South Carolina Department of Education

What South Carolina Department of Education does

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is the state government agency that oversees public K-12 education across all 46 South Carolina counties and 46 school districts, headquartered at 849 Learning Lane, West Columbia. Under the authority of the 17-member State Board of Education and led by State Superintendent Ellen E. Weaver (sworn in January 11, 2023 as the 19th Superintendent), SCDE sets curriculum standards, administers educator certification, distributes state funding, runs statewide student assessments, manages school accountability and report cards, oversees transportation and health/nutrition programs, and operates adult education services including GED preparation through a network of 52 programs.

SCDE's technology platform centers on the ed.sc.gov website and the My SC Educator Portal (launched May 5, 2022), a self-service system that handles educator certification applications, document upload, fee payment, fingerprint procedures, and application status tracking. Supporting systems include the ScribOrder platform for duplicate diplomas, GED diplomas, and education verification; a Moodle-based School Bus Driver Online Training system; the Virtual SC online learning program; and integrations with GED.com, TASC, the National Student Clearinghouse, and Google Translate. Designated programs include the Free to Focus phone-free school initiative, the Science of Reading literacy push, and district-funded safety deployments such as ZeroEyes AI gun detection in Dillon School District Four.

SCDE is not a revenue-generating entity; it operates under state legislative appropriations (e.g., Proviso 1.78 of the FY 2024-2025 Appropriations Act) and provides core services to students, parents, and educators free of charge. The only monetized services are nominal transaction fees, including a $105 non-refundable educator certification application fee and pay-as-you-go duplicate diploma/transcript ordering through ScribOrder. SCDE's strategic plan targets 75% of students performing at or above grade level by 2030, with mission priorities centered on literacy, math proficiency, teacher recruitment/retention, and college-, career-, or military-readiness outcomes.

Name

South Carolina Department of Education

Legal name

South Carolina Department of Education

Website

https://ed.sc.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The South Carolina Department of Education is the state government agency that regulates, funds, and supports all public K-12 education and adult education programs across South Carolina's 46 counties, serving students, educators, school districts, and parents through statewide assessment, certification, accountability, and digital service platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education Administration

NAICS

Administration of Education Programs (92311), Administration of Education Programs (923110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE), Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• Educator certification services
• State education administration
• Adult education programs
• School district oversight

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is the state education agency that oversees K-12 public education across South Carolina's 46 school districts. It administers educator certification, student assessment and accountability, school safety programs, grants and funding distribution, instructional standards, school transportation training, and adult education services including GED preparation and high school credential programs.

Product overview

The South Carolina Department of Education operates a platform-and-portal architecture serving educators, students, parents, and school districts across the state. Core offerings include My SC Educator Portal for teacher certification management, the ScribOrder System for academic record requests, an Adult Education network of 52 programs for GED and high school credentials, Virtual SC for online learning, and a School Bus Driver Training system. The SCDE website serves as the central hub providing access to assessment data, report cards, school directories, grants, and district communications. Key supporting initiatives include Free to Focus (phone-free schools) and career readiness partnerships through WIN Learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Free to Focus: South Carolina Department of Education's initiative to create a phone-free school environment that fosters a positive learning experience free from electronic distractions.

Products and services

• My SC Educator Portal Enhanced educator certification and information system released on May 5, 2022. Allows educators to submit certification requests, upload documents, view and print certificates, submit fee payments, review fingerprint procedures, update contact information, and monitor application status.
• ScribOrder System Secure online ordering system for requesting duplicate high school diplomas, GED diplomas, GED transcripts, and education verification records. Provides digital record retrieval for former students and corporations.
• Adult Education Program Statewide network of 52 programs offering in-person and virtual courses to help adults earn High School Diplomas or GED credentials. Includes GED preparation, integrated education and training, family literacy, English as a Second Language, and workplace literacy programs across twelve workforce areas.
• School Bus Driver Online Training Online training platform for school bus drivers using the Moodle learning management system. SCDE distributes state funding to districts, provides driver training, and certifies completion of driver training through this system.
• Virtual SC Online and technology-based interactive instruction expanding educational opportunities for 21st century skills. Standards-based, student-centered virtual education program.
• SCDE Website and Member Services Portal Primary web platform providing access to assessment information, report cards, test scores, certification, school directory, district memoranda, grants, and other state education resources. Includes separate portals for educators, district/school staff, and community members.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TeachSCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSCDE has partnered with TeachSC to offer free support to individuals applying to teacher certification pathways in South Carolina. TeachSC offers up to $100 in fee reimbursements for testing and certification costs, eligibility for $1,000 scholarships, one-on-one coaching, and step-by-step application guidance at no cost. This partnership supports teacher recruitment and retention efforts.
• WIN LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe State of South Carolina has selected WIN Learning as its career readiness assessment partner. Students who pass assessments earn the South Carolina Work Ready Credential and South Carolina Work Ready Essential Soft Skills Credential, both endorsed by the National Work Readiness Council. These credentials demonstrate mastery of foundational math, reading, data analysis, and professional skills.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Florida Department of Education: State education agency administering K-12 public education, educator certification, and school accountability across Florida. Functionally equivalent to SCDE in mandate and authority but operates in a different state with separate electorate, legislature, and funding base.
• California Department of Education: Largest state education agency in the US, administering K-12 public education funding, standards, and accountability. Operates at substantially greater scale than SCDE but performs equivalent institutional functions across districts statewide.
• Texas Education Agency: Statewide education authority administering K-12 public education, accountability ratings, and educator certification across Texas. Comparable institutional design and breadth of services, though at substantially larger scale than SCDE.
• Georgia Department of Education: State agency overseeing Georgia public K-12 education with identical core functions: educator certification, school accountability, federal program administration, and district funding distribution. Neighboring state with directly comparable scope of services.
• Alabama State Department of Education: Alabama's state education authority performing equivalent K-12 administrative functions including educator certification, school accountability, and federal Title program administration. Closely comparable Southeastern peer.
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction: State education agency administering North Carolina's public K-12 system with parallel responsibilities for educator licensing, standards alignment, district oversight, and federal program administration. Directly comparable institutional peer in a neighboring state.
• Tennessee Department of Education: State education agency administering Tennessee's public K-12 system with matching services including educator certification, district accountability, and career readiness programs. Comparable geographic and demographic peer.
• Virginia Department of Education: Virginia's state education agency performing equivalent functions of standards setting, school accountability reporting, and educator licensure for K-12 public schools. Closely aligned institutional mandate in a neighboring Southeastern state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EducationSC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SouthCarolinaDeptEd
• Facebookfacebook.com/scdoe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about
• Instagraminstagram.com/educationsc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Carolina Department of Education