Education

Two elementary schools on post run by DDESS for student's Pre-K through 6th grade. Seventh and 8th grade students living on post will attend Dent Middle School, phone: 803-699-2750. On-post high school students will attend Richland Northeast, phone: 803-699-2800.

• Fort Jackson Schools (DoDEA)
• Pierce Terrace Elementary School
• Pinckney Elementary School

The majority of military families living off-post are in areas served by Richland District 1 https://www.richlandone.org or Richland District 2.

Army School Liaison Officer

School Support Services provides information and assistance to military families concerning youth education and school issues. The School Liaison Officer develops partnerships to facilitate successful school transitions for military children and youth and collaborates with local schools, installation, and community organizations to foster positive educational experiences. The School Liaison Officer can also assist with questions dealing with transition into Fort Jackson Area school districts and K-12 educational opportunities. The School Liaison Officer can be reached by phone at 803-751-6150 or DSN 312-734-6150; or by mailing address: 3392 Magruder Ave., Ft. Jackson, S.C. 29207.

Remote Enrollment

Governor McMaster signed into law the Military Temporary Remote Enrollment Act on May 16, 2023. Servicemembers with orders to South Carolina are no longer required to wait until they get on station to enroll their school aged children. Active-duty members can apply for enrollment online and provide proof of residence after arrival.

HOW DOES IT BENEFIT THE MILITARY FAMILY?

    * Less delay! the active-duty member can provide proof of residence to the school district after arrival.

    * It allows enrollment in courses before capacity is reached.

    * Eliminates enrolling in a school at a temporary location and transitioning to another school weeks later.

Fort Jackson DoD Schools

For military living on post at Fort Jackson, there are two DODEA schools for elementary students Pre-K through 6th grade:

· Grades pre-K-2 - Pierce Terrace Elementary, phone: 803-638-7491; Standardized Test Scores

· Grades 3-6 - Pinckney Elementary, phone: 803-787-6815; Standardized Test Scores

On-post 7th and 8th grade students will attend Dent Middle School, phone: 803-699-2750. On-post high school students will attend Richland Northeast, phone: 803-699-2800.

Each child expecting to attend the Fort Jackson schools must be registered each year. Pupils new to Fort Jackson should be registered as soon as possible upon arrival.  During the summer months, school offices will be open during regular business hours. Pre-kindergartners must be 4, kindergartners must be 5 and first graders must be 6 on or before Sept 1. Please remember to hand carry copies of previous school records.

Required Documents to Enroll

New students registering for enrollment in DoDEA Americas schools INCONUS are required to provide verification of the following:

· Date of Birth

· Dependent Status

· Active Duty Status of Military Sponsor or Employment Status of Civilian Sponsor

· On-base Housing Assignment

Note:  This list is not all inclusive and is subject to modification without notice based on regulatory changes.  It is always advisable to check with the registrar at the school or district office prior to registration for the most current, as well as local, requirements.

A copy of immunizations is required for all pupils. Parents have thirty (30) calendar days from the date of enrollment in the Fort Jackson schools to provide the school office with valid Immunization record. After thirty days, pupils who still do not have record of immunizations will be ineligible to attend school. Such children may return to school on the day that the immunization records are brought to the school office.

Columbia Area Public Schools

Over 80,000 pupils are enrolled in Columbia area public schools.  In the region, there are 19 high schools, 24 middle and junior high and 70 elementary schools. The majority of military families living off-post are in areas served by Purple Star school districts: Richland District 1 or Richland District 2.

· Richland County School District One 1616 Richland St, Columbia SC 29201 PH: 803-231-7000

· Richland County School District Two 6831 Brookfield Rd, Columbia, SC 29206 PH: 803-787-1910

Richland County School District One

Students who will be new to Richland School District One will enroll online through a link on the District's website (richlandone.org).  The option to upload copies of required documents (i.e. proof of residency, student's last report card, withdrawal form from the previous school, immunization records, and birth certificate) will be available to save time and unnecessary trips to the school.  Additionally, if you are registering multiple students, information in the first form will be pre-loaded into the second registration form when you use the link on the Submission Confirmation page to register another student.

Parents should hand carry copies of previous school records and Individual Education Plans (IEP).

Richland School District Two

Richland School District Two uses an online registration process for providing annual proof of residence, verifying student information, and reviewing and completing Parent/legal Guardian agreements.

Through this process, you will receive an email containing instructions for completing the information update process through Parent Portal.  Parents will be able to access the online registration system through Parent Portal to complete the annual registration process.

What information will this system collect?

· Proof of Residence

· Health information (Doctor, Insurance, history, Conditions and Medications)

· Transportation (Bus Eligibility and Method of Transportation)

· Parent/Legal Guardian Agreements (Health Information Policy, Medical Information Release, Responsible Use Procedures and Terms and Conditions for Devise Usage, Address Verification Agreement)

· Electronic Signature acknowledging all information is correct.

