Research has shown that the single greatest factor influencing student achievement is teacher quality.
The South Carolina Centers of Excellence program is a competitive grant program funded through the South Carolina Education Improvement Act of 1984 that enables eligible institutions, or groupings of such institutions, to serve as state-of-the-art resource centers for the state in a specific area related to the improvement of teacher education with a concentration on assisting rural, underperforming schools and districts. These resource centers develop and model state-of-the-art teaching practices, conduct research, disseminate information, and provide training for P-12 and higher education personnel in a center's specific area of expertise.
The centers promote a variety of programs and services, including:
- Alternative educator certification programs to prepare teachers to teach in high-need areas
- Professional development programs
- Research on teacher education and professional development
- Teacher retention and recruitment
- Leadership development and training at rural schools
- Retention and recruitment of diverse educators
Each year, centers must report back to the CHE on program progress. Institutions may also propose new centers during the grant proposal window.
- South Carolina Centers of Excellence Websites
- Centers for Leading Education Administrator Development for Excellent Rural Schools (LEADERS) - Clemson University
- Center of Alternative Pathways for Educator Certification (APEC) - Columbia College
- Center for Teacher Retention and Induction in the Pee Dee (TRIP) - Francis Marion University
- Center of Excellence to Prepare Teacher of Children of Poverty - Francis Marion University
- Center of Alternative Pathways to Educator Certification (APEC) - Coker University
- Center for the Advancement of Reading and Literacy Instruction (CARLI) - Lander University, Presbyterian College, and USC Upstate
Coming soon:
- Teacher Leadership Development - Converse University
Previous Centers: Center for Mathematical Literacy at The Citadel; CRE2 DE at Clemson, SC-TEACHER - USC Columbia, Center of Excellence for College and Career Readiness at FMU.
- Request For Proposals
- FY 2025-26 available Spring 2025
- FY 2023-24 Award Proposal Guidelines (PDF)
- FY 2023-24 Intent to Submit Proposal Form (Word Document)
- Program Contact Information
Dr. Lishu Yin
803-856-0512
Center Highlight:
Clemson LEADERS journal publication
Congratulations to the LEADERS Center of Excellence at Clemson on the publication of "Learning with and from each other: creating safe spaces in a professional community for school leadership development" in the Journal of Professional Capital and Community! (Note: Institutional domain credentials are required to access the article, it can also be reached through the PASCAL Delivers system or interlibrary loan for institutions who aren't subscribed to the required database package.)
Center Highlight:
Centers of Excellence for the Science of Reading at Lander University and Presbyterian College
The Centers of Excellence for the Science of Reading at Lander University and Presbyterian College teamed up with local school districts to offer reading tutoring services for second-grade students. 
Center Highlight:
Clemson LEADERS
Participants in the LEADERS Center of Excellence, Pickens County Cohort held their first Leadership Coaching Community (LCC) Day on Oct. 25. The 11 school leaders and leadership coaches learned about using improvement science to lead change in schools that aim to increase teacher retention and student learning outcomes. They will participate in center activities for one year and share the results of their work at the Educational Leadership Summer Summit at Clemson University on June 6, 2025.
