The Upstate region of South Carolina gets an A+ for its efforts to attract, develop and keep the best teachers. South Carolina ranks ninth in the nation for education performance and policymaking. Our Upstate is home to the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, as well as 23 institutions of higher education serving more than 80,000 students.
Acclaimed Clemson University is ranked 27th among national public universities according to U.S. News & World Report. Advanced education opportunities range from traditional liberal arts colleges to Sherman Chiropractic College or the Tri-County Technical College.
If you are considering or have made a move into the Upstate (the residents of the northwest corner of South Carolina refer to themselves as "Upstaters"), you should know that this portion of the state consists of several counties. Generally, Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson are considered the largest of the Upstate counties and have the highest concentration of public and private education.
Public schools across the Upstate were honored in 2011 with Red Carpet Awards to recognize their success at creating family-friendly school environments and providing excellent customer service. From computer intranets for parents to GED and adult education, each school focuses on meeting the needs of the community. In this time of juggling budgets, it sure is nice to see that our public schools can still win awards.
Greenville County
Greenville County Schools is the largest district in South Carolina with more than 58,000 students. Overall, education in Greenville is consistently ranked among the best in the state. SAT scores for the top public high schools in the area average 110 percent of the U.S. average.
Twelve Greenville County schools have been named "National Schools of Excellence—Blue Ribbon Schools" and Newsweek magazine named five Greenville High Schools as among the best in the nation.
One of these five schools is South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, located in downtown Greenville. The Governor’s School is a high school for the artistically talented students offering five arts majors. It has helped set national standards for the arts and humanities.
Another school on Newsweek’s top list is Southside High School. Southside is one of the first schools in the state to offer an international baccalaureate program (IB program). Many international students attend Southside to be in this program.
Lifelong Learning at Sullivan Center, Greenville County Schools, provides academic and pre-employment education and training opportunities for adults to achieve success. More than 10,000 adults have acquired job skills through this center. GED and high school units, Workcore and WorkKeys Employment Certification are just a few of the quality programs offered at convenient locations throughout Greenville County.
Spartanburg County
With more than 45,000 students and 80 schools, including four career centers, Spartanburg’s schools, colleges and universities provide a great learning environment for every age group.
Spartanburg County public schools are administered by seven school districts operating 39 elementary schools, 15 middle or junior high schools, nine high schools and four vocational schools. Because the school districts cover a large geographic area, each district follows state curriculum then supplements with special programs in arts, computers, and leadership. Students are allowed to transfer within the districts to participate in extra curriculum activities.
In addition, Spartanburg County is the home to the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind. The school offers programs for preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, sensory multi-disabled, vocational and postsecondary educational students. A variety of outreach and support services are also available. The main campus is in Spartanburg and regional centers are located throughout the state.
Anderson County
Anderson County public schools serve more than 30,000 students at more than 50 schools. The school system is divided into five districts serving local communities. The state guidelines dictate all curriculum and each district budgets additional programs based on the neighborhood’s needs such as after school tutoring or No Kid Left Behind.
Students and parents can register online for “CourseWhere” to learn computer basics, CPR or improve reading skills. Parent portals are available so they can stay in touch with teachers and homework assignments.
The Anderson County School Districts work hard to gain national recognition. By using local resources, an Alternative School was created, without a tax increase, by converting a U.S. Army building into classrooms. A District One school recently received the 2010 National Blue Ribbon School Award. District Four schools created Camp COURAGE, a program that provides mentors and tutors for every grade level. District Two has scored in the top 10 percent of South Carolina in PACT Testing.
Higher Education
“Upstaters” take a lot of pride in the quality of higher education in this region. Whether you are a Clemson, Furman, University of South Carolina, or a tech school supporter, there are opportunities for every facet of advanced learning.
Greenville hosts several colleges and universities. The University Center of Greenville, a consortium of seven colleges and universities — Furman University, Clemson University, Lander University, Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, the University of South Carolina, and the University of South Carolina Upstate — offers 600 courses and 76 degrees from its South Pleasantburg Drive location. Prominent among them is Furman University, one of the nation's leading liberal arts and sciences institutions. Also in Greenville is Bob Jones University, the largest private liberal arts university in South Carolina
Recognized for its commitment to secondary and advanced education, Spartanburg County boasts average SAT scores for college-bound seniors that exceed the national average SAT scores as well as the South Carolina average scores.
The greater Spartanburg area is a “college town,” with six schools of higher learning providing opportunities for students interested in a variety of career paths. More than 12,000 college students come to Spartanburg each September, so the college town atmosphere is enhanced as they return to classes. The colleges and the community have begun offering joint social and academic programming to bring the strengths of these institutions together.
Wofford College, an independent undergraduate college, focuses on fostering commitment to excellence in character, performance, leadership, service to others, and lifelong learning. Wofford offers BA and BS degrees in 24 majors.
The University of South Carolina Upstate is a coeducational, public, metropolitan institution. USC Upstate strives to be one of the Southeast's leading "metropolitan" universities by acknowledging its fundamental purpose is its relationship to surrounding cities, their connecting corridors and expanding populations.
For those who want to learn job skills, Spartanburg Technical College provides 70 different diplomas or certifications. Using the latest high-tech equipment and innovative teaching methods, the school trains students for jobs in demand today and in the future. Career programs range from arts and sciences, business technology, health and human services to industrial and engineering technologies.
Anderson County proudly hosts two local colleges and the agricultural extension school for Clemson. Anderson University is a private and urban institution that was founded in 1911. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 2,131 and follows a semester-based academic calendar. Anderson University's ranking in the 2011 edition of “Best Colleges” is 21st in regional colleges of the south. The teacher education program at the university is recognized as one of the best in South Carolina.
Anderson College is a small city college offering Bachelors and Masters level education. GED students are accepted and SAT test scores are not required.
Independent Schools
The Upstate area is home to several private and independent schools that specialize in curriculum and philosophies. These schools range from Catholic, Christian to academic preparatory in doctrine. Many parents prefer the smaller class sizes and the college prep standards. They do cost more but financial aid and scholarships are available.
Adult Learning Programs in the Upstate
Where can active seniors go when they want to learn photography or take a pottery class? How about learning to email so you can chat with the grandchildren? Almost every school district in the Upstate has some adult learning programs where you can learn basic computer skills or improve reading comprehension. Every library in this area has workshops where you can learn scrap booking or join a quilting circle. Even Clemson University and USC Spartanburg have Lifelong Learning Institutes!
For those adults who need to be re-trained for new work skills, the Adult Learning Center in Spartanburg can help with skills assessments and training programs. The community college in Spartanburg is another resource for adult learning offering night classes and online courses for those who are employed. A great web site for the range of adult learning is: http://www.infodepot.org/inform/dir/educational.htm.
As Alfred Kilpatrick founded Frontier College in 1899, he said, “ Whenever and wherever people shall have occasion to congregate, then and there shall be the time, place and means of their education.” So, learning occurs when you volunteer at the library, join a literacy team or read books to patients in the hospital. Seniors just have to read their local newspaper to find learning activities in the Upstate.
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