Ellen Weaver (born March 26, 1979)[1] is a Republican politician and former conservative think-tank leader[2] who has served as South Carolina Superintendent of Education since January 11, 2023.

She is the former president and CEO of the Palmetto Promise Institute, a conservative think tank in South Carolina which supports public funding of private schools.

[6] The group's current president and CEO, Wendy Damron,[7] donated a total of $1,500 to Weaver's campaign, according to State Ethics filings.

In 2022, Weaver declared her candidacy for South Carolina's superintendent of education, to succeed Republican Molly Spearman, who did not seek a third term.

During the primary runoff campaign, Weaver accused her challenger, Kathy Maness, of not being conservative enough to serve as an elected Republican.

[21] In her letter to the association, she criticized librarians for littering their testimony before a state committee tasked with recruiting and retaining educators with politicized and divisive rhetoric.

[22] She has also associated herself with the group Moms for Liberty, speaking at a panel during their Summer 2023 "Joyful Warriors" conference[23][24] and tweeting, "I'm always proud to stand with parents.