On Tuesday, the State Board of Education unanimously approved a request to assume full management of the Marlboro County School District. The takeover is effective immediately.
Officials say district oversight failure, violations of the Ethics Act, and failure to implement its fiscal emergency turnaround plan was the turning point for the state's decision to assume control of the district.
State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver says this move is necessary as every lesser intervention has failed to produce the results needed, "We provided technical assistance, approved recovery plans, declared a fiscal emergency, assumed responsibility for the District’s financial operations, and provided experienced leadership support. The time for instability is over. The time to put students first—and deliver the education they deserve—is now.”
This comes after the South Carolina State Inspector General issued an independent report. The report says Marlboro County's School District board "inappropriately voted to pay bonuses to each Board member on five separate occasions," in the span of two years that totaled $38,982.24 for the entire board. This board also temporarily raised its monthly salary without public discussion that amounted to "an annual salary of $12,000 per board member and $16,000 for the Board chair."
There were several more demonstrations of financial mismanagement. To name a few, the district and external auditors failed to disclose the civil penalty long-term liability amounting to more than one million dollars, failing to maintain accurate maintenance records of inventory purchased with grant funds, and more.
According to the State Inspector General, the District Board also violated the Freedom of Information Act by conducting a vote during executive session.
With all the information presented, officials say stable leadership and governance is what Marlboro County Schools need moving forward.
