Barnett Berry, director of the Accelerator for Learning and Leadership in South Carolina (ALL4SC), drafted an op-ed with College of Education dean, Jon Pederson for South Carolina’s Post & Courier. The opinion piece called for the transformation of communities to ignite true change in South Carolina schools.

Out-of-school factors account for the majority of differences in student achievement – nearly 80 percent. Great ideas in the field of education often sit siloed or duplicate programs that already exist. Educators are commonly over worked, and do not have the resources to learn from each other and discuss best practices.

While reformation and transformation may seem like similar concepts or a question of semantics, Berry and Pederson write that the “pieces of the puzzle” already exist in the state of South Carolina. And with the assembly of hundreds of educators, researchers, policymakers and business leaders that are willing to work with ALL4SC, the state can truly change the way students learn in the Palmetto State.