Reconstructing Rural Representation: A Case Study of Rural Academic Growth in the Pursuit of Equity

Multiple Presenter Session: Panel

Abstract

This panel explores the community-centered academic transformation of the Williamsburg County School District, a rural South Carolina district once under state takeover. Drawing on a descriptive case study, we examine how district and school leaders reclaimed agency through relationships rooted in community trust, cultural relevance, and shared purpose. Far from enacting top-down reform, leaders collaborated with families, educators, and students to move from compliance to co-creation—centering local definitions of success over market-driven mandates. With significant academic gains since 2022–23, including surpassing state averages in key areas, the district offers a compelling case for reconstruction grounded in intersectional justice. Panelists explore the implications for other rural, historically marginalized communities by addressing how to decenter the white gaze, embed cultural values into policy work, and advance educational justice through collective agency. This work contributes to a broader vision of schooling as a space for reparative action, radical democracy, and sustainable, grassroots-led transformation.

Sub Track

• AESA

Chair

• Lesley Snyder, University of South Carolina

Presenters

• Daniella Cook Sumpter, University of South Carolina

• Katherine Blanton, University of South Carolina

• Kelvin Wymbs, Williamsburg County School District