average composite score of 1447. Students from private schools and religiously affiliated schools again scored…
An Analysis of 2010 SAT Scores: Part I
As education policy makers across the state await the release of the 2010 SAT scores, it's worth reviewing how South Carolina fared on the 2009 SAT. In Part I of…
Tech Schools Board Shells Out $200K for “Lobbying”
To entice legislators to send more money its way, the S.C. State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education will pay a Columbia advertising agency up to $200,000 to design a…
Innovista: A Public-Private Partnership That’s All Public
It would appear the “private” aspect of Innovista, originally touted as a “public-private partnership,” is all but dead. To date, USC’s research campus, which has cost taxpayers more than $100…
Innovista: State-Driven Economy Struggling Despite $140 Million in Taxpayer Support
When plans for Innovista, the University of South Carolina’s 500-acre research campus, were rolled out in 2005, it was touted as a can’t-miss project that would become a driving force…