Why are so many York County superintendents leaving? Chance, politics could be the answer
Three of York County’s four public school superintendents announced their retirements in the past month, and there’s no clear explanation for the departures all at once.
But school officials have guesses on why that could be and whether the resignations are connected.
Tommy Schmolze of the Rock Hill School District was the first superintendent to step down. He announced during a Jan. 28 school board meeting he would leave at the end of January and would not stay to finish the school year.
One week later, longtime Fort Mill Superintendent Chuck Epps announced he would retire this summer after more than four decades working in various roles at the district.
And just last week, York Superintendent Kelly Coxe sent a letter to her district informing of her impending retirement. She’s led the district since 2019.
That turnover is not normal for the area, according to Sherry East, the Rock Hill-based president of the South Carolina Education Association, a statewide teachers’ union.
“Any time you don’t have consistent, stable leadership at the top, you’re going to struggle,” East said. “Every leader that comes in has a new plan, has a new vision, and they have a new way of doing things, and so your people have to learn that again.”
‘Historic’ superintendent turnover
East said South Carolina districts generally have trouble retaining superintendents, but York County has largely bucked that trend.
Epps is only the third superintendent in Fort Mill since the late ‘90s. He’s been in the role for 15 years.
York has only had two superintendents since 2010.
And Clover, whose superintendent Sheila Quinn is the last standing, has had the same leader for almost seven years. Quinn’s predecessor was there for a decade.
Rock Hill is the exception. It’s cycled through three superintendents in 10 years.
“It is kind of a historic moment for York County,” Epps said. “I just think it’s an unusual coincidence.”
Superintendents juggle hostile politics
Politics might have expedited the superintendents’ decisions to retire, East said.
Candidates with political ambitions sometimes use school boards as career launchpads, she said, and groups such as Moms For Liberty — which formed during the COVID pandemic to advocate for parental rights and push conservative values — organize against leaders they don’t like.
The federal Department of Education under President Donald Trump also pledged to withhold funding from schools that don’t follow political directives, including eliminating programs that relate to diversity, equity and inclusion.
And at the state level, South Carolina for the first time implemented a blanket cell phone ban and gave the State Board of Education widespread book banning powers, two issues historically left to local districts’ discretion.
“There’s always the threat now that you’re going to lose funding over some political something,” East said. “There’s a lot more being told to districts from top down politics than there have been in the past. That’s gotta be frustrating.”
Helena Miller, the chairperson of the Rock Hill school board, said the stress level for school leadership positions has increased in the past decade as they balance more pressures than before.
“In general, we have lost some of the kindness in the world, and it doesn’t only apply to education,” Miller said. “I don’t think York County by any means is an anomaly. It’s just a different world we live in.”
Epps said he didn’t believe politics prompted the string of retirements. It’s always been a tough job.
Politics played no rule in his decision to retire now, he said.
“I think that’s an easy, low-hanging fruit for somebody to draw that conclusion. I don’t think there’s anything to it,” Epps said.
Coxe and Schmolze did not respond to requests for comment.
‘It’s just timing’ for York County superintendent retirements
Schmolze plans to work in education consulting moving forward, but Miller said he will still be around to help with the transition. She said the mass retirements are all a matter of coincidence.
Scott Childers, chair of the York school board, agreed.
Coxe hadn’t informed him that she was considering leaving until this month, he said, but it was always a possibility in the back of his mind because she was at retirement age.
“We have three superintendents who have been able to retire and are currently able to retire, and I really think it’s just timing,” Childers said. “I don’t see anything bigger than that.”
Superintendent contracts often have a March 1 deadline to let school boards know whether they intend to return for the next school year, Epps said. That gives districts “ample time” to start conducting a search and minimize disruption.
The deadline could explain why the announcements came in quick succession.
Epps has been toying with the idea since he turned 70 and has taken the decision year by year, he said. He turns 73 this April.
“I finally decided to go ahead and retire to spend some time traveling and have a few more trips around the sun,” Epps said. “One thing we don’t have much of is time, and I’m trying to utilize mine.”
This story was originally published February 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Why are so many York County superintendents leaving? Chance, politics could be the answer."
