The Palmetto Education Summit 2026

Join us for an educator-focused session on how WIN Learning’s Career Readiness Solutions are helping strengthen CTE programs and drive student success. Hear how schools and programs across South Carolina are using WIN’s Academic and Soft Skills courseware and credentials to build employability skills, increase student confidence, and support stronger placement, progression, and retention within CTE pathways. During this session, we’ll highlight implementation strategies from educators and workforce professionals across the state. You’ll see how WIN is integrated into daily instruction, career exploration, and program design—along with key insights on the measurable impact on both students and employers. Whether you’re new to WIN or looking to enhance your current implementation, you’ll leave with practical strategies, fresh ideas, and actionable insights you can immediately apply in your classroom or program.

This session will introduce you to your Regional Career Specialist team and the services they offer. Your Regional Career Specialist team is your direct connection to the South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Career Readiness.

South Carolina career centers stand at a crossroads. As workforce demands accelerate in advanced manufacturing, logistics, EV technology, healthcare, and construction, career centers must evolve beyond elective providers into regional workforce engines. This session will challenge traditional thinking and provide a bold, practical blueprint for making your career center innovative, regionally relevant, and academically rigorous. Participants will explore academy models, honors frameworks, equipment modernization strategies, industry alignment structures, and measurable performance metrics that elevate credibility and outcomes. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to shift culture, perception, and performance. This session is designed for CTE directors, administrators, principals, superintendents, and workforce partners ready to disrupt the status quo.

South Carolina is entering an exciting new era in school counseling and career guidance—and this session gives leaders the tools, clarity, and confidence to put the state’s revised Comprehensive School Counseling and Career Guidance Framework into action. Participants will explore the Framework’s four core components—Define, Deliver, Manage, and Assess—and discover how these elements work together to create coherent, aligned, and student‑centered programs across K–12 settings. The session will also unpack the Framework’s three developmental domains—Learning to Learn, Learning to Live, and Learning to Work—illustrating how they strengthen academic, personal–social, and career readiness through intentional skill‑building opportunities. Participants will gain essential updates on South Carolina‑specific legal requirements, including the EEDA, SC Code §59‑59‑120, the state’s 300:1 student–counselor ratio guideline, and scope‑of‑practice expectations that shape daily implementation statewide. Through interactive problem‑solving, real school scenarios, and collaborative discussions, attendees will practice applying the Framework in authentic contexts. Participants will leave with clear, actionable strategies they can implement immediately—strengthening program alignment, improving school‑wide systems, and ensuring every student receives high‑quality, developmentally appropriate counseling and career guidance. 

What sets a top-performing CTE program apart? Join this session to uncover the strategies behind a cutting-edge program that’s preparing students to lead in high-demand industries. In this session, you’ll gain actionable strategies and tactics that empower students with career-ready skills. Walk away with practical ideas, innovative approaches, and proven methods to elevate your own CTE program and inspire the next generation of changemakers

Young people are surrounded by adults every day—teachers, coaches, administrators, bus drivers, parents, and community members—yet many students still struggle to find the consistent encouragement and guidance they need to thrive. Schools often think of mentoring as a formal role assigned to a small number of people, but the reality is that mentoring happens in everyday interactions. The challenge is not a lack of caring adults—it is the absence of a shared framework and practical tools that help people recognize and use their influence intentionally. This session explores the idea that everyone in a school community has the potential to be a mentor. Participants will examine how everyday interactions can become meaningful mentoring moments that help students develop confidence, resilience, and direction. The session also highlights the importance of structured mentoring frameworks and tools that help schools and communities move from good intentions to consistent, meaningful support for young people. Participants will be introduced to mentoring strategies drawn from youth development research and practical mentoring models such as the GOODLIFE mentoring framework, which provides tools and structured conversations that help mentors guide students toward stronger decision-making, relationships, and future direction. The session will also highlight how schools can expand their impact by engaging families and community partners in mentoring efforts. This workshop is being proposed as a collaborative session with Real Champions, Inc., a South Carolina organization dedicated to empowering young people through mentorship and leadership development. Together, the presenters will explore how schools and community partners can work side-by-side to create stronger mentoring networks around students. Participants leave with a clearer understanding of the power of mentoring, practical tools they can use immediately, and ideas for building mentoring partnerships that strengthen support for students both inside and outside the classroom. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the role every adult can play as a mentor, practical strategies for building meaningful mentoring relationships with students, exposure to structured mentoring tools and frameworks that help guide conversations and student growth, ideas for engaging community organizations and volunteers in mentoring, and examples of how schools and community partners can work together to create mentoring networks that support students.

