CONWAY — Following the retirement announcement by Horry County Schools Superintendent, the school board is now considering governance changes that could potentially alter the power dynamics within the school district by granting more authority to elected officials.
“I don’t like the (system) we have,” board member Howard Barnard shared at a recent meeting. “I would like to have someone come talk to us about other governance models so we can look at them and compare them to what we have… That’s not to say what we have is broken or wrong. Let’s just take another look.”
Superintendent Rick Maxey’s decision to retire has brought governance changes into focus. Governance models are central to the manner in which the school board and superintendent manage Horry County Schools, which ranks as the third largest school district in the state. The district serves over 48,000 students and employs more than 6,300 faculty and staff, including over 3,000 teachers.
Horry County is one of only two districts in South Carolina applying the coherent governance model. Approved by local officials in 2007, this system empowers the board to create policy which the superintendent can extensively implement. Critics, however, express concern that the current model gives too much power to the Superintendent and hampers board members’ ability to openly express their opinions, therefore impacting transparency and public discourse surrounding the district’s operations.
These discussions have become more prominent recently, particularly in light of increasing concerns around school safety measures following incidents such as the one that took place on February 6, involving a student bringing a gun to Myrtle Beach Middle School.
In an April 15 meeting, the Horry County school board collectively agreed to hire a consulting firm to assist them in exploring governance models. This decision fell alongside the establishment of a committee to further examine the issue. Policy committee meetings held on April 15 and May 10 have already initiated conversations about policy amendments.
“This is an amicable separation with respect to you and your respect to me,” Maxey told the board. “There is no settlement or severance package or anything like that. It’s simply a request to retire. You’ve graciously granted that option for me to be released from my contract, and I thank you.”
While they search for a new superintendent, the board has appointed retired Berkeley County School District Superintendent Eddie Ingram as interim. Ingram clarified, however, that he has no plans to stay in the Horry County position long term.
