Plans for Lowcountry Tech High on hold

Plans for a high tech magnet program on the peninsula have been in the works for nearly two years now, but it looks as if the earliest the program would become a reality is 2010.

The Charleston County School Board didn't approve any money in this coming year's budget to support development of Lowcountry Tech High, despite residents repeated pleas to get the program underway.

District officials have done relatively little during the past school year to further development of the program. A task force met "several" times during the school year, according to outgoing Chief Academic Officer Randy Bynum, and developed a job description for the program's director, an overview of the program, a timeline for starting and a preliminary budget. The first year of operation would require an estimated $1.2 million for just ninth graders, according to information presented to the county board.

The school board gave its OK for Lowcountry High Tech to share space with the new Charleston Charter School for Math & Science in the former Rivers Middle School building, but the program has rarely been discussed since then. The Charleston NAACP and Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance have been particularly interested in Lowcountry High Tech opening and have gone to the school board recently to reiterate their concerns. Initial plans called for the program to open in the fall 2009.

Charleston NAACP President Dot Scott said she's fearful that the program never will open, and some school board members are to blame. District leaders told the community that the space would be used for a high tech program, one that Scott said would be advantageous to a large number of black students who have dropped out of school, but that it's been totally thrown out, she said.

"I have a real sense that (Lowcountry High Tech) will never happen," she said.

Schools Superintendent Nancy McGinley said she's committed to starting the Lowcountry High Tech program, which in concept is a hands-on program that will prepare students for technology-based careers such as advanced security, automotive, aviation, bio-science and creative industries.

Read more in tomorrow's Post and Courier.