A closer look at Marlboro County’s school budget troubles

Marlboro County’s school system has hit rough financial waters for years, and now state leaders want complete control. A recent state review uncovered serious money mismanagement in the Bennettsville-based district, including possible misuse of public funds. Earlier this year, the state stepped in by suspending the locally elected school board and installing an outside advisor as temporary leader. But resistance grew when board members tried pushing back by hiring a new superintendent without state approval. That clash, along with a scathing inspector general’s report, convinced officials the problems are deeper than expected.

The report painted a troubling picture. It showed the school board paid itself well above average, yet still approved bonuses for members and stipends for coaching sports—actions that may break state ethics rules. One standout example was spending $35, 731 on a new work vehicle for a former superintendent while the district faced growing debts and even concerns about making payroll. Some of these decisions slipped through closed-door meetings, breaking transparency laws. Investigators also found over $695, 000 in questionable credit card charges, including personal expenses like dental visits and medical tests. When things got tight, the district owed money to the IRS and other agencies but didn’t always report it. This financial mess wasn’t just bad timing—it suggested patterns of oversight failure. Now the State Board of Education plans to declare an emergency, dissolve the local board, and take direct charge. Officials argue students can’t wait any longer for adults to fix leadership problems. The move raises questions about how a district once responsible for its own budget ended up in such disarray, and whether stronger checks could have prevented it sooner.

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