Leadership Minute is, the progress made across South Carolina, and how the program supports life skills, confidence, resilience, and civic responsibility without adding instructional burden. Participants will experience a Leadership Minute live, featuring one of the program’s civics standards—Patriotism—led by a Leadership Minute Ambassador. The session highlights the program’s innovative storytelling model, which blends animated elementary characters with real-life South Carolina athletes, coaches, and football leaders to make abstract character concepts relatable and impactful. Designed with both students and educators in mind, each one-minute video is paired with optional, easy-to-use curriculum cards that promote reflection, discussion, and real-world application while requiring minimal preparation. Attendees will explore how this dual-impact model increases classroom capacity for character instruction while keeping student growth at the center. The session also showcases how families, communities, and businesses can collaborate to extend character education beyond the classroom, creating a shared, statewide approach to developing strong, civically engaged citizens. Ideal for educators, district leaders, businesses, and community partners, this session offers an uncommon opportunity to experience the Leadership Minute while learning how intentional, daily character moments can create lasting impact. One minute at a time.

A well-planned and implemented Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) will ensure that goals, resources, and practices are aligned and cohesive, ensuring positive student outcomes. Data turns MTSS from a framework into a force. When goals, resources, and practices line up with what your data is telling you, students grow. This session digs into how to use data at every layer of MTSS: universal screening, progress monitoring, tiered decisions, and where you put your time and money. MTSS is way more than tiered instruction. It runs on intentional planning, regular data review, and deliberate choices that keep student outcomes at the center of every call. Growth takes work. Big growth happens when the system is strong, and the system gets strong when data leads.

Independent research, including a large-scale randomized control trial, shows Zearn Math has a statistically significant impact on student math achievement — earning the program the highest rating from Evidence for ESSA. Across this evidence base one takeaway is consistent: results are strongest when students complete 3+ grade-level lessons each week. In this panel session, South Carolina district and school leaders will reflect on their first year implementing Zearn Math to support grade-level learning. Participants will come away with actionable strategies to promote consistent usage and drive impact, including: Dedicating consistent time in the schedule each week for students to use ZearnSupporting teachers and leaders with dedicated training Developing routines for reviewing data in order to support student progress and engagement By the end of the session, participants will leave with concrete implementation strategies they can apply to strengthen math instruction and support student success.

As esports continues to emerge as a high-impact educational pathway, South Carolina is uniquely positioned to lead with a cohesive, standards-driven, and student-centered approach. This session provides a comprehensive, implementation-focused framework for schools and districts seeking to launch or expand scholastic esports programs aligned to academic, workforce, and student engagement outcomes. Participants will explore how South Carolina Scholastic Esports (SCSE) is building a statewide ecosystem that empowers educators, expands equitable access, and creates sustainable pathways for students. Drawing on real course design models and program structures, including standards-aligned curricula that integrate technology, media, business, and student leadership, this session demonstrates how esports can function as a scalable Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway that develops critical thinking, collaboration, and career readiness skills.

The Anderson Institute of Technology is a multi-district career center serving students from 3 school districts (Anderson 3, 4, and 5). In this session, administration will share innovative practices to help students become college and/or career ready, including non-diploma students. We will discuss the strategies (what worked and what didn’t) and how we collaborated with each of our feeder high schools to meet their individual needs and implementation of work-based learning opportunities. Additionally, we will discuss the hiring of a Transition Instructor and how this position supports our teachers and students, especially those students with IEPs 14 and 504 plans, and our future plans to expand course offerings for students with disabilities.

