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PPF was honored to have an opportunity to bring Dr. Matt Ladner to testify at a recent South Carolina Senate hearing on the scholarship program. Below is his testimony:

Compelling statistics below that reinforce why education transformation is so vital to the economic future of our Palmetto State: Reading is not taught beyond 3rd grade, yet 38% of our state’s 4th graders are functionally illiterate and 72% read below grade level. (NAEP 2011) In Charleston County, nearly 20% of 9th graders read at a

In short, “No.” President Obama’s push for massive federal spending on a universal pre-kindergarten program generated heated opposition over cost, government overreach and the questionable effectiveness of existing programs like Head Start. But now this debate has landed on our front step. The South Carolina State Senate is scheduled to vote early next week on

The answer, based on the evidence garnered from Florida’s transformative education reforms is a resounding “Yes!” Demographics are not destiny. No one would deny that there are critical factors of home life – parental education, family structure, poor nutrition and other variables that directly impact the educational readiness of children who enter school. But far

Education transformation is a topic we are incredibly passionate about. In fact, in 2012, The Palmetto Fort Foundation (the Forum’s precursor) and U.S. Senator Jim DeMint’s office teamed up to host the “Empower Education Reform Summit.” This event, which was keynoted by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, attracted elected, education, business and community leaders –

South Carolina Radio Network Interview with Superintendent of Education Mick Zais South Carolina’s education superintendent says he wants this state to be more like Florida when it comes to education. During an interview on Charleston affiliate WTMA, Superintendent Mick Zais referenced a recent study by the new South Carolina conservative think tank Palmetto Policy Forum,