State superintendent of education (D): Lisa Ellis, Sylvia Wright

LISA ELLIS

Why are you running?

I am running for superintendent of education because I have been an educator for over 25 years, and that experience has shown me exactly what needs to be changed at the Department of Education. I know that my experience as an educator in the classroom and as an advocate outside the classroom will enable me to be a successful superintendent of education. Every decision I make as superintendent of education must benefit our students, teachers and families.

Have you run for political office before? If so, explain:

Yes, I was the Democratic nominee for superintendent of education in the 2022 election. I received the highest statewide vote total of any Democratic candidate in the 2022 elections with over 720,000 votes.

Current job/profession:

Director of student activities at Blythewood High School

What makes you qualified for the seat?

I am qualified for this office because I have been an educator for over 25 years and understand how statewide policies affect teachers on the ground. In 2018, I founded the SCforEd movement, which led to a rally of over 10,000 educators at the Statehouse the following year. That experience showed me that there are teachers across the state who are seeking change. I will do all I can to earn your vote in 2026, as I did in 2022, and to be a leader for all our children.

What do you see as the top challenges/concerns in South Carolina's public schools (up to 3), and how do you intend to improve them?

On teacher retention, we must continue to address teacher pay, while also being cognizant of other factors that contribute to teachers' overall workloads. For example, teachers must be given time to plan and prepare during the instructional day. When teachers are required to give up instructional time, such as covering another class, they sacrifice the time they dedicate to planning their own classes. As superintendent, I would address this issue by mandating that teachers be appropriately compensated for any missed planning time during the instructional day. Addressing issues like this that contribute to overall teacher dissatisfaction will help encourage more teachers to stay in the profession.

In recent years, we have seen an alarming rise in efforts to censor curricula. Many of these efforts have impacted the availability of certain books in school libraries. As superintendent, I will work to restore trust in our school librarians in doing what is best for their students. I would immediately repeal Regulation 43-170 and restore book-reviewing authority to the local level.

School safety is also an important priority of mine. As an educator who has dealt with school shooting threats, I understand how distressing these incidents can be for everyone involved. As superintendent, I would work closely with the General Assembly to ensure that school safety measures are fully funded.

What successes have you seen in South Carolina's public schools that you want to build on?

A recent success I have seen in South Carolina's public schools is the work underway to raise teacher pay. This is an important issue for the state because it contributes to our overall ability to attract educators. While positive change has been made to increase teacher salaries, there is still work to be done. In addition to raising starting teacher salaries, we cannot forget about raising the salaries of veteran teachers. Overall, it is important to note that our public schools are doing fantastic work for our students with the resources they have. If we expect further progress, we must fully fund our districts, something that hasn't been done for nearly 20 years.

Are you actively involved in your community? How so?

Beyond my position as director of student activities at Blythewood High School, I work as an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston where my courses focus on how teachers can advocate for their communities. Outside of work, my personal hobbies include learning to play the ukulele, playing mahjong and attending shows at the Koger Center.

SYLVIA WRIGHT

Why are you running?

I am running because South Carolina's students deserve a superintendent who has actually stood in their classroom, and I have.

I spent more than 20 years in public schools as a classroom teacher and leader. I have seen firsthand what our students need, what our teachers deserve and what leadership from this office should look like. South Carolina currently ranks 43rd in the nation in education. One in three of our fourth-graders cannot read at grade level. Our teachers are leaving. Our rural schools are underfunded. And the students who have been left furthest behind - children of color, children in poverty, children in rural counties - continue to fall further behind.

I am not running to manage the status quo. I am running to change it. South Carolina cannot afford another term of leadership from someone who has never led a school. I have. And I am ready to lead this one.

Have you run for political office before? If so, explain:

This is my first campaign for elected office. Throughout my career, my focus has been on serving inside the system - in classrooms, in schools and in district leadership - rather than seeking office. I have dedicated more than two decades to South Carolina's public schools, and I am now stepping forward because I believe the moment calls for an educator with real experience, not a career politician.

