Former SC Education Superintendent Dr. Barbara Nielsen dies

Former South Carolina Education Superintendent Dr. Barbara Nielsen has died, confirmed the current SC Education Superintendent.
(Photo: South Carolina Department of Education’s Facebook)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– Former South Carolina Education Superintendent Dr. Barbara Nielsen has died, confirmed the current SC Education Superintendent.

Dr. Nielsen, was the first woman to be elected to the position and served two four-year terms as state superintendent from 1991 to 1999.

State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver shared a statement following the death of Dr. Nielsen.

State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver’s statement on the passing of Dr. Nielsen below:

“Today South Carolina has lost an education champion, and I have lost a dear friend and mentor. Barbara believed fiercely in the God-given potential of every student and dedicated her life to equipping them to reach it. As a teacher, administrator, and State Superintendent, she was tough but fair, and she never lost faith in the hope found in a great education. Even in retirement, she never stopped fighting for students and teachers, most recently chairing SC’s Teacher Recruitment and Retention Taskforce in 2023. Her wit and wisdom will be greatly missed, but her shining legacy lives on forever in the lives of the students and state she served,” said State Superintendent Ellen Weaver.