District Five leader appointed to SC Education Oversight Committee
January 28, 2015
CHAPIN, SC – A Lexington-Richland School District Five administrator has been named to the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee.
Dr. James (Bob) Couch was appointed on Jan. 22 by South Carolina House Speaker Jay Lucas to complete the unexpired term of Alex Martin, which ends in 2017. Couch currently serves as director of District Five’s Center for Advanced Technical Studies.
“My appointment to the Education Oversight Committee provides an opportunity to work with other colleagues to seek ways to assist and improve educational delivery and accountability,” Couch said. “It also provides an opportunity to find ways to increase student achievement and graduate students who are college and career ready regardless of the school they attend. All students must have access to a quality education to enable them to achieve their dreams for success.”
Couch has a long and distinguished record of service in public education and is highly regarded as a state and national leader in career and technology education. A chief architect of the landmark Education and Economic Development Act of 2005, Couch oversaw the implementation of the legislation that created a seamless career pathway for students. For 14 years, he worked as the State Director for Career Technical Education.
Under his leadership, The Center was selected a national High Schools That Work (HSTW) Platinum High Achievement School this school year. An instructor at the school earned Project Lead The Way’s National Teacher of Excellence Award in November, and the school also has been named a Champion of the Environment by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. The Center’s biomedical science program received the prestigious Project Lead The Way accreditation in 2013.
Couch’s appointment was recognized at the District Five Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 26. District Five Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hefner said, “We are very proud of Dr. Couch and know he will represent the students and educators across the state with dignity and honor.”
The Center for Advanced Technical Studies provides a standalone facility for District Five students to build technical skills, gain certifications and earn credits. Opened in August 2012 and attended by students from the district’s four high schools, The Center houses more than 15 technical programs and offers high-tech courses in a variety of areas from biomedical science and auto mechanics to alternative energy and graphic design.
The South Carolina EOC is an independent, nonpartisan group made up of 18 educators, business people, and elected officials who have been appointed by the legislature and governor to enact the South Carolina Education Accountability Act of 1998. The EOC is charged with encouraging continuous improvement in SC public schools, approving academic content standards and assessments, and establishing the state’s educational accountability system.
