South Carolina Families Deserve Learning Options for Their Children

Statement from Josh Thomas, ExcelinEd in Action Legislative Affairs Director for the Southeast Region, on House Speaker Jay Lucas’ leadership in proposing the South Carolina Education Scholarship Account Act.
 
“The pandemic has jeopardized the future of our youngest students. Speaker Lucas’ proposal is a bold and targeted step to help students in economically disadvantaged families who don’t have the resources to access educational options.
 
“These accounts have proven successful in states around the country. By empowering families with flexible funds to invest in their child’s education, all students – whether they live in cities or small towns – have a better opportunity to learn and succeed.”
 
Due to the pandemic, South Carolina’s Education Oversight Committee has reported that at least 7 in 10 children in grades 3-8 will not be reading or doing math on grade level by the end of this school year.
 
The South Carolina Education Scholarship Account Act is a tactical response to this crisis by doing the following:

• Targeted to help low-income families around the state.
• Funded by the state’s per-pupil allocation to student – approximately $6,500.
• Empowers families with access to learning options that would otherwise be out of reach, including resources for learning materials, tutoring, tuition at private schools and specialized help for students with special needs. 

For more information on the critical need for expanded learning opportunities, please visit the ExcelinEd policy library.
 
For more information on the South Carolina Education Scholarship Account Act, read the analysis from our partners at Palmetto Promise.