Mac McQuillin for School Board

Berkeley County School Board • District 2

BCSD Progress Update

A closer look at the progress happening across Berkeley County schools.

Mac McQuillin

A Note from Mac

Friends,

It’s a privilege to serve you on the Berkeley County School Board. Over the past several years, we’ve made real progress across our schools, and I wanted to share a closer look at some of those results with you.

From stronger academic performance and improved teacher retention to investments in school safety and planning for continued growth, our focus has remained on giving students the best opportunity to succeed while being responsible with taxpayer dollars.

Below is an in-depth look at the progress we’re seeing across Berkeley County and right here in District 2.

Mac McQuillin
Berkeley County School Board, District 2

Academic Progress

  • 24 schools rated Good or Excellent in 2025, up from 10 in 2023.
  • Zero Unsatisfactory schools in both 2024 and 2025.
  • The percentage of third-grade students meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA increased from 43.7% to 59.2%.
  • Fifth-grade ELA increased from 36.7% to 61%.
  • The percentage of students earning an A, B, or C in Algebra I increased from 24.7% to 53.1%.
  • College and Career Readiness increased from 47.4% to 66%.
  • In 2025, districtwide ELA performance increased 6.3 percentage points, while third-grade ELA increased nine points.

Supporting Great Teachers

  • Teacher retention improved from 72% in 2023–24 to 85% in 2024–25 and 93% in 2025–26.
  • First-year teacher pay increased to $52,450 in 2024–25, $56,770 in 2025–26, and $57,905 for 2026–27.
  • The latest budget provides eligible employees a step increase plus a 2% cost-of-living adjustment.
  • More than $1.5 million was added for special education positions.

Safe Schools

  • Adopted the Standard Response Protocol to strengthen emergency preparedness across the district.
  • Implemented weapons screening at high school athletic events.
  • Expanded random weapons-screening efforts into the school day, with Philip Simmons High selected for the pilot.

Planning for Growth & Taxpayer Responsibility

  • Continued implementation of the voter-approved penny sales tax program to advance major school construction, renovation, and expansion projects.
  • Lowered operating millage by 9.9 mills in 2024–25.
  • Adopted the 2025–26 budget with no tax increase.
  • Adopted the 2026–27 budget with no increase in the overall tax rate.
Berkeley County elementary school community Students walking through a Berkeley County school hallway Students learning together in a Berkeley County classroom Berkeley County school educators Philip Simmons High School graduates

Closer to Home

Around District 2

Daniel Island School

  • Maintained an Excellent state report card rating for four consecutive years, 2022–2025.
  • Earned Palmetto Silver recognition for 2024–25 performance.
  • Reached BCSD’s 2030 goal of at least 75% of students performing on grade level in ELA by 2025.

Philip Simmons High

  • Maintained an Excellent rating for four consecutive years and was BCSD’s only traditional high school rated Excellent in 2025.
  • Earned Palmetto Gold for 2024–25 performance.
  • Reached a 93% projected graduation rate and 85% College and Career Readiness rate.
  • 83% of seniors were eligible for a South Carolina Lottery Scholarship.
  • The Class of 2026 earned nearly $7 million in scholarships.

Cainhoy Elementary

  • Earned Palmetto Silver recognition for 2024–25 performance.

Philip Simmons Elementary & Middle

  • Philip Simmons Elementary reached BCSD’s 2030 ELA goal by 2025.
  • Philip Simmons Middle produced the statewide winner of the 2025 Governor’s Art Contest on Litter Prevention.
  • Eleven Philip Simmons Middle musicians were selected for BCSD All-County Band in 2025.

Bowen’s Corner Elementary

  • Bowen’s Corner Elementary reached 75.5% Meets/Exceeds in ELA, meeting the district’s 2030 ELA goal five years early.
  • In the newest 2025–26 results, Bowen’s Corner’s SC READY math performance increased 9.3 percentage points and science increased 9.1 percentage points.

Hanahan Schools

  • Hanahan Middle’s SC READY math performance increased 9.1 percentage points in 2025–26.
  • Hanahan High’s Biology A–C performance increased 10 percentage points in 2025–26, the greatest Biology growth highlighted in the district’s results.
  • Hanahan High surpassed the state College and Career Readiness average and showed year-over-year growth in that measure.
  • Hanahan Middle underwent a roughly $43 million transformation funded through the penny sales tax approved by Berkeley County voters in November 2022.
  • Hanahan Elementary students won all three places in the kindergarten through second-grade essay and poster category of BCSD’s 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. contest.
  • Hanahan Middle’s band earned the 2025–26 Outstanding Performance Award with Distinction, the highest award available to South Carolina band programs.
  • Hanahan High’s Class of 2026 earned an estimated $5.71 million in academic scholarships and $282,000 in athletic scholarships. The class also included five State Academic Honor recipients and 18 Palmetto Fellows.
  • Hanahan High JROTC advanced to the CyberPatriot national semifinals after placing first in South Carolina’s Gold tier for the All Service division, finishing ninth among 73 JROTC teams nationwide and third among Army JROTC teams.

Beyond the Classroom

  • Philip Simmons High students won 16 awards at the 2025 South Carolina Senior Beta Convention and five awards at the 2026 National Senior Beta Convention.
  • Philip Simmons High choral ensembles earned Excellent and Superior ratings at the 2025 state Choral Performance Assessment; Daniel Island School’s middle school chorus earned an Excellent rating.
  • Philip Simmons High earned the 2024–25 AA Carlisle Cup, recognizing the state’s top overall athletic program in its classification.
  • PSH won 10 region championships and four state championships in 2024–25, with additional state championships continuing in 2025–26.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have a question, concern, or something you’d like to bring to my attention, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. It’s a pleasure to serve you on the Berkeley County School Board.

Mac McQuillin
Mac@MacMcQuillin.com  •  843-410-3482