Career readiness becomes real when districts give every student a clear line of sight to their future—and when leaders have real-time, trusted insights to measure progress consistently across schools. This session outlines a practical framework for building a districtwide, school‑to‑workforce data ecosystem anchored in Naviance and aligned to state expectations.

Attendees will learn how districts use a centralized platform to strengthen advising, track CTE participation, and support postsecondary transitions with greater clarity and confidence. We’ll focus on what it takes to connect the dots across buildings, partners, and data systems in a way that is streamlined, sustainable, and aligned to district priorities—bringing transparency to career‑readiness efforts while maintaining a secure and governed data environment.

      Key topics include:

District‑aligned definitions of career‑readiness milestones

Seamless coordination between Naviance and existing systems
A focused set of research‑grounded indicators supported by tools that surface insights, enable smarter decision‑making, and drive continuous improvement at scale.

For decades, Career and Technical Education (CTE) carried outdated perceptions—“vocational tracks,” limited academic rigor, and narrow post-graduation pathways. That model no longer exists. At Beaufort Jasper Academy for Career Excellence (BJACE), CTE is rigorous, industry-aligned, data-driven, and directly connected to workforce demands. Today’s CTE integrates STEM, real-world problem solving, industry certifications, work-based learning, and postsecondary partnerships to prepare students not just for jobs—but for high-wage, high-skill, high-demand careers. This session will challenge outdated assumptions about CTE and showcase how BJACE has transformed career readiness into a strategic, measurable, and future-focused system that benefits students, employers, and communities. Session DescriptionCTE has evolved from shop classes and isolated skills training into comprehensive, STEM-infused, industry-partnered pathways aligned with workforce and economic development needs. Participants will explore: How modern CTE programs align with regional labor market demands The integration of academic rigor and industry credentials The role of work-based learning and employer partnerships How career centers can serve as regional workforce engines Data-driven strategies that measure placement, certifications, and student outcomes Using BJACE as a case study, attendees will learn how one multi-district career center restructured programs to: increase industry-recognized certifications, expand work-based learning opportunities, strengthen employer partnerships, align programs with high-growth career sectors, and shift community perception about CTE. This session will provide replicable strategies that districts can implement to elevate career readiness in their own schools and regions.

Across rural South Carolina, many students lack access to high-quality enrichment and career exposure during the critical hours after school. Yet research shows the hours immediately following the school day are pivotal for learning, safety, and long-term development.
For the past decade, the Original Six Foundation has partnered with public schools across South Carolina to deliver no-cost, educator-led afterschool programming for students in rural and under-resourced communities. What began as a small pilot has grown into a collaborative model serving more than 1,000 students annually across 13 schools, combining academic support, hands-on STEAM learning, and meaningful career exploration opportunities.
The session will begin with Original Six Foundation Executive Director Kara Gormley Meador, Program Director Nick Washington, and Program Coordinator Angelica Tyler sharing how the O6 Afterschool model is helping rural students thrive. Together, they will discuss why high-quality afterschool programming is a necessity—not a luxury—in rural communities and how strategic partnerships with schools, businesses, and community organizations are creating new pathways to success for students.
Participants will learn how the Original Six model has evolved over the past 10 years to connect students with professionals, workplaces, and career experiences that broaden horizons and inspire future goals. From classroom career speakers to behind-the-scenes visits at companies such as Boeing, Honda, manufacturing facilities, law firms, and colleges, O6 is helping students see what is possible long before they enter the workforce.
Following a brief presentation, Kara Gormley Meador will moderate a dynamic panel discussion featuring leaders from education, workforce development, and industry who are helping shape South Carolina's future talent pipeline. Panelists will share insights on workforce trends, career readiness, employer engagement, and the importance of exposing students to career opportunities early.
Panelists include:

• Debbie Jones, Pee Dee Regional Workforce Advisor, South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
• Robert Wingard, Honda
• Stacey McDonald, Principal, Palmetto Middle School, Marion County School District
• Nick Washington, Original Six Foundation 

Attendees will leave with practical strategies for designing nimble, responsive afterschool programming that aligns with school priorities, strengthens community partnerships, and equips students with the awareness and skills needed for future success.