Other Surrounding Districts

· Kershaw County School District

· Fairfield County School District

· Lexington County School District Two https:/www.lex2.org

· Lexington/Richland School District Five

A copy of the student's birth certificate must be presented for all kindergartners and first graders prior to their enrollment. Birth certificates may also be requested for students at any other grade level. To be eligible for enrollment, kindergarten students must be five years old on or before September 1, and first graders must be six years old on or before September 1. To be eligible for four-year-old programs, a child must be four years old on or before September 1. Hospital births reports are not acceptable for this purpose. If necessary, duplicate birth certificates can be obtained from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Vital Records and Public Health Statistics Division at 2600 Bull St, Columbia, S.C. or a similar agency in the child's state of birth.

A valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization must be presented for all students prior to their enrollment. Immunization against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio and red and German measles are required for all students. A second MMR immunization is required for students entering kindergarten and grade one, two, seven and eight. Certificates of Immunization can be obtained from the Richland County Health Department at 2000 Hampton Street (please take your shot records) or from your private physician.

Student's Social Security Number

Previous report card and/or transfer sheet from the school the student is leaving.

In the case of guardianship, a copy of the document establishing the guardian relationship must be filed at the Richland School District Two Administration Office, 6832 Brookfield Road, Columbia, S.C. 29206. Enrollment will not be permitted until the appropriate guardianship has been established and the document is on file.

State Modified Immunization Requirements>

Immunization standards:

· A valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization for all enrolled children, 3 months of age and older, must be maintained by public and private childcare facilities (as defined in Section 63-13-20 of SC Code of Laws); public, private, and parochial schools, grades kindergarten through 12th grade, and child development programs under the control of the Department of Education.

· Doses documented on the immunization certificate must be valid doses according to accepted practice standards for the minimum age(s) and intervals, as well as all ACIP comprehensive and vaccine specific recommendations (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/index.html).

· Vaccines administration must be in accordance with CDC:  General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/general-recs/index.html).

· Children enrolled in Pre-K or 4K programs and younger must meet Day Care Requirements, even if attendance is in a school setting.  Children enrolled in 5-year-old kindergarten through Grade 12 must meet School Requirements.

· Children enrolled in grades 5K or greater who also attend a childcare facility (e.g., after school and/or summer program) must meet School Requirements and have a valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization on file at both day care and school.

Students starting kindergarten and grades one, two, seven or eight will need to receive the hepatitis B series.

The Richland County Health Department is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., and appointments are recommended. For more information, call DHEC's immunization branch at 800-27-SHOTS./p>

South Carolina High School Graduation Requirements

**For a complete explanation of all graduation requirements, provisions for granting high school credit and dual credit, please refer to SBE Regulation 43-234, Defined Program Grades 9-12 and Graduation Requirements.

South Carolina End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP)

The End of Course Examination Program (EOCEP) is a statewide assessment program of end of course tests for gateway courses awarded units of credit in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  The EOCEP encourages instruction in the specific academic standards for the courses, encourages student achievement, and documents the level of students' mastery of the academic standards.

To meet federal accountability requirements, the EOCEP in mathematics, English/language arts and science will be administered to all public school students by the third year of high school, including those students as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) and by Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

To earn a South Carolina high school diploma, students are required to pass a high school credit course in science, and a high school credit course in United States history in which the state's end of course examinations are administered.  Currently these courses are Biology 1 (science) and United States History and Constitution (social studies).

For more information, please visit the http://fortjacksonmwr.com/school_liaison/ 

College and university Courses

College and University Courses

Midlands Technical College offers Associate degrees in Criminal Justice and Management at Fort Jackson.  Numerous other degree and certificate programs are offered at the campuses throughout the Midlands.  Soldiers and family members are welcome at all campuses.  College Level Examination Program (CLEP)/Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DSST) exams are available through Midlands Technical College (MTC), at the National Testing Center located at the Education Center.  Tests are free to military personal and available to other authorized patrons for a fee.  If you have further questions, please call 803-782-3213.

The University of South Carolina on Fort Jackson offers a varied curriculum rooted in the Liberal Arts and aimed at preparing students to continue learning in higher education settings and throughout life.  The curriculum allows students to complete Associate degrees in Science and the Arts.  Military students and family members also may take undergraduate and graduate course at the Columbia campus.  If you have any questions, please contact 803-782-8810.

Claflin University on Fort Jackson offers two undergraduate degree completion programs:  a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Criminal Justice Administration.  The program is a nontraditional program servicing adults 22 and older.  The program is open to active-duty military, adult family members, retirees and civilians.  Contact the Claflin University Fort Jackson office at 803-787-0825.

Webster University on Fort Jackson offers a Master of Business Administration and four Master of Arts degree programs:  Human Resources Management, Information Technology Management, Management and Leadership, and Business and Organizational Management.  Soldiers and their family members, DOD employees, retirees, National Guard, Reserve and civilians may enroll at the Fort Jackson Webster University.  Webster University is a global educator with more than 100 campuses worldwide, with 46 of these campuses located on military installations.  Military tuition assistance, veterans' benefits, financial aid and deferred-payment plans are available.  If you have any questions, you can contact the Webster University Fort Jackson administration at 803-738-0603.