Governor McMasterโs 2026-2027 budget emphasizes education, proposing free breakfast for all public school students and higher teacher pay.
YORK COUNTY, S.C. โ South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster unveiled his 2026โ2027 executive budget, highlighting education as a top priority. Among the proposals: free breakfast for all public school students and a raise in base teacher pay.ย
Educators say these measures could help South Carolina stay competitive while giving students more support.
โThey can’t focus on their school work because their stomachs are growling and they haven’t been able to have a meal before they come to school,” Dena Crews, president of the South Carolina Education Association (SCEA), said.
Crews says free breakfast is critical to student success, with proven benefits for families, including in the Fort Mill School District.
โIt’s something that we saw during the COVID era when meals were provided to all students, regardless of poverty factors. Parents and students took full advantage of it,” Joe Burke, chief communications officer of Fort Mill School District, said.
The budget also proposes $20 million for school safety, including funding for school resource officers in every district.
โIt also expands beyond that,” Burke said. “There are a lot of things our school resource officers do with students and other programs involved with that.โ
Crews expresses caution over the $61.4 million Education Scholarship Trust Fund, noting much of the money benefits private schools.
โSome of that money can be used to provide universal pre-K for all students regardless of a parentโs income,” Crews said. “All of our babies need a good start before they get to kindergarten.โ
Gov. McMaster is also proposing a starting teacher salary of $50,500 statewide, surpassing North Carolina and Georgia. Fort Mill already offers $52,000, but Burke notes the increase would help districts with fewer resources.ย
โThis is really going to be big for them if it’s state funded because itโs a way to increase salaries without burdening an already struggling tax base,” Burke said
SCEA strongly supports the investments but urges lawmakers to do more for support professionals.
โMany of them have to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. We need a minimal salary scale for them across the board,” Crews said.ย
Crews says the SCEA will be at the Capitol weekly during session, ensuring lawmakers hear directly from teachers as budget decisions are made.
Contact Autumn Bracey at abracey@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
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