South Carolina education scholarships open

Education
Blog · January 30, 2024

Palmetto Promise President Wendy Damron is quoted in this article from The Center Square on South Carolina’s new ESA program. (The Center Square) — South Carolina is accepting applications for a new education scholarship that proponents say is the future of education in the state. Last year, state lawmakers passed S.39, the Educational Scholarship Trust Fund,

South Carolina Education Dept. launches $6k student scholarship application portal

Education
Blog · January 19, 2024
University Library: Gifted Black Girl uses Laptop, Writes Notes for the Paper, Essay, Study for Class Assignment. Diverse Multi-Ethnic Group of Students Learning, Studying for Exams, Talk in College

ABC News 4 quoted Palmetto Promise in this article by Bryce Jacquot originally published in January 2024. SOUTH CAROLINA (WCIV) — A portal created by the South Carolina Department of Education to accept applications for $6,000 scholarships to qualifying South Carolina students is now open. The Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) was created by the legislature

Common Questions About Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs)

Education
Blog · November 16, 2023

What is an ESA?ESAs allow parents to apply for eligible students to receive the state portion of education funds (or in the South Carolina case, a portion of state general funds) into a personal, parent-controlled account. Parents are then empowered to customize an education experience that meets the individual needs of their child, using their

The Gaslighting of South Carolina Parents

Education
Blog · November 14, 2023

Do you know the origin of the term “gaslighting”? The act of “gaslighting” was made famous by the MGM film of that title starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer (1944). Bergman won an Oscar for her role.* The husband-villain in the film (Gregory Anton portrayed by Boyer) plots to steal the estate of his loving

BREAKING: Proposed Library Regulation Passes

Education
Blog · November 14, 2023

On September 28, the State Department of Education (SCDE) published a draft of a “new regulation that addresses school and classroom library materials.” Because it is a state regulation, it is lengthy, but here’s the bottom line. The regulation proposed by the State Department of Education establishes a complaint process and an orderly system for

General Election Results 2023 (Local)

Blog · November 8, 2023

This was an off-cycle election, so there were no Presidents, Governors, or US Senators on the ballot in South Carolina, but there were a number of interesting local questions decided. SCHOOL BOARDS School boards across the state have seen turnover in recent election cycles. This was most pronounced in Charleston County, where due to a

The NEA Sues South Carolina: Does Their Tillman Constitution Claim Have Merit?

Education
Blog · November 1, 2023

Last week, the National Education Association (The NEA/The SCEA) and others announced that they had filed suit against the State Department of Education, State Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver, State Treasurer Curtis Loftis, and the State Treasurer’s Office. Their target? The fledging Education Scholarship Account (ESA) program passed by the legislature in 2023 that would allow