Current job/profession:

I was a district coordinator for Dorchester School District 4 (St. George), but I resigned to campaign full time because I am committed to winning and elevating public education in S.C.

What makes you qualified for the seat?

I am the only candidate in this race who has taught in a South Carolina classroom and held leadership positions at the school level and district level. I am also a military wife, so I have taught in different states and school settings. I bring a global perspective to the position and to the agency. These are not talking points but relevant qualifications for this office.

- 20-plus years of experience in S.C. public schools as a classroom teacher and school principal

- Firsthand experience with literacy instruction, curriculum development and school operations

- Direct experience navigating the funding challenges, teacher shortages and community needs that define the state's public education landscape

- Deep roots in South Carolina - born here, educated here and committed to this state's students for my entire career

- A clear, specific, data-backed platform for improving literacy, teacher pay, rural school equity and school safety

I also bring something no policy paper can teach: I know what it feels like to have a classroom full of students counting on me. Every decision I make as superintendent will be filtered through that experience.

What do you see as the top challenges/concerns in South Carolina's public schools (up to 3), and how do you intend to improve them?

Challenge 1: The literacy crisis: One in three S.C. fourth-graders cannot read at grade level. I will mandate evidence-based, phonics-first reading instruction in every K-3 classroom by 2027 and place reading coaches in the lowest-performing schools. It's important that students are reading by third grade, but the focus cannot stop there. We have to continue to build on the foundation through progress monitoring with enrichment and intervention through eighth grade and expand access to summer programs in every county. I will also include an emphasis on elementary students with special needs as they need foundational braille and/or sign language to also build their reading and comprehension levels. I will also create a public Literacy Progress Dashboard so parents can track results.

Challenge 2: The teacher shortage: South Carolina is losing educators faster than we can replace them. Hundreds of classrooms have no fully licensed teacher right now. I will fight for a $60,000 minimum starting salary floor, launch a homegrown teacher pipeline through our state universities, technical colleges and HBCUs and cut the administrative burden that is driving our best teachers out. Retaining one experienced teacher saves a district $20,000 to $30,000 compared to replacement. Investing in teachers is the fiscally responsible choice.

Challenge 3: Inequitable school funding: South Carolina's funding formula sends the fewest resources to children with the greatest needs. Property tax-based funding means Allendale County schools operate on a fraction of what Lexington County schools receive. I will champion a weighted student funding model that follows the child, and I will aggressively pursue federal dollars that South Carolina has consistently left on the table. A child's zip code should not determine their educational opportunity.

What successes have you seen in South Carolina's public schools that you want to build on?

Our challenges do not erase our successes; instead, they exist alongside them, and the best path forward builds on what is already working.

- Our dedicated educators: Despite low pay and high demands, thousands of extraordinary S.C. teachers and principals show up every day and produce results in the most challenging conditions. I want to build on their commitment by finally giving them the compensation, support and respect they deserve.

- The SC Read to Succeed Act: South Carolina took an important step with Read to Succeed, which established a framework for literacy improvement. As superintendent, I will fully fund it, strengthen it with a phonics-first mandate and hold every district accountable for implementing it with fidelity. I will also eliminate the third-grade retention mandate and focus on growth development initiatives.

- Career and technical education (CTE) programs: South Carolina has strong CTE infrastructure connecting students to real careers in manufacturing, health care and technology. I will expand access in rural and Title I schools, where students have the most to gain and currently the least access.

Are you actively involved in your community? How so?

Yes, community involvement is not something I do on the side. It is central to who I am.

Throughout my career, I have been deeply embedded in the communities where I taught and led schools, working with parents, faith leaders, local businesses and civic organizations to support students both inside and outside the classroom. I believe a school is the center of its community, and a superintendent who is not connected to communities cannot serve them effectively.

As I campaign for superintendent, I am conducting a statewide listening tour, visiting communities across South Carolina from the Upstate to the Lowcountry because you cannot lead what you do not understand, and you cannot understand a community unless you sit down with the people in it.