2026 Facilities Proposal

Great teachers can teach anywhere. If voters do not approve the referendum in November, the district will continue operating in its existing facilities. Construction costs have increased in recent years, and delaying future projects could potentially result in higher costs.

Based on current financial projections, the proposal would not require an increase in the district’s current debt service tax rate.

Under South Carolina law, school districts are limited in the amount of debt they may issue without voter approval. The referendum would ask voters to authorize Darlington County School District to borrow up to $250 million to fund the three proposed school projects.

If approved, the district would repay the debt over time using its existing debt service capacity and projected growth in revenue. Based on current projections, the district can repay the new debt without increasing the current debt service tax rate.

The referendum gives voters the opportunity to decide whether the district may borrow the funds necessary to complete the proposed projects.

Hartsville High School and Spaulding Middle School would move to new locations, but the schools themselves would remain the same. Both schools would continue serving the same grade levels and communities and would retain their existing school identities and names: Hartsville High School and Spaulding Middle School.

In Darlington, the proposal would combine Brockington Elementary Magnet School and Pate Elementary School into one new K-5 elementary school. Because the proposal would create a new school, its name would be selected in accordance with Board of Education policy.

Darlington County School District is a countywide school district. Taxpayers throughout Darlington County support district schools in Darlington, Hartsville and Lamar, regardless of where they live within the county.

The three proposed projects are presented as one districtwide plan addressing facility needs identified through the district’s facilities study. The referendum would ask voters countywide to consider the three projects as a single proposal.

The district plans to use property it already owns for proposed school sites when possible. Under the current proposal, the new Spaulding Middle School would be built on district-owned property at Lamar-Spaulding Elementary School. The new Darlington K-5 elementary school would be built on district-owned property that is also home to Darlington Middle School and the Darlington County Institute of Technology.

A location for the proposed new Hartsville High School has not been finalized. The district originally considered district-owned property near Kelleytown Stadium. Based on community feedback, the Darlington County Board of Education decided to consider other locations and is continuing to evaluate potential sites.

There is no single plan for the future use of former school properties. Decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis based on factors such as the condition of the property, community needs and available opportunities.

The district has previously transferred former school properties for other uses. In Society Hill, the district sold the former Rosenwald Elementary School to CareSouth for use as a community medical facility. In Hartsville, the former Washington Street Elementary School was sold to the Community Action Agency and now houses Head Start, the Boys & Girls Club and other community services. In Darlington, following community discussions about local housing needs, the district has been working with a developer regarding potential housing at the former Brunson-Dargan Elementary School campus.

Any future use or disposition of district property would be considered by the Darlington County Board of Education in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.