This interactive session provides a comprehensive dive into state-level work-based learning implementation guidelines, strategies, and reporting accurate data in PowerSchool. It is designed to assist administrators, educators, school counselors and career guidance personnel with tools to align work-based learning programs with high-quality worksite experiences to strengthen student career readiness.

Disagreements happen in every classroom and workplace, but they don’t have to lead to negative consequences. This interactive session equips educators with practical strategies to help students navigate differing opinions with confidence and respect. Through engaging activities, role-play scenarios, and “game-style” challenges, participants will learn how to teach active listening, emotional regulation, and constructive communication. Discover how teaching active listening and conflict resolution will improve behavior in your classroom and prepare students for the world of work. Walk away with ready-to-use tools and activities.

Something fundamental shifted in parenting culture over the past decades. What was once considered normal childhood—walking to a friend’s house, playing unsupervised, handling age-appropriate responsibilities—became labeled as “neglect.” Meanwhile, anxiety and depression in young people skyrocketed. This session explores the cultural transformation from trust-based to fear-based parenting, unpacking how media narratives, legal ambiguity, and parental anxiety created this shift—and what the research actually tells us about child safety and development. Discover the real data on childhood danger, examine the disconnect between perceived and actual risk, and explore how we collectively decided that constant adult supervision was not only necessary but good parenting. Perfect for educators, administrators, and school counselors seeking to understand and teach that giving kids room to grow isn’t risky—it’s essential.

Looking for engaging civics resources that go beyond the textbook?  This session highlights the South Carolina Bar's Law Related Education programs that provide teachers with free curriculum materials, competitions, and experiential learning opportunities to students.  From Mock Trial, to We the People congressional hearings, to helping you schedule field excursions to your local courthouses, to pairing you with local attorneys to be guest speakers, the Law Related Education Division of the SC Bar is here to help!  These programs help students explore the law, develop civic knowledge, and practice the skills needed for active citizenship- all following the SC Social Studies College and Career Readiness Standards.   Participants will learn how to easily integrate these opportunities into their classrooms and schools in this interactive high energy session.

This session examines South Carolina's statewide LETRS implementation through a comprehensive literacy leadership lens. Through a policy overview and spotlights from districts at different stages of the LETRS journey, presenters share real data, honest reflections on challenges, and practical tools that illustrate what it takes to align leadership, assessment, professional development, instruction, intervention, and family engagement into a sustainable literacy system. Attendees leave with a structured reflection tool to assess their own district's strengths and next steps.

Every student falls behind in math at some point. But with the right support, all kids can catch up and succeed in grade-level math learning. This session will explore how real-world context and visual representations help students make connections to the big math ideas that structure math learning, allowing them to build deep understanding of prior concepts while learning new content.  Participants will: Examine two math problems that use students’ prior mathematical knowledge and real-world contexts to create on-ramps to new concepts Explore how solving with visual representations, such as hands-on and digital manipulatives, activates and teaches foundational concepts while building a deep mathematical understanding of new content Uncover new strategies to help students build confidence and succeed in grade-level instruction By the end of the session, participants will be motivated to approach math learning as the evolution of a few big ideas—helping students build connections across concepts and grades and giving them a way into new learning.

