Editor

H.O.P.E. Plan Offers 8 Proven, Affordable Solutions to Abbeville Ruling

Education
February 3, 2016

Editor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Columbia, S.C. – Today, Palmetto Promise Institute released the Help Our Pupils Excel (H.O.P.E.) plan, a menu of 8 proven, cost-effective education ideas to help lawmakers meet the requirements set by the South Carolina Supreme Court in the Abbeville ruling.

The proposals embedded in the H.O.P.E. plan give South Carolina the best chance to not only fix the problems that rural and needy school districts face, but also provide all districts and parents with the tools they need to help every South Carolina student reach their full potential.

The H.O.P.E plan includes eight specific proposals that have proven to be a successful roadmap for student success in other states and also expands upon ideas that are already working right here in South Carolina:

  1.     Let the Education Finance Act (EFA) work.
  2.     Equitably fund all forms of public education, including charter schools.
  3.     Expand & codify our Exceptional Needs Scholarships.
  4.     Enact Education Savings Accounts (ESAs).
  5.     Unleash more online learning options.
  6.     Create true public school open/option enrollment.
  7.     Establish an Achievement School District (ASD).
  8.     Incent excellence in teaching & school leadership.

Commenting on the plan, Palmetto Promise Institute President Ellen Weaver said, “The Court was clear that we can’t just continue to throw more money at an outdated, fragmented system of education finance and delivery and expect different outcomes.  We must do the hard work to examine and reprioritize existing resources, enhance both accountability and autonomy at the local level and expand high-quality options for families, wherever they live.”

She continued, “Abbeville represents an incredible opportunity for South Carolina to strategically assess the best way to create an effective education experience for 21st century students.  The ideas in the H.O.P.E. plan will give every child in South Carolina the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

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To view the full plan, visit www.palmettopromise.org/hope