Dear Friends and Neighbors,

There is much to celebrate in Charleston County's public schools this fall! The newly released 2026 South Carolina School Report Cards show encouraging progress in student achievement, school improvement, and readiness for the future.

These accomplishments reflect the hard work of students, educators, families, and community partners. I'm especially proud to let you know of the progress in our District 9 schools.

This month, I'm sharing some school highlights, campaign news, and opportunities to stay engaged. Thank you for your continued support of public education!

Warmly, Carol Tempel

Celebrating District Progress

The 2026 School Report Cards bring encouraging news across CCSD:

91.8% graduation rate
89.2% of students college and career ready
57 schools rated Good or Excellent
90% of schools rated Average or above

Superintendent Anita Huggins highlighted these accomplishments and the work ahead in her 2026 State of the Schools address .

District 9 Schools in the Spotlight

Our neighborhood schools have much to celebrate!

Celebrating Excellence. Congratulations to Murray-LaSaine Montessori, Camp Road Middle, Harbor View Elementary, Stiles Point Elementary, Haut Gap Middle, and James Island Charter High School for earning Excellent overall ratings!

Recognizing Growth and Improvement. James Island Elementary and Johns Island Elementary earned Excellent ratings in academic achievement. Burke High School earned a Good rating for the first time and is recognized for high student growth.

These results reflect both strong achievement and meaningful improvement. Congratulations to our students, teachers, school leaders, and families!

Explore the 2026 CCSD and individual school report cards.

Building on Our Progress

As your District 9 school board representative, I have worked to strengthen curriculum and instruction, expand early childhood opportunities, support excellent educators, and direct resources to students with greater needs.

The Board's responsibility is to set clear expectations, monitor results, and provide strong oversight while supporting the educators who make learning happen every day.

CCSD's new Strategic Plan for 2027–2031 will help guide our continued focus on student achievement and operational excellence.

Campaign News: Grateful for Your Support

I'm honored to receive endorsements from the South Carolina Education Association (SCEA) and the Charleston City Paper.

I appreciate their recognition of my educational experience, record of service, and commitment to strong public schools.

Connecting with Our Community

It's been a pleasure meeting with neighbors, educators, families, and community leaders throughout District 9. Listening to your ideas and concerns helps me represent our communities.

Our community provides ways to discuss public education. Check out my interviews and surveys.