South Carolina considers joining interstate compact to address teacher vacancies

Education
Blog · April 7, 2026

Palmetto Promise Director of Education Policy Ryan Dellinger recently joined WIS10 reporter Stephen Biddix virtually to discuss a bill that would opt South Carolina in to the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact.  To watch their video coverage, check out the original article here. Columbia, S.C. (WIS10): As school districts across South Carolina continue to grapple with

To fill teacher vacancies, SC could accept certificates from other states

Education
Blog · April 3, 2026

Palmetto Promise Director of Education Policy Ryan Dellinger is quoted in this article, originally published in the South Carolina Daily Gazette, discussing a bill that would opt South Carolina in to the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. We submitted written testimony on this bill as well, which you can read here. Columbia, S.C. (South Carolina Daily

South Carolina Lawmakers Must Protect Parent Rights. Here’s What Families Need to Know.

Education
Blog · March 26, 2026

In this OpEd, originally published in The Daily Signal, Jonathan Butcher discusses the ongoing battle over parental rights in South Carolina. It happened again: A parent, this one in South Carolina, has accused teachers at her child’s school of hiding information about him from his family. Fortunately, state lawmakers are considering a proposal to protect parents from educators who

FITSForum: South Carolina Families are Asking for School Choice

Education
Blog · March 18, 2026

This op-ed, originally published in FITSNews, highlights the need for a shift in how we think about the Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF).  Rather than debating whether we should fund 10,000 seats or 20,000, we should be looking at funding every application that came in during the priority window – supporting families who need this

SC Lawmakers Seem to Be Allergic to Educational Opportunity

Education
Blog · March 9, 2026

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

Most new SC voucher recipients already were being privately educated, state says

Education
Blog · March 4, 2026

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

Bill allowing home delivery of alcohol makes first step in South Carolina House

Quality of Life
Blog · February 11, 2026

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

‘A kick in the pants’: SC bill banning minimum grades in schools advances in House

Education
Blog · February 11, 2026
Different grades school paper marked in red ink over a wood desktop. Test results concept. Pass exam.

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

SC students deserve public options beyond school district lines

Blog · February 5, 2026

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

GOP state senators object to ‘unintended’ use of SC voucher scholarships for homeschooling

Blog · February 5, 2026

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