I recently testified before a Senate Education Subcommittee regarding S.692, which would eliminate “Option 4” homeschooling – or, more accurately, “unbundling’ – from the ESTF program.  Below is the transcript of my testimony.  My remarks have been edited for clarity, since they were not delivered from a prepared text. Palmetto Promise has been the evangelist

The slides embedded below tell a brief history of grade floors in South Carolina as well as the origins of our 10-point grading scale. What one State Superintendent once considered against state policy in 2012 was later determined by another to be a district-level decision in 2015.  Our current Uniform Grading Policy is silent on

Palmetto Promise Institute Founding Chairman and longtime REINS Act champion Jim DeMint penned this open letter to the South Carolina legislature calling for them to pass the Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act. Dear Members of the South Carolina Senate, I have long believed that smart, transparent, and accountable regulation is essential to the livelihood of South

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

Many of us take reading for granted. There are many reasons for this. It could be that embracing the joy of reading was something that just “happened” in our lives at a very young age, and we never give it another thought today. All homes are full of books, we all know how to read,

In 2023, South Carolina took a decisive leap in ensuring quality and affordable care for patients through the repeal of the South Carolina CON (Certificate of Need) statute. These laws required government permission slips to start or expand the services of a healthcare business. While the repeal of CON was an important step in the

On Wednesday of this week, Governor Henry McMaster gave his final State of the State Address before a joint assembly of the Senate and House of Representatives.  His speech was full of rich South Carolina history, policy priorities, and—most importantly—hope.  He outlined a pathway for freedom and prosperity that is well within our grasp; a

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