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Supporting families, protecting opportunity, and advancing a national model for educational freedom

In 2020, COVID lockdowns sent workers home. This changed the landscape of jobs in the United States. Initially, this was believed to be permanent. During COVID, telecommuting and remote work became the norm. Five years later, some employers, public and private, still allow workers to telecommute or work remote. According to the U.S. Office of

The United States Department of Education is releasing guidance on unconventional ways that states can enact some forms of school choice using federal funds or policy.  In a March 2025 “Dear Colleague” letter, Hayley Sanon, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, reminds states that they may reserve 3% of their

At Palmetto Promise Institute, we are proud to advance policies that support a free market economy in South Carolina. The term “free market” is frequently used, yet often misinterpreted as a free-for-all economic melee without a governmental role. It is essential to clarify this. In a theoretical model of pure free markets (see your Econ

Small businesses are the backbone of the economy in South Carolina. As of 2024, there were 507,620 small businesses (defined as firms with fewer than 500 employees), making up 99.4% of businesses in the Palmetto State. Because of this outsized role in our quality of life, the government should be very reluctant to interfere with

Does the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have the power to regulate emerging nuclear technologies like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)?  That is the question being posed in a new lawsuit brought against the NRC by several nuclear technology companies in cooperation with the states of Texas, Utah, Louisiana, and Florida, as well as the Arizona

The University of South Carolina System is taking a leadership role—alongside public higher education systems in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas—in creating a new accrediting agency focused on public institutions. This first-of-its-kind collaboration, known as the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE), aims to strengthen academic excellence, prioritize student outcomes, and streamline accreditation

If you’ve been around South Carolina for any length of time, you’ve heard the grumbling about our state roads. The subject of many jokes and complaints about the state over the years, there seems to be a common belief that the Palmetto State is among the worst in the nation for roads and other infrastructure.

COLUMBIA, SC – Palmetto Promise Institute was named the winner of the State Policy Network’s top honor, the Bob Williams Award for Policy Achievement – Biggest Win for Freedom, in recognition of the work Palmetto Promise has done to restore South Carolina’s school choice program and protect children’s futures. In September 2024, the South Carolina

You may have seen this map going around social media lately. It visualizes data from the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis for the first quarter (Q1) of 2025 (January to March), tracking the Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of each state.  If you look closer, you can see the Southeast leading the nation with