News Summary
School boards in Richland County, South Carolina, have approved budgets for the upcoming school year, leading to property tax increases across three districts. The additional funding focuses on staff raises and new positions, with significant impacts on local property owners. Columbia district will see an increase of $2.9 million, affecting commercial properties and vehicle taxes, while Richland One and Richland Two plan substantial budget allocations for educators and new staff to tackle chronic absenteeism. The Lexington-Richland Five district also joins the hike, reallocating funds from charter schools to bolster traditional public schools.
Columbia
School boards in Richland County, South Carolina, have approved their budgets for the 2025-26 school year, resulting in expected property tax increases for residents across three districts. These budget decisions will allocate millions in new revenue primarily for staff raises and the addition of new positions.
The Columbia school district, serving approximately 21,500 students, has opted to raise its operating property tax rate, which will generate an additional $2.9 million for the district. As a result of this tax increase, commercial property owners within the district will incur an additional cost of $18 for every $100,000 of assessed value and an increase of $3.58 on cars valued at $20,000. This decision aligns with the rising costs linked to state-mandated increases in employee salaries and health insurance.
Richland One, with a budget amounting to $419.3 million, received board approval with a 6-1 vote. The district’s plan includes maintaining the current starting teacher salary at $50,100 and provides a 2% pay raise for teachers at the top of the experience-based salary scale. Furthermore, bus driver salaries are also set to increase. In an effort to address chronic absenteeism, over half a million dollars will be allocated for new staff positions, which includes the hiring of a social worker and two multilingual learner specialists. This budget marks the final approval under outgoing Superintendent Craig Witherspoon, set to be succeeded by Todd Walker.
Richland Two, which serves around 28,800 students, also approved a budget leading to a property tax hike. Commercial property owners in this district will see an increase of $36 per $100,000 in assessed value and $7.20 more for cars valued at $20,000. Their budget of $415.3 million will include pay raises for teachers, with starting salaries raised to $50,750, and the hiring of 29 new special education staff positions. The budget passed with a vote of 5-2, with board members Angela Nash and Gary Dennis opposing the increase.
The Lexington-Richland Five district has joined others in raising property taxes despite property values being reassessed, which has caused confusion among residents. Their new budget of $250.5 million includes an increase in starting teacher salaries to $50,992 and the hiring of new custodial and HR staff to improve operational efficiency. A significant point of compromise in this funding discussion involved reallocating nearly $10 million from charter schools to traditional public schools. This adjustment aims to ensure that conventional public schools receive a fair share of funding while facing growing charter school populations.
Context of Property Tax Increases
It is important to note that South Carolinians do not pay school operating property taxes on owner-occupied homes, an aspect that differs from traditional tax structures in several other states. The property tax increases emerge as districts strive to meet state mandates for higher wages and better benefits for educators and staff amidst ongoing financial pressures. The shift in focus towards funding traditional schools over charter schools attempts to balance funding and educational opportunities within the state.
In summary, as Richland County school districts move forward with their budgets for the 2025-26 school year, residents can anticipate increased property tax obligations. These financial decisions are being made to enhance the quality of education through competitive salaries for staff and the addition of vital roles aimed at improving student outcomes.
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Additional Resources
- WLTX: School Choice Scholarship in South Carolina
- Greenville Online: South Carolina Lottery Results
- Post and Courier: USC, Florida Texas Accreditation
- WIS TV: Dismantling the Department of Education
- SC Daily Gazette: SC House Passes Bill on DEI
- Wikipedia: Education in South Carolina
- Google Search: South Carolina education 2025
- Google Scholar: South Carolina school funding
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Education
- Google News: South Carolina schools
