Our students deserve a government that is committed to actually improving our “worst in the nation” education system, not just throwing dollars at it. Money does not help a child if it has to pass through thousands of bureaucrats and 85 school districts before it reaches the classroom. Any way you look at it, the disparity that exists in school districts throughout our state is wrong. We owe it to every child in this state, no matter where they live, to make their education a priority, and that means completely reforming our existing education funding formula.
Today, Beaufort County has a school budget of $170 million. Approximately $120 million of that is funded through Beaufort County property tax revenue. Another $40 million comes from sales tax revenue from purchases made in Beaufort County. About $10 million is from the Federal Government and small grants from other sources. Through the current school funding formula, the state of South Carolina receives $300 million from Beaufort County, but our schools receive nothing in return. Why?
