Greenville County School District

Greenville County School District (GCSD) is a public school district in Greenville County, South Carolina (USA). It is the largest school district in the state of South Carolina and the 44th largest in the US.

As of the 2019–2020 school year, the district, led by Superintendent Dr. W Burke Royster, serves 76,964 students from Greenville; and some parts of Laurens and Spartanburg counties. Spread across 106 education centers, the district currently employs 4,908 certified teachers. GCSD has an operating budget of $592.639 million for the 2017–2018 school year. GCSD has 14 National Blue Ribbon Schools, 9 Newsweek's Best High Schools, 21 Carolina First Palmetto's Finest Schools, 48 Red Carpet Schools, and 29 National PTA Schools of Excellence.

Early history
At the end of World War II, Greenville County had 86 school districts. The smallest was a one-room school; the two largest, Parker and Greenville City, served two-thirds of the student population.

On August 23, 1951 the Greenville County Board of Education, chaired by J. B. League, established the School District of Greenville County and appointed nine trustees, with A. D. Asbury as chair. Dr. William F. Loggins was the first superintendent. An educational program of greater equality began to emerge, mainly by consolidating smaller schools.

Public schools desegregation
In 1963, the local NAACP filed suit in the federal district court, for the children of A. J. Whittenberg and five other Black students to attend all-white schools. They were represented by Willie Smith and Matthew Perry, while the district was represented by its attorney E. P. (Ted) Riley. On April 14, after a federal judge gave the school board thirty days to reconsider, Superintendent Marion T. Anderson announced that fifty-five black students would be transferred to sixteen white schools in 1964.

Integration did not go smoothly and in May 1968 the state supreme court declared freedom of choice plans unacceptable. Opposition organizations were formed including Citizens for Freedom of Choice, Citizens to Prevent Busing, and Concerned Black Parents, chaired by H. L. Sullivan. In February 1970, most all-black schools were closed. 60% of the black and 10% of the white students were reassigned. 75% of the busing involved black students.

Educational structure
GCSD students attend schools based primarily on the geographic location of their homes. Schools of a lower level 'feed into' a certain school of the next highest level, meaning that students leaving the lower level schools attend the higher level school. Exceptions to the feeder system are students wishing to enroll in the magnet schools programs offered in 12 schools, or those who participate in the International Baccalaureate, which is offered in its three levels at four clusters over the county. Parents of students may also request transfers out of their students' assigned schools for various reasons (such as to take classes unique to a particular school).

During the 2011 school year 4,380 students graduated from GCSD High Schools. Out of these nearly 90% pursued higher education, with a scholarship total of $95 million.

In the news

 * In 2006, 21% of the 22,850 AP exams completed in South Carolina were taken by Greenville County students. The percentage of exams qualifying for college credit increased from 43% to 48% (2,192 of 4,568 exams).
 * The school district has also established a foundation that has successfully raised funds for student programs.
 * In 2005, six Greenville County elementary schools and two middle schools were identified in a study released by the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee (EOC) as reducing the achievement gap for at least one historically underachieving student group.
 * Tanglewood Middle School shooting

Elementary schools
The Greenville County School District has 51 elementary schools that serve its population of 75,000 students. Most of the schools serve grades kindergarten through 5th grade, however two schools, the Rudolph Gordon School and Sterling School Charles Townes Center for the Highly Gifted and Talented, serve kindergarten though 6th and kindergarten though 8th, respectively.

Career Centers
The Greenville County School District offers four career centers to its students. Students in grades 9-12 can take elective classes at these schools in conjunction with their regular studies at the assigned high schools. Students completing courses at these career centers will be awarded with certain industry certificates.

Board of Trustees
Source:


 * Amanda Brett, Area 26
 * Debi C. Bush, Chair, Area 19
 * Jeff Cochran, Area 28
 * Sarah Dulin, Area 27
 * Michelle Goodwin-Calwile, Area 25
 * Lynda Leventis-Wells, Area 22
 * Ann Marie Middleton, Area 18
 * Glenda Morrison-Fair, Secretary pro tempore, Area 23
 * Angie Mosley, Area 21
 * Anne Pressley, Area 24
 * Charles J. (Chuck) Saylors, Area 20
 * Carolyn J. Styles, Vice-Chair pro tempore, Area 17

District Administration
Source:


 * Dr. W. Burke Royster, Superintendent
 * Doug Webb, General Counsel
 * Whitney Hanna, Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Engagement
 * Julie Horton, Director of Governmental Relations
 * Karen Kapp, Director of Staff and Leadership Development
 * Nancy Fitzer, Assistant to the Superintendent and Board Liaison
 * Dr. Raashad Fitzpatrick, Assistant to the Superintendent and District Ombudsman
 * Katherine Malone, Assistant to the Superintendent and District Ombudsman
 * Phillip Davie, Deputy Superintendent
 * Jeff McCoy, Associate Superintendent for Academics
 * Dr. Charlotte McDavid, Executive Director for Academic Innovation and Technology
 * Dr. Jason McCreary, Director of Accountability and Quality Assurance
 * Eric Williams, Executive Director - College and Career Readiness
 * Tara Dean, Director of Special Academic Projects
 * Traci Hogan, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education Services
 * Dr. Megan Mitchell-Hoefer, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership - Elementary Schools Group 1
 * Brenda Byrd, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership - Elementary Schools Group 2
 * Nerissa Lewis, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership - Elementary Schools Group 3
 * Dr. David McDonald, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership - Middle Schools
 * Scott Rhymer, Assistant Superintendent for School Leadership - High Schools
 * Dr. George Ward, Associate Superintendent for Operations
 * Darryl Nance, Director of Athletics
 * Scott Carlin, Executive Director of Facilities
 * Bill Brown, Executive Director of Education Technology Services
 * Greg Stanfield, Executive Director of Planning and Demographics
 * Dr. Bryan Skipper, Executive Director of Student Personnel Services
 * Adam James, Director of Transportation
 * Robin Stack, Chief Finance Officer
 * Morgan Clements, Chief Human Resources Officer