South Carolina

School Choice Policies

Charter School Choice

Does the state have charter schools?

Are for-profit charter schools or management companies allowed?

Unclear-

"A "charter school" means a public, nonreligious, non home-based, nonprofit corporation forming a school that operates by sponsorship of a public school district, the South Carolina Public Charter School District, or a public or independent institution of higher learning, but is accountable to the board of trustees, or in the case of technical colleges, the area commission, of the sponsor which grants its charter."

We did not find mention of whether charters are allowed to contract with for-profit management companies. However, Education Commission of the States states that charter schools may not be operated by for-profit entities.

SECTION 59-40-40-1. Definitions.

Education Commission of the States: 50-State Comparison

Is there a cap on the number of charter schools?

Did not find-

We did not find information about caps on charter schools in South Carolina statutes. However, Education Commission of the States states that South Carolina does not have caps on charters.

Education Commission of the States 50-State Comparison

Are charters required to provide transportation for any students?

No-

"The State is not responsible for student transportation to a charter school unless the charter school is designated by the local school district as the only school selected within the local school district's attendance area."

SECTION 59-40-50(D). Exemption; powers and duties; admission to charter school.

Can charter schools employ uncertified teachers?

Yes-

Charters can hire non-certified teachers in a ratio of up to 25% of its entire teacher staff. A converted charter school shall hire in its discretion non-certified teachers in a ratio of up to 10% of its entire teacher staff. However, in either a new or converted charter school, a teacher teaching in the core academic areas as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind law must be certified in those areas or possess a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the subject he or she is hired to teach.

SECTION 59-40-50(B)(5). Exemption; powers and duties; admission to charter school.

Page last updated: July 2024

Click here to download the State Policy Spreadsheet. Click here to download the State Policy Map Data Memo.

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The State Policy Map provides a snapshot of school choice policy found in laws passed by the legislative bodies, for all 50 states and Washington, D.C., based on information gathered from state statutes in fall 2019; data checks continued through December 2020. Information on this site may not include the most up-to-date policy information. The State Policy Map does not systematically reflect state Department of Education administrative policies, rules, or regulations. All content on this site is provided for informational purposes only. Links to third-party websites are for the user’s convenience; neither REACH nor any affiliated entities endorse the contents of third-party sites.

Note: On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Montana's exclusion of religious schools from the state's tax credit scholarship program was unconstitutional (Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue 591). The responses to the question "Can students use vouchers to attend religious schools?" were collected before this ruling and therefore do not reflect any changes resulting from the Espinoza decision.