Education

Federal school-choice suit raises questions about future court, legislative actions

By RICK BRUNDRETT A federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit claiming that a state constitutional provision banning direct public funding of religious or other private schools in South Carolina was rooted in religious and racial bigotry. But it’s unclear whether the ruling last month by a panel of the...

  • Federal school-choice suit raises questions about future court, legislative actions

    By RICK BRUNDRETT A federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit claiming that a state constitutional provision banning direct public funding of religious or other private schools in South Carolina was rooted in religious and racial bigotry. But it’s unclear whether the ruling last month by a panel of the...
  • S.C. Senate expands school choice options for parents

    By RICK BRUNDRETT Update: 5/4/23 – Gov. Henry McMaster signed S.39 into law. The House last week approved the Senate bill by a vote of 79-35 on a key second reading. The S.C. Senate on Tuesday gave key approval to a bill that would provide $6,000 scholarships to low- and...
  • Scott pushes unspent covid funds for school choice options

    By RICK BRUNDRETT More than a year after the federal government’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus-relief plan became law, South Carolina’s public school districts have spent relatively little of their share of the money, state records show. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott believes lower-income parents nationwide should be able to use the unspent...
  • Voters back school choice bill. Can lawmakers get it across the finish line?

    By RICK BRUNDRETT S.C. residents generally support using public money to allow children to attend private schools, a South Carolina Policy Council poll shows – and a key negotiator on a related school-choice bill says he’s pushing to get it passed. It remains to be seen whether the Republican-dominated, 46-member...