2025 Partner of the Year Public Education Partners

Greenville County Schools announced Public Education Partners (PEP) as its 2025 Partner of the Year at the annual Salute to Education celebration banquet.

“Public Education Partners exemplifies the type of agency that works with Greenville County Schools broadly across a large number of efforts within our organization,” said GCS Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster. “Whenever we undertake working with other people, that results in a better product for our students and for our community. PEP advocates for the services, the work, and the opportunities we provide to students.”

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, PEP was founded in 1985 and has remained committed to supporting, strengthening, and advancing public education in Greenville County. Focused on championing teachers, PEP provides classroom grants for teachers and partners with The Greenville Drive and GCS to host TeachGCS Night at Fluor Field. They also collaborate with GCS on the first-year teacher program, which includes mentorship, appreciation, professional development, and recognitions during the critical transition period for educators into the classroom. PEP understands the significant role that parents and families play in a child’s education, and provides resources such as the Make Summer Count literacy series and the Parent Leadership Partners program. 

With collaboration at the heart of their work, PEP connects schools with community partners and provides resources to the district for developing new initiatives. PEP played a key role in helping the district pilot and grow its alternative certification program, Greenville Alternative Teacher Education. It is an innovative approach to recruiting quality teachers. Over the past four decades, PEP’s impact, innovation, and dedication to public education has benefited our students, schools, and the community at-large.