SC Education Department gets approval for total takeover of Marlboro Co. school district

The Post and Courier Pee Dee reports that Department of Education’s headquarters in West Columbia, pictured July 18, 2025.

Ian Grenier covers K-12 and higher education in South Carolina from Columbia.

Originally from Charleston, he studied history and political science at USC and reported for the Victoria Advocate in South Texas before joining The Post and Courier.

Department of Education’s headquarters in West Columbia, pictured July 18, 2025.

COLUMBIA — The State Board of Education approved a state of emergency declaration for the Marlboro County School District on June 2, formally setting the stage for a multiyear takeover of the Pee Dee school system by the S.C.

The takeover comes after years of financial trouble and state assistance in the 3,200-student district, including almost a year of state financial control that started in July.