How long have you spent waiting for an appointment with a physician? Prolonged wait times have become a reality for most Americans due to a nationwide doctor shortage. On average, Americans must wait 20 days to receive an appointment with a physician, even though the estimated standard wait time is 14 days. Nationwide, this shortage
Yesterday, the South Carolina Department of Education released its 2025 school report cards—offering the latest snapshot of how our public and public charter schools are performing. These annual report cards do more than just track test scores. They reveal whether students across our state are truly gaining ground—or if persistent gaps remain. For policymakers, the
Since at least the Great Depression, the federal administrative state has expanded its reach dramatically. This is a severe challenge for democracy. But fortunately, South Carolina is holding its own…for now. In the State Policy Network’s annual Federalism Scorecard, the Palmetto State ranks 5th in the nation—that means South Carolina is the fifth least vulnerable
Civic knowledge and engagement have been in decline nationwide for decades. South Carolina is no exception. The Palmetto Civics Project is the state’s response to this trend — asserting that South Carolina’s students should exit school not only with academic skills, but also with readiness to participate in democracy, preserve freedom, and strengthen community. The
When citizens debate the dreaded subject of taxes, the conversation nearly always revolves around individual income taxes. This was a hot topic in the 2025 South Carolina General Assembly. Yet, behind the scenes, another stealthier tax is quietly shaping the state’s economy just as powerfully: the manufacturing property tax. South Carolina has historically lived on
According to Proviso 1.3(X) in this year’s budget, the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA) was directed to “…review the student weightings used in the State Aid to Classrooms funding formula and examine methods to improve the alignment of State Aid to Classrooms funding with student enrollment while ensuring districts and charter authorizers
South Carolina legislators are, in the 2025-26 session, amidst a serious debate about expanding healthcare access and scope of practice in our state. At the most fundamental level, scope of practice (SOP) in healthcare policy is defined as “the activities and duties [tasks] that a licensed or certified healthcare professional is permitted to perform, based
In January 2025, The Nation’s Report Card released the scores from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for 4th, 8th, and 12th grade math and reading—though South Carolina has not tested 12th grade math since 2013. Usually administered every other year, NAEP gives us a snapshot of our academic achievement. When paired with
This week, the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina (ACLU – SC) filed a lawsuit on behalf of the South Carolina Association of School Librarians and three public school students against the South Carolina Superintendent of Education and the Greenville County School District. The lawsuit challenges SCDE Regulation 43-170, which prohibits the use of
South Carolina has been hit with an historical occurrence, one that this state has never seen before: three South Carolina General Assembly special election primaries will take place on the same day: October 21, 2025. So far, a total of four vacancies in the South Carolina House and Senate will be up for grabs in
