Could Dorchester County school districts be consolidated? Lawmakers are looking at the possibility

ST. GEORGE, S.C. (WCBD) – Two Lowcountry school districts could be merged under a proposal currently being examined by South Carolina lawmakers.

Dozens of community members gathered in St. George on Thursday night for the first of what is expected to be several public hearings on the possible consolidation of Dorchester School Districts 2 and 4.

“This is the first step in the process, and we want to hear from you,” Rep. Chris Murphy (R) said, sitting alongside the Dorchester County Legislative Delegation.

Murphy has drafted a bill – though it has not yet been filed – that would combine the two districts and their boards within the next few years. It would not close or consolidate any schools, he said.

Some say the change is needed, in part, to ensure that schools within the county are adequately funded in the future.

Dorchester County District 2, which encompasses Summerville and parts of North Charleston, serves more than 26,000 students and expects to add 17,000 more students over the next 10 years.

Dorchester County District 4, which covers the upper part of the county, is much smaller with about 2,200 students.

Despite its size, DD2 Superintendent Shane Robbins told News 2 that the district receives less money per student than neighboring districts but spends more in the classroom.

According to data estimates from the South Carolina Department of Education, DD2 received $14,611 per pupil in the fiscal year 2024-2025, while DD4 received $23,058 per pupil.

That is due to a 2006 property tax swap called Act 388, which removed school operating expenses from the tax bills of owner-occupied homes.

The 6% tax on commercial and industrial properties is used to pay for school operations, not the 4% tax on residential property, Sen. Sean Bennett (R) explained.

“DD2 is heavy on residential properties, DD4 is growing more on industrial properties, so there’s that disconnect,” Bennett said. “But we’re one county, and that’s the real challenge. As we’re recruiting businesses to our county, how do you distribute those funds, those local funds, to school districts?”

Some residents argued that simply reversing Act 388 would solve the funding problem without having to consolidate the districts.

But while the law has become widely unpopular, Rep. Gilda-Cobb Hunter (D) said there hasn’t been “political will” to change it.  

Still, many in attendance Thursday night said they viewed the consolidation as a money grab and voiced concern that DD4 schools could end up underfunded and underrepresented.

“I believe it’s for our money; it’s not for the betterment of our schools,” said 87-year-old Hazel Parson-Starkes. “We have been fighting for years against consolidation because we have a fear that we won’t get our fair share.”

Others said they were worried about the impact a merger could have on the students’ learning environment and the resources provided to them.

Magdalena Dawn Willis, a Woodland High School graduate who now teaches in DD2, said her high school’s smaller size and lower student-teacher ratio are what helped her become successful, and she fears current and future DD4 students would lose out on those benefits if consolidation happened.

She also questioned whether it could put schools’ Title I status at risk.

“Most families in our communities cannot afford private tutors, specialized course training, or enhance their children’s college and career prospects beyond what the local public school can provide to them,” Willis said. “This makes it essential to maintain and properly fund public school resources through programs like Title I to ensure our students have the same opportunities as those from more affluent backgrounds.”

Several members of both school boards also testified during the meeting, including DD2 Board Chair Ashley Wimberly, who attempted to ease some concerns.

“If we are to move forward with consolidation, we are going to do everything we can to put children, and that is all children across this entire county, first,” she said.

DD4 Superintendent Jeff Beckwith came out strongly against the proposal, claiming it could impede the district’s ability to put referendums on the ballot that would fund projects needed to meet the demand of a growing population.

He further expressed frustration that neither he nor the board had been consulted about the matter before Thursday.

“When you’re talking about consolidating two districts and the possibility of impacting 150,000 or 160,000 students, I’m just curious why [Board Chair] or myself has never been reached out to just to have a basic conversation,” he asked.  

No one spoke in support of the proposal, which one person described as “absorption, not consolidation.”

Murphy said the delegation plans to hold another public meeting in Summerville within the next month.