As technological change, AI adoption, demographic shifts, and evolving workforce needs reshape the labor market, employers report that nearly 40% of core skills are expected to change by 2030. Analytical thinking, technological literacy, resilience, and global awareness are among the fastest-growing competencies. Preparing students for this future cannot begin in college alone. As South Carolina continues to strengthen its workforce pipeline, early exposure to career pathways, especially those connected to global and international industries, is critical. This session highlights a collaborative, scalable model that integrates K-12 career exploration, college readiness, and global workforce awareness into a coherent pathway from classroom to career. Drawing on initiatives from the Darla Moore School of Business’ Office of Access, Opportunity, and Community Engagement (AOCE), Office of Undergraduate Programs, and Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), the presenters will demonstrate how early exposure to structured career pathways improves motivation, academic alignment, and postsecondary outcomes. The session will feature:AOCE’s Moore Launchpad, Power Forward and other K-12 pathway programs serving South Carolina districts, which provide early business exposure, mentoring, and structured academic preparation. Documented student outcomes, including:97% admission rate for Power Forward scholars who applied to USC92% retention rate (Year 2 to Year 3) among Rising Scholars89% average completion rate across AOCE programs International and global career awareness initiatives such as the South Carolina International Career Pathways Guide (currently in late-stage development), created by CIBER, that maps global career opportunities across industries relevant to South Carolina’s economy. Practical strategies for educators and administrators to integrate career exploration into existing advising structures, college preparation programming, and classroom experiences. Participants will leave with actionable tools to help students understand not just how to prepare for college, but how their preparation connects to meaningful, future-ready careers. Learning Objectives By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Identify evidence-based strategies for embedding career exploration into K-12 college preparation models. Understand how global and international career pathways align with South Carolina’s evolving workforce needs. Examine scalable outreach and partnership models that increase access, opportunity, and student engagement. Apply adaptable tools to align academic preparation with workforce readiness in diverse school and community contexts. Participants will engage in: A guided walkthrough of adaptable career pathway and outreach tools Small-group discussion on adapting and implementation in varied district contexts Facilitated Q&A focused on partnership-building and scaling strategies

Join a panel of business leaders to learn how working with schools helps businesses build a future-ready workforce, while providing students with authentic career exposure, internships, and skill-based learning. This session will provide strategies for educators to engage local industry and for businesses to deepen their impact on education.

You’re getting students certified—but are they truly workforce-ready? Across pathways, employers are telling us the same thing: students can perform the task, but struggle with communication, accountability, and working on a team. This session breaks down how to intentionally embed leadership and employability skills into your existing CTE programs—without adding one more thing—so students leave not just credentialed, but ready to show up, contribute, and succeed on day one.

South Carolina Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP), in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Education Office of Career Readiness, is launching a statewide effort to develop South Carolina’s first comprehensive K–12 Computer Science Education Strategic Plan. Building on the state’s landmark progress—including being the first in the nation to mandate a full-credit CS graduation course—this initiative seeks to create a clear, coordinated roadmap. The plan's core objective is to strengthen instruction, expand equitable access to high-quality computer science learning, and ensure that all students graduate prepared for the rapidly evolving career and workforce.

Date: June 16, 2026, from 2:30pm-5:00pm @ Culinary Institute of Charleston, Trident Technical College, 7000 Rivers Ave. N. Charleston, 29406. Thornley Campus, Building 920 (located off of College Rd & Rivers Ave.)  Kitchen 119 (100 hallway)
Join Chef Michael Carmel as he shares some of the great stuffed pastas that represent Italy’s undiscovered regions of Emilia Romagna and Piedmonte. Learn about the importance of the flour when mixing and kneading, and the proper feel of the dough. Students will produce a classic fall squash ravioli with brown butter and sage from Parma, and agnolotti with meat broth and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese from Asti. Proper attire is required to work in the commercial kitchen, including closed-toe shoes, chef jackets, and long pants (aprons and hats will be provided).

This session will guide district and school leaders through designing or strengthening a teacher‑recruitment pathway that begins in high school by intentionally stacking two CTE courses with two Teacher Cadet courses to form a complete, coherent four‑course sequence. Participants will explore how CTE and Teacher Cadet, often operating in parallel, can be strategically aligned to create a seamless pipeline from early career exploration to hands‑on pre‑educator experiences. The session will highlight how this combined pathway increases student engagement, elevates the visibility of teaching as a profession, and supports long‑term recruitment efforts by building a homegrown pool of future educators. Attendees will examine model course progressions, practical scheduling options, and examples of successful partnerships. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with actionable next steps to launch or enhance a high‑school teacher‑recruitment pathway tailored to their district’s needs.

