Richland One is a good school district becoming a great school district. Our diverse graduates are some of the best prepared in the state of South Carolina and the nation. The number of graduates who continue on to post-secondary education has increased to more than 76%, and our scholarship total increased to more than $41 million this year. As these numbers have increased, our dropout rate has decreased to 3.2%.

Richland One is a district that truly cares about all of its students. Our students attend state-of-the-art, small neighborhood schools that have been expertly remodeled or completely rebuilt. It is not unusual for several generations of the same family to have attended the same Richland One school.

Choice is available to all students in the form of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes, Montessori and arts-infused programs. Richland One has been recognized twice through a nationwide survey of public and private school programs as being among the best 100 places to live in America for quality music education. All of our students take a foreign language beginning in the first grade.

Students attending our most challenged schools benefit from free summer academies and extended-day learning opportunities. Extra emphasis is placed on students’ reading and math skills, all within a technology-rich learning environment. These extra resources and services are provided though our innovative A+ Schools Project.

Richland One financially rewards its teachers who get better than expected results on measures of student achievement. Our trailblazing Pay for Results Plan recognizes those teachers and other school staff that are most adept at using instructional best practices to stretch all of our students academically.

Richland One is supported and promoted by a newly formed collaborative of city officials, our Partners In Education foundation, businesses and non-profits who understand that a growing and economically healthy Columbia is dependent upon good schools.

As we begin the new school year, let us not forget to celebrate our successes. Let us be mindful of the important responsibility with which we have been entrusted, and let us communicate our pride in being part of Richland One by setting high expectations for ourselves and our students.
.

Allen Coles
Superintendent