This article, published originally in The Daily Signal, features commentary from Palmetto Promise Visiting Fellow and Acting Director of the Center for Education Opportunity at the Heritage Foundation Jonathan Butcher. Why do South Carolina lawmakers want to make it more difficult for families to educate their children? Lawmakers are misinterpreting the very law they
Palmetto Promise Director of Education Policy Ryan Dellinger is quoted in this article, originally posted in the Post and Courier, related to recent data on the Education Scholarship Trust Fund released by the State Department of Education. Columbia, S.C. (The Post and Courier) – Most of the students receiving South Carolina’s state-funded private school scholarships
Last week, I testified before the South Carolina House Judiciary General Laws Subcommittee on Representative Weston Newton’s H.3857, a bill that would permit home delivery of alcohol. We wrote about a similar bill during the last legislative session. The below article, originally published in WIS10, highlights the bill hearing as well as some of my
On February 10, 2026, I was fortunate enough to testify before the House K-12 Subcommittee on South Carolina Representative Pedalino’s H.5073, which would prohibit schools and school districts from adopting grade floor policies and ensure that students’ grades are based purely on their academic performance. The below article, originally posted in the South Carolina Daily
This op-ed, written by Ryan Dellinger and originally published in The Post and Courier, addresses some common concerns arising regarding South Carolina’s pending open enrollment rules – rules that would permit public school students to transfer to a new school across district lines. Columbia, S.C. (The Post and Courier) – Last year, the S.C. Legislature
This article, originally published in the Post and Courier, cites Dr. Oran Smith’s testimony during a recent hearing on Senator Greg Hembree’s S.692, which would eliminate “Option 4” homeschooling from South Carolina’s Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) program. Columbia, S.C. (The Post and Courier) – A panel of state senators sharply questioned how South Carolina
Palmetto Promise Director of Education Policy Ryan Dellinger is quoted in the below article, originally published in The Post and Courier. Columbia, S.C. (The Post and Courier) – Gov. Henry McMaster has opted South Carolina into the federal tax credit scholarship program passed by Congress last year, his spokesman confirmed. That unsurprising decision means some families
The below article, originally published in FITSNews, highlights a recently-released Palmetto Promise poll measuring conservative voter attitudes toward lawsuit reform and the 2026 gubernatorial race. Specifically, this article explores lawsuit reform in South Carolina – a previous article explores the gubernatorial race results. Columbia, S.C. (FITSNews) – Last week, we spoke with leaders of South Carolina’s
The below article, originally published in FITSNews, highlights a recently-released Palmetto Promise poll that highlights conservative voter attitudes toward lawsuit reform and the 2026 gubernatorial race. Columbia, S.C. (FITSNews) – A flurry of surveys has been released this month in the race for governor of South Carolina – polls from campaigns, polls from consultants purportedly
Palmetto Promise President and CEO Wendy Damron is quoted in this article, originally published in Forbes by Kerry McDonald. Kerry’s research interests include homeschooling and alternatives to school, education entrepreneurship, parent empowerment, school choice, and family and child policy. FORBES – At Carolina Kids Co-Op, school is out—outside, that is. At its flagship location in