South Carolina’s vision is clear: Every student graduates college-ready, career-ready, or military-ready. The Palmetto Education Summit’s focus on Career Readiness and CARE (Character, Resiliency, and Student Wellness) presents a powerful opportunity — not to launch another initiative, but to strengthen and scale what is already working across our state. For more than three years, iLead — a values-based K–12 leadership curriculum — has supported South Carolina schools in developing character, resiliency, and workforce-ready competencies through peer-to-peer facilitation and educator-guided reflection. South Carolina Impact to Date:225 schools implemented85 schools currently engaged Nearly 320,000 students served Almost 10,000 educators trained This interactive session (offered as a 1-hour breakout or expanded 2-hour working session) equips district and school teams with a unified CARE + Career Readiness framework aligned to SC Department of Education priorities, SC Ready indicators, and Lt. Governor Pamela Evette’s Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders Employment Initiative. Participants will leave with a practical blueprint that integrates student wellness, leadership development, and workforce readiness — without increasing assessment burden or instructional overload. Core Components Unified CARE + Career Readiness Framework for Post-Event Planning (Middle & High School)Developmentally sequenced progression from identity formation to applied workforce skills Leadership-infused instructional strategies strengthening resiliency and employability Advisory, CTE, mentoring, and afterschool integration model sample sides for Community and business partnership activation aligned to youth employment initiatives Implementation strategies that leverage existing structures and data Strategic Alignment South Carolina Department of Education This session supports SCDE’s commitment to: Preparing students to graduate college-, career-, or military-ready Promoting character, resiliency, and student wellness Strengthening educator capacity Driving measurable outcomes without increasing testing requirements SC Ready Research affirms that belonging, self-efficacy, and engagement drive academic achievement. iLead strengthens SC Ready outcomes by increasing student voice, goal-setting habits, collaboration, literacy-rich discussion, and applied problem-solving — all within existing instructional blocks. Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders Employment Initiative Lead strengthens South Carolina’s workforce pipeline by: Building employability skills before job placement Increasing career exploration and pathway awareness Developing professionalism, communication, and leadership Preparing students for internships, apprenticeships, and youth employment Workforce readiness begins with character and identity. iLead builds both. Key Benefits For Students Increased resiliency and confidence Stronger leadership identity Clearer career direction Workforce-ready durable skills For Educators Turnkey lesson structures Elevate Impact virtual PD support No additional assessments Increased engagement and classroom culture For District Leaders Proven statewide impact Scalable framework Alignment to state priorities Measurable outcomes using existing data systems

Every day we make choices that shape not only our own paths but also the options available to those around us—yet in our schools and homes, we've created environments where children rarely experience authentic choice, leading to unprecedented levels of anxiety, apathy, and failure to launch. In this interactive session, Let Grow's Executive Director will explore the critical difference between authentic choices (which build competence and internal locus of control) and manufactured choices (which can erode trust and fail to develop decision-making capacity). Participants will learn to recognize opportunities for shifting from micromanagement to authentic autonomy, discovering how childhood serves as the training ground for building "choice muscles" in young people while helping adults develop trust in children's capabilities.

By the time students reach the upper elementary and secondary levels, an assumption is made that all students are automatic and accurate with decoding. But what happens when the foundational floor drops out? For many students, reading difficulties that were once hidden emerge. This session tackles the phenomenon of Late-Emerging Reading Difficulties. We will move beyond the myth that literacy intervention is "too late" for older students and instead focus on the evidence-backed instructional shifts required to accelerate growth. We'll examine how to diagnose the root cause of comprehension issues, explore the type of instruction that will accelerate student mastery of these foundational skills, and discuss the systems level decisions that are needed to drive instructional practice and ensure student success.

As schools plan for the upcoming school year, Zearn supports educators in using the platform alongside high-quality math curriculum to help every student access grade-level math learning. Join Zearn Academic Director Kyle Fatling to explore how Zearn strengthens instructional coherence across core instruction and intervention through a Concrete–Representational–Abstract (CRA) approach. Participants will explore: Using Zearn as a coherent companion to high-quality curriculum, reinforcing the same big math ideas, representations, and models students encounter in core instruction Pacing guidance that fits a classroom or school while maintaining alignment to grade-level learning goals Practical tools educators can use immediately in planning and coaching to ensure consistent, rigorous, and connected math experiences for all students.

Join us for a session of Certification Central with TOSA by Isograd.