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

SC joins federal tax credit scholarship program, widening families’ private school choices

Education
Blog · January 28, 2026
Memo stick with words tax credits.

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

SC Republican Voters: End Lawsuit Abuse

Quality of Life
Blog · January 27, 2026
Wooden judge gavel and us money dollar bills

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

Crossroads 2026: Another Poll Shows Alan Wilson Leading the Field

Blog · January 26, 2026

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

Forbes: The Rise Of An Outdoor School Network Educating Nearly 1,000 Students

Education
Blog · January 26, 2026
Children learning in outdoor classroom under a tree in autumn

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

Palmetto Promise Poll Results: Billboard Lawyers Costing Us All

Quality of Life
Blog · January 22, 2026

A new Palmetto Promise Institute statewide survey of likely South Carolina Republican primary voters shows overwhelming concern that excessive lawsuits are driving up insurance premiums and strong support for commonsense legal reforms that protect consumers, restore balance to the civil justice system, and lower costs for families. The poll also measured voter sentiment on the

Commentary: A commonsense energy solution for SC

Energy
Blog · December 17, 2025

This op-ed by Dr. Oran Smith and Michael Wright was published in the Post and Courier. From families to industries, everyone wants a piece of what the Palmetto State has to offer. As South Carolina continues to grow, we must identify sustainable energy solutions to mitigate an increasingly strained electricity supply while keeping rates affordable,

Put Unused Pension Plan Dollars to Work for South Carolina Employees

Tax & Budget
Blog · December 11, 2025

This column by Palmetto Promise board member Barry Wynn was originally published in FitsNews. For more than three decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of investment management, retirement planning, and sound public policy — helping families plan for their futures and advising institutions on how to safeguard the assets entrusted to them. As former Chairman

Palmetto Promise Stands for the First and Second Amendments, Joins Amicus Brief

Quality of Life
Blog · November 24, 2025

Palmetto Promise Institute is a co-amici in the following brief, filed in NRA v. Vullo.  Advancing American Freedom, leading a coalition of 52 amici, filed an amicus brief in NRA v. Vullo, urging the Supreme Court to hear the case. In this case, the New York government pressured insurance companies to drop coverage of insurance plans