Welcome to the Spartanburg Academic Movement
Any donation to SAM makes a vital contribution to the long-term success of our community and its residents.
SAM is a nonprofit organization and a community movement adopted in 2013 as an all-in partnership of education, business, government, foundation, community and faith leaders across Spartanburg county, all working together in pursuit of high levels of academic success for ALL of our children.
What is SAM…
…envisioning "economic mobility anchored in academic achievement ... county-wide, cradle-to-career."
Why SAM?
Steve Ballmer explains why SAM is needed to make the impact for Spartanburg County
The Work of SAM.
Summarized by SAM Board member and Spartanburg School District 7 Superintendent, Dr. Russell Booker.
The Latest
Find out what we've been up to and hear some of Spartanburg's success stories.
Our Publications: Chapters Tell the Story
SAM publishes progress updates on academic performance, and on our partners’ efforts to reach our county-wide goals. Each update reveals more of the picture of education in our community and how it is changing.
The StriveTogether Continuous Improvement Case Study, though not published by SAM, provides a deep look at the work of the Wardlaw Institute, SAM’s training hub.
Our most recent report, Chapter 6: Resilience, is the seventh report of the Spartanburg Academic Movement. Beginning with our preface, the collective publications provide an in-depth look at SAM’s progress as an organization and county-wide initiative while also providing updated Spartanburg County academic achievement data.
In 2017, the Southeastern Council of Foundations featured SAM's history and relationship with the Spartanburg County Foundation as representative of a revolutionary mindset within philanthropy that is beginning to accelerate progress in the South. Though not produced by SAM, the chapter within the Fulfilling the Promise report, included here and provides a look at the driving forces behind our organization and its impact on the community.
Chapters of SAM's story may be downloaded by clicking on the Publication Image.
Profile of the South Carolina Graduate
a guiding vision
Developed by TRANSFORM SC a collaboration of business leaders, educators, students, parents and policy makers working with the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, The Profile of the South Carolina Graduate is the shared vision of the knowledge, skills, and characteristics needed for students to be successful in higher learning and careers. Adoped by the SC Department of Education in 2015 it continues to serve as the guiding vision for all working to ensure our students to embody these traits by the time they graduate, enabling them to be fully prepared for careers, college and citizenship.
Parents or Guardians
For helpful information and resources, be sure to check out our resource room.