school vouchers

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for February 25, 2025: we look at a different version of the school voucher bill that’s poised to move in the Statehouse; Sen. Stephen Goldfinch continues our conversation on the $1.8 billion boondoggle accounting discrepancy involving the state Treasurer’s Office; Senate LCI Committee Chairman Tom Davis breaks down the energy generation needs our state faces; and more!

Reporter Maayan Schechter interviews on Feb. 6, 2025, S.C. Senate Education Committee Chairman Greg Hembree, R-Horry, and Patrick Kelly, an AP U.S. government teacher and director of governmental affairs for the Palmetto State Teachers Association, about the Legislature's latest efforts to expand school choice measures in South Carolina.

South Carolina Republican lawmakers are planning this year to use their commanding majorities in both the Senate and House to craft a new law that they hope will get around the S.C. Supreme Court's ruling over spending public money on private school tuition.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for December 14, 2024: we look at why the federal government is suing South Carolina; reporter Maayan Schechter tells us of two South Carolinians among the 39 folks Biden pardoned along with nearly 1,500 people prison sentence commutations; Senate Republicans are going all-gas-no-brakes on a third attempt at a school voucher bill; and more!

The chair of the S.C. Senate Education Committee on Dec. 10, 2024, proposed the state spend lottery dollars in the budget on private school tuition scholarships to get around the Constitution's prohibition on spending taxpayer dollars on private education costs.

The S.C. Supreme Court in a 3-2 decision struck down part of a state law that would have allowed public tax dollars to be used to primarily offset the cost of private school tuition.

Republicans in the South Carolina House have given key approval to a bill expanding a program allowing parents to spend taxpayer money on private and home-school education.

The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, heard arguments over a state law that offers families meeting certain poverty thresholds public money to pay for private school tuition, among other education-related needs.

South Carolina's governor has signed a bill into law that will eventually allow up to 15,000 students in the state to use public money for private schools. Thursday's bill signing capped a nearly 20-year effort that ran through three governors, four House speakers and five education superintendents. The new law is set to start in the fall of 2024. It establishes what are called education scholarship accounts. Parents and guardians can get up to $6,000 a year to pay for tuition, transportation, supplies or technology at either private schools or public schools outside their district. The program will eventually expand to about 15,000 students and to families that make $120,000 or less a year.

The South Carolina House has given key approval to an education voucher bill. Wednesday's vote likely clears the way for up to 15,000 students to be able to use public money for private school tuition. The bill passed on a 79-35 vote and will soon head to Gov. Henry McMaster who has promised to sign it. The bill establishes education scholarship accounts. Parents and guardians can get up to $6,000 a year to pay for tuition, transportation, supplies or technology at either private schools or public schools outside their district.