Details of South Carolina’s New Education Scholarship Account Program (Act 8 of 2023)

Education
Blog · May 30, 2023

After nearly eight years of hard work by Palmetto Promise Institute and many others, South Carolina has a brand new education freedom program on the way! Education Scholarship Trust Fund scholarships will be awarded beginning with the 2024-25 school year. Here are some of the key details: *The official name of the South Carolina program

New Report: Lessons from 25 Years of Public Charter Schools Ring True (and Familiar)

Education
Blog · December 14, 2021

A comprehensive new report on charter schools from Palmetto Promise Institute shows that Problem Number One for public charter school students is identical to the most pressing issue that all public school students face: too little connection between their individual needs and the funding their schools receive for them.

Pandemic Parenting: SC Charter, Independent, Home School Options Surge; Public Numbers Down Dramatically

Education
Blog · March 26, 2021

Over the last year, South Carolina’s traditional public school districts have lost nearly 30,000 students according to the most recent student counts released by the SC Department of Education. Where are those students going? Palmetto Promise collected and analyzed enrollment data across all forms of schooling in South Carolina and found significant increases in options outside of traditional public schools.

COMMENTARY: In God We Trust, All Others Bring Evidence

Education
Blog · March 17, 2021

Proposals in the South Carolina Legislature to give families more opportunities to choose schools and educational settings for their children have come under fire, including in a recent newspaper column by College of Charleston professor Kendall Deas. Professor Deas was critical of Senator Tim Scott’s support of empowering families to make more educational decisions for their children. The actual evidence indicates that Senator Scott’s ideas are what will improve educational outcomes for all children, whereas Deas’ ideas have been tried for decades—and have failed.

Common Questions about Education Scholarship Accounts

Education
Fast Facts · February 23, 2021

Key leaders in the South Carolina General Assembly have filed legislation that, if passed, would create “Education Scholarship Accounts” (ESAs) for South Carolina students. ESAs are online-based accounts funded with state grants that can be used to pay a wide variety of educational expenses for a student who is eligible for the grants. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about ESAs.

Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) 101

Education
Fast Facts · February 23, 2021

Across the nation, an innovation known as Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) is enjoying strong, bipartisan, legislative, parental, and taxpayer support. Why? Because with ESAs, a basic principle of fairness and freedom is achieved: state-appropriated education dollars follow the child. With that aspiration fulfilled, every child, but especially the most vulnerable, can finally receive the customized education they need to reach their full potential.