Mortgage Broker in Richland, SC

Richland School District Two received federal ATSI, TSI-CUS and CSI designations for 18 schools in 2025–26. Here's what that means.

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — Richland School District Two has been notified that 18 of its schools received new or continuing federal subgroup-specific designations for the 2025–26 school year, based on student performance data reviewed by the South Carolina Department of Education.

According to a press release, SCDE informed the district on Dec. 19, 2025, that schools in Richland Two were designated under three federal categories: Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI), Continuous Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI-CUS), and Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI). Federal designations are based on the performance of demographic subgroups of students within a school.

“As with many districts in South Carolina, federal designations show Richland School District Two must continue to work to serve and improve the performance of students who are identified as disabled (i.e., receiving Special Education services),” the district said.

For the 2025–26 school year, 18 schools received a new or continuing designation tied to the performance of disabled students, and one school was identified as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement school, meaning it ranked in the lowest 5% of Title I schools in the state.

This year, two schools were also flagged for the first time based on the performance of additional subgroups, including students living in poverty and multilingual learners.

“Richland School District Two is committed to meeting the learning needs of each and every student in the district,” the district said, noting its new instructional plan is designed to support both overall school performance and student subgroup performance. Schools with federal designations receive assistance with required state documentation, prioritized district support, and help through the district’s Continuous Improvement System.

For the 2025–26 school year, the following Richland Two schools were identified as ATSI, TSI-CUS, or CSI:

Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states are required to identify schools with “consistently underperforming” student subgroups. Schools are designated when one or more student groups rank in the bottom 10 percent across accountability indicators, or when subgroup performance alone would meet the criteria for identification.

Descriptions and requirements of South Carolina federal school designations can be found on the SCDE School Improvement webpage.

District officials, however, noted progress in recent years. Ridge View High School and Spring Valley High School exited ATSI status before the end of the 2024–25 school year. Richland Northeast High School exited ATSI status for the 2025–26 school year, and Joseph Keels Elementary exited ATSI status with no subgroup designations indicated for 2025–26.

Richland County, SC – Investigators are asking for the public’s help today to identify a suspect connected to a series of burglaries and vehicle thefts in the Wildflower Road area earlier this month.

According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), deputies are attempting to identify a male suspect allegedly involved in a burglary in which he broke into a woman’s home, stole her vehicle keys and credit cards, and took her vehicle. Investigators say the suspect later returned the vehicle to the residence, then came back again, took the keys, and stole the vehicle a second time.

RCSD said the initial vehicle theft occurred Saturday, November 16, 2025, in the Wildflower Road area of Richland County. The vehicle was reportedly stolen again on Sunday, November 17, 2025. Investigators say the suspect then attempted to use the victim’s credit cards on Monday, November 18, 2025.

Surveillance images released by the sheriff’s department show the suspect inside what appears to be a convenience store. His identity remains unknown, and deputies are urging anyone who recognizes the individual or has information related to the case to come forward.

The case was highlighted as part of the department’s ongoing “Wanted Wednesday” initiative, which uses public assistance to help identify suspects in active investigations. Authorities emphasize that tips can be submitted anonymously.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Richland County Sheriff’s Department at 803-576-3000. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Deputies remind the public not to approach the suspect and to share any relevant information directly with law enforcement.

This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness. Follow us on Instagram & Facebook for more relevant news stories and SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT NEWS! Have a tip? Message us!

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A man was arrested after a high-speed chase ended in a crash into a power pole in Richland County.

The Richland County Sheriff’s Department said 32-year-old Leland Cheeks was charged Friday with failure to stop for blue lights, reckless driving, driving under suspension and striking a fixture on or adjacent to the roadway.

RCSD said Cheeks was driving a white Jaguar SUV that fled from deputies at around 10:30 p.m. Friday. The car was spotted again minutes later near Parklane Road, but Cheeks reportedly didn’t stop for lights and sirens - initiating a chase.

Other details of the pursuit were redacted from an RCSD incident report obtained by WIS on Monday. However, it does state that Cheeks crashed into another vehicle during the chase on Interstate 77 South, as well as a power pole that caused a transformer to blow.

After the second crash, deputies surrounded the vehicle and began calling Cheeks out. RCSD also opened the driver’s door and demanded that Cheeks show his hands, or a K-9 would go after him.

The sheriff’s department said Cheeks then came out of the wreckage on his hands and knees. He was detained at the scene.

Cheeks was treated at a hospital for foot and leg pain. He was later released and booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. As of noon Monday, records show he is being held on a nearly $33,000 bond.

The South Carolina Highway Patrol took over the investigation of the crash on I-77, while Dominion Energy crews responded to repair the power pole and transformer.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our , and . Have feedback that can help us improve? .

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is investigating after a Friday night shooting left one person dead and another hurt.

Deputies said they were dispatched Friday around 9:30 p.m. to the 7500 block of Hunt Club Road after reports of a shooting. After arriving, deputies said they located a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his midsection. RCSD said deputies provided medical aid to the victim until EMS arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital.

While circulating the immediate area for additional evidence, deputies found two guns: one inside the residence and another outside on the ground.

According to investigators, after arriving at the hospital, another shooting victim was being transported to the same hospital. Investigators learned the second victim, also a male, had a gunshot wound to the upper body and was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Investigators said they were able to conclude that both gunshot wound victims were related to the same incident.

RCSD says this is an active and ongoing investigation.

The department asks if anyone has information about the incident to call RCSD at 803-576-3000 or submit a tip through CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIMESC.

This is a developing story. Check back here for more updates as we learn more.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our , and . Have feedback that can help us improve? .

WATCH US LIVE

Watch WIS live during newscasts and Soda City Living in the livestream player below. When WIS is not on the air, the player will feature Gray Media’s Local News Live.

Editor’s note: This story was updated Thursday at 10:15 a.m. to clarify that deputies did not cause the large knot that can be seen on the top of Outen’s head.

A traffic stop by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department — captured on the TV show “On Patrol: Live” — left a man with multiple injuries to his face after refusing to exit his vehicle. The department now says it plans to review its use of force policy.

Around 7:45 p.m. on Dec. 6, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Maxie Outen, 31, on Hardscrabble Road for failing to maintain lane, according to a news release.

Upon making contact with Outen, a deputy spotted a white substance inside a plastic bag that Outen said was a narcotic, the release said.

Outen was then ordered out of the car, but refused, according to the release. A fight between deputies and Outen broke out and lasted several minutes, during which deputies struck Outen multiple times as the 31-year-old resisted and kicked deputies, the release said. A Taser was also deployed but was ineffective.

Once detained, deputies searched Outen’s vehicle and found an open bottle of liquor, narcotics, a firearm and a box of ammunition. He was charged with possession of a schedule 1 narcotic, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, transport of liquor by vehicle with a seal broken, third-degree assault and battery and resisting arrest, according to the release.

In a mugshot photo, Outen appeared to have a bruise around his left eye with blood surrounding his nose and lips. The knot on top of Outen’s head was not a result of the incident, according to Sheriff Leon Lott and a photo of Outen’s driver’s license, taken before his encounter with deputies.

The department said in a news release that it will review its use of force policy and that its Citizens Advisory Council will review the incident during a meeting in January.

Outen was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. He was released on a $17,382.50 bond, according to the release.