Dr. Crissie Stapleton Assumes Chairmanship of the State Board of Education

Dr. Crissie Stapleton (left) is sworn in as State Board of Education (SBE) chair by outgoing SBE chair Alan Walters (right) during the December 13, 2022 SBE meeting

Press Release

At the December 13, 2022 meeting of the State Board of Education, Dr. Crystal “Crissie” Stapleton was sworn in as the chair of the State Board of Education (SBE). The SBE also unanimously elected Dr. David O’Shields as chair-elect while recognizing four members who have fulfilled their terms on the board.

“I look forward to working with my fellow board members and Superintendent-elect Weaver as we continue to tackle the obstacles faced across the education landscape in South Carolina,” said Stapleton. “The State Board of Education is committed to carrying out its task of ensuring that our state public education system is constantly improving.”

Dr. Crissie Stapleton resides in Barnwell County with her husband Jason and bonus sons Davis and Brooks. She was selected by the legislative delegation to represent the Second Circuit (Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell Counties) on the State Board of Education in 2019. She currently serves as superintendent of Barnwell School District 45, a position she has held since 2017.

Dr. Stapleton began her career in education in 2001 after graduating from the Honors College at Clemson University. She has taught in Anderson School District One, Aiken County Public Schools, and Williston School District 29. She served as a kindergarten through eighth grade curriculum coach in Williston School District 29 and an assistant principal and director of curriculum and instruction in Barnwell School District 45 before becoming assistant superintendent in 2015. Dr. Stapleton has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Liberty University.

The SBE is the policy-making body for public K-12 education in South Carolina. It is established in Article XI § 1 of the South Carolina Constitution. The SBE consists of 17 members, one appointed from each of the state’s 16 judicial circuits by the legislators representing the various circuits, and a 17th member appointed by the governor. Members are appointed for four-year terms. County representation within a given circuit rotates from term to term. A full list of the board members may be found here.

In addition to Dr. Stapleton and Dr. O’Shields moving into leadership positions, four board members have fulfilled their terms and will be rotating off the board at the end of the current year. Their names and respective represented areas may be found below. (Bold represents county of residence).

• Cathy Chapman – 4th Circuit (Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Marlboro)
• Carl Hinze – 7th Circuit (Spartanburg, Cherokee)
• Lawrence Kobrovsky – 9th Circuit (Berkeley, Charleston)
• Dr. Kristi Woodall – 16th Circuit (York, Union)

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