Dr. Akil E. Ross, SC Superintendent of the Year

2025-2026 Bill 5703: Dr. Akil E. Ross, SC Superintendent of the Year - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5703
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Ballentine, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J.E. Johnson, J.L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G.M. Smith, M.M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow
Document Path: LC-0289PH-RM26.docx
Introduced in the House on May 14, 2026
Adopted by the House on May 14, 2026
Summary: Dr. Akil E. Ross, SC Superintendent of the Year
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

5/14/2026

House

Introduced and adopted (
House Journal-page 3
)

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legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
05/14/2026

A
house
RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE AND HONOR DR. AKIL E. ROSS SR. OF
LEXINGTON-RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT FIVE UPON BEING NAMED 2027 SOUTH CAROLINA
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS.

W
hereas, the South
Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that, in recognition of
his many contributions to education, Dr. Akil E. Ross Sr., superintendent of
Lexington-Richland School District Five, has been named 2027 South Carolina
Superintendent of the Year by the South Carolina Association of School
Administrators (SCASA); and

W
hereas, the South
Carolina Superintendent of the Year award is presented annually to a district
superintendent as part of the national Superintendent of the Year program of
the American Association of School Administrators. Selected from an outstanding
field of superintendent candidates by a veteran panel of judges, Dr. Ross was
presented the 2027 award on Thursday, May 7, 2026; and

W
hereas, a visionary
leader, passionate advocate for students, and champion for educational
excellence, Dr. Ross has led with integrity, innovation, and heart. In so
doing, he has created meaningful opportunities for students, educators, and
communities across South Carolina. His commitment to academic achievement,
educator support, community engagement, and student success continues to make a
lasting impact throughout our State; and

W
hereas, Dr. Ross
started his career in education over twenty years ago as a teacher and coach at
Eau Claire High School in Columbia. In 2005, he joined Lexington-Richland
School District Five, where he worked as an assistant principal, after which he
became principal of Chapin High School. In 2018, he left Chapin High to become
director of secondary education for the district. Dr. Ross is also an
accomplished author and an affiliate professor of educational leadership at the
University of South Carolina (USC). He left School District Five in 2018 to
start HeartED LLC, an educational consulting firm that shares lessons and
strategies to help communities empower every child. He was appointed
superintendent of School District Five in February 2022; and

W
hereas, in preparation
for a distinguished career in education, Dr. Ross earned his undergraduate
degree at Duke University in 2002. In 2005, he obtained his master's degree in
secondary educational administration from the University of South Carolina. In
2009, he earned his educational specialist degree from South Carolina State
University. He received his doctorate in curriculum studies from USC in 2012;
and

W
hereas, throughout his
career, Dr. Ross has received numerous professional honors. In 2017, he was
named SCASA Secondary Principal of the Year, and in 2018 he received the
National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Principal of the
Year award. He also was featured in
Principal Leadership Magazine
,
The
Rotarian Magazine
, and
Columbia Business Monthly
as one of the 50
Most Influential people in 2018. In 2020, Dr. Ross was named USC College of
Education Adjunct Professor of the Year; and

W
hereas, the South
Carolina House of Representatives is delighted that Dr. Ross has been chosen
for this latest honor, and the members extend grateful thanks for his years of
dedicated service to the children of this great State. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the
House of Representatives
:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina
House of Representatives
,
by this resolution, congratulate and honor Dr. Akil E. Ross Sr. of Lexington-Richland
School District Five upon being named 2027 South Carolina Superintendent of the
Year by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators.

B
e it further resolved
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Akil E. Ross Sr.

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This web page was last updated on May 14, 2026 at 10:37 AM