CURRENT GRADE: D
The state has very limited options for education choice but does offer some beneficial tax credits to families of students with special needs.
Homeschooling has several different options. If enrolled in an association, there are limited requirements, but pure home schooling has burdensome government oversight.
Compulsory education is required from ages 5-17.
Education Options
- Charter Schools
- These public schools are overseen by local school boards, independent institutions of higher learning, or the SC Public Charter School District
- SC had 88 charter schools in 2022-23
- Education Scholarship Trust Fund
- Created in 2023, it provides $6,000 to qualifying students
- Can be used for approved expenses like tutoring, educational therapies and out-of-district attendance fees
- Income cannot exceed 300% of federal poverty guidelines or be a Medicaid recipient
- Homeschool students are not eligible
- Limited to 5,000 students
- Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children
- Parents may have a refundable credit up to $11,000 for private tuition paid for their child with disabilities
- Total refundable credits may not exceed a state maximum of $2 million each year
- Also, anyone can donate to the Exceptional SC 501(c)(3) scholarship fund. Individuals and corporations who pay South Carolina taxes can make a donation to Exceptional SC and claim a dollar for dollar tax credit against their South Carolina Individual Income Tax or Corporate Income Tax liability.
Homeschooling Laws
Here are state requirements for homeschooling:
- There are several options:
- Enroll in SC Association of Independent Home Schools
- Parent must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must teach child for at least 180 days per school year
- Curriculum must include reading, writing, math, science, social students and in 7-12th grades also composition and lit
- Enroll in a homeschool association with at least 50 members
- Comply with the association’s requirements (same as requirements for Assoc of Indep Home school plus educational and attendance records must be kept)
- Homeschool Statute—also referred to as Option 1
- Must obtain approval from local school board (which they cannot deny)
- Have at least a GED or high school diploma
- 180 days of teaching per year
- Same course requirements as Assoc of Indep Home School
- Maintain records and portfolio of student work and academic progress assessments which must be submitted semi-annually to local school district
- Annual testing
- Home school students may participate in extra-curricular activities in public schools
- Enroll in SC Association of Independent Home Schools
Religious Exemptions:
There is no standard procedure by which a parent can receive a religious exemption to homeschool.
The First Amendment states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Many argue that a religious conviction to provide a home-based education is constitutionally protected and a state religious exemption law is not a requirement to be able to homeschool on religious grounds.
It should be noted that the U.S. Supreme Court in Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) established that “Under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, a state law requiring that children attend school past eighth grade violates the parents’ constitutional right to direct the religious upbringing of their children.” (The case involved a challenge of a 16-year-old student to be exempt, so the scope was limited)
