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

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

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 scvotes.gov.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 >>> mailchi.mp/ellenforeducation…

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. mailchi.mp/ellenforeducation…

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.

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. mailchi.mp/ellenforeducation…

Today, I officially filed for re-election as South Carolina’s Superintendent of Education! 🍎 When I first ran for this office, I promised to focus on the fundamentals: serving students, supporting teachers, and empowering parents. Together, we’ve delivered real results.
 Teacher pay is up. Reading scores are rising. Classrooms are regaining focus. And parents once again have a voice in their children’s education. South Carolina education is on the rise - but our work isn’t finished. I’m running for re-election to keep raising standards, expanding opportunity, and ensuring every child in South Carolina has the chance to succeed. Promises made. Promises kept. Now let’s keep the momentum going! 📚🇺🇸

I was deeply honored to join students and educators as we marked the 40th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy — and especially thankful to be with Cheryl McNair, wife of the late astronaut Dr. Ronald E. McNair, whose presence made today’s reflection especially meaningful. We remember Dr. McNair — a proud South Carolinian, brilliant physicist, and trailblazing astronaut — whose life was tragically cut short, but whose legacy continues to inspire generations of students to dream boldly and pursue excellence. Our hearts remain heavy for the lives lost on Challenger and for the families who have carried that loss for decades. Yet today was also filled with hope. Hearing Dr. McNair’s story shared alongside his family reminded us that inspiration endures, even through tragedy. May we honor Dr. McNair and the Challenger crew not only by remembering their sacrifice, but by continuing to invest in education, curiosity, and the limitless potential of our students. 🌟

Today, we want to say thank you to the School Resource Officers and the state and local law enforcement professionals who work every day to keep our schools, students, and communities safe. From the dedicated SROs on our campuses to our partners at SLED, South Carolina Department of Public Safety, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the South Carolina Sheriffs’ Association — we are grateful for your commitment to protecting students, supporting schools, and keeping children safe both in the classroom and on the road. Your service, professionalism, and partnership make a real difference for South Carolina families. 💙 Thank you for all you do. #NationalLawEnforcementAppreciationDay #ThankYouLawEnforcement #SchoolSafety #SROs