Nearly 300,000 children in South Carolina live in poverty and lack access to a quality education. For many families, the difference between moving up in life and staying stuck in place is a good education, followed by a good job. Meanwhile, public schools in South Carolina are among the lowest-ranking in the nation.
Since the pandemic, with the unprecedented wave of education reform across the country, some parents have chosen a different path for their children. And because of innovative policies like Education Savings Accounts (ESA) – education dollars set aside for children to use towards education alternatives – children of all income levels can access an education that fits their needs. For years, South Carolina’s legislature has debated education freedom programs, but it wasn’t until 2023 that they passed the state’s first ESA program for low-income individuals.
The Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program provides up to 5,000 ESAs, amounting to $6,000 each, for low-income families (200% of federal poverty or below) for the 2024-2025 school year, growing to 15,000 each year after. The ESAs can be used for tuition at nonpublic schools, for costs like curriculum or computers, or for therapy or tutors.
Students began the school year on a high note, with at least 800 kids accessing the ESAs to go to school. This milestone was championed by SC Superintendent of Education and former SPN Network leader Ellen Weaver who has been and continues to be instrumental to all South Carolina families deserving of a choice. But their hopes were ripped away when the NEA and NAACP filed a lawsuit to stop the program. On September 11, the state’s supreme court ruled that the ESA was “unconstitutional” based on the state’s Blaine Amendment.
Parents like Jaleesa, describe receiving a single email from the government saying the funds were no longer available, and her heart sank.
“I thought about finances, but I thought about possibilities being taken away. Chances are being taken away. Hope is being taken away,” she said.
Enter the Palmetto Promise Institute, a longtime SPN affiliate in South Carolina that has focused on education for over a decade. Since the ESA passed in 2023, Palmetto CEO Wendy Damron has been working on successful implementation of the program—getting the word out about the opportunity, ensuring that families can easily sign up, and removing barriers to participation. She met dozens of families through her engagement with local schools and saw firsthand how important this opportunity was for their children.
“When I went to visit schools after the Supreme Court decision, I had families lining up to share their stories (see videos here). These families are the ones who truly need the program and wouldn’t have the opportunity to attend these schools any other way. Each story truly shows how much this program is needed and how much it means to these kids to stay in a school they love,” she said.
When the court struck down the ESA, the first payment installments had already gone to schools, but there was no guarantee of more payments after that.
When the government failed on its promise to kids, Palmetto decided they wouldn’t fail them, too.
She quickly set up the ESA Families Rescue Fund, where people can donate to fund the scholarships so low-income students can continue going to their schools. Every single dollar Palmetto raises goes straight to the schools to keep kids from having to drop out.
Wendy estimated that she would need to raise $3 million to fund the payment gap to get students through to 2025’s legislative session. Since then, Palmetto has attracted the attention of major philanthropists committed to helping students through a quality education, raising nearly a third of the necessary funds in a few weeks.
“I am so grateful for the support of donors who have stepped up in a big way to ensure these kids aren’t left high and dry,” said Wendy. By being part of SPN’s 50-state Network, Wendy has also received support from her peers in other states, many of whom have faced similar battles with implementing education freedom programs.
“I’m in a CEO peer group through SPN, and the outpour of advice and connections offered by my colleagues has been incredible,” she said. “They have opened doors for me to new supporters and are helping to elevate this issue. I am so grateful to be part of this Network and don’t know where I’d be without it.”
In addition to Palmetto’s support, other organizations in the state, including the Diocese of Charleston, have come together to sound the alarm and raise funds. The American Federation for Children has also partnered with Palmetto to amplify the voices of families and keep pressure on lawmakers to act.
In addition to the rescue fund, Palmetto has taken action by expanding their infrastructure to include an advocacy arm, Palmetto Promise Impact, to engage lawmakers and create a petition in favor of revisiting and expanding the program. While the rescue funds are welcome news to families, they only cover the gap until the legislature can pass an ESA program to ensure funds will be there for the remainder of the school year and future years.
Wendy is optimistic that the legislature will consider improving upon and expanding the 2023 ESA program, opening up the chance for more families to participate in the future. And recent changes in the makeup of the state’s supreme court create opportunities to better protect the program if faced with legal pushback from special interests. While she is working with donors to keep children in their schools of choice for a year, she is also gearing up alongside SPN to map out an effective legislative strategy for 2025.
“The fight is far from over – we must ensure lawmakers keep their promise to families and give them peace of mind that their children can stay in an education environment that meets their needs,” said Wendy.
To learn more and donate to the ESA Families Rescue Fund, visit Palmetto Promise Institute’s website.
