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Expanding Educational Freedom in South Carolina

In recent years, the educational choice movement has emerged as a powerful force in the political landscape of the United States. In September 2024, the movement celebrated another win as the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) bill passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee, signaling that school choice could reach millions more families. In January 2025, identical Senate and House bills were reintroduced. These federal bills would provide K–12 scholarships to students across the Nation, thereby putting the well-being of students and working families over a bureaucratic political agenda. An ECCA scholarship can be used for tuition, tutoring, special needs services, education technology, and curriculum materials. The bill complements South Carolina’s state school choice programs because the scholarship can be stacked on top of existing offerings, increasing parents’ purchasing power and helping more students.

WHY SOUTH CAROLINA NEEDS THE ECCA:

In 2023, South Carolina enacted the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program, an educational savings account program available to K–12 students who meet the means test, which tests to see if a family’s income meets a certain threshold and prior public school attendance requirements. This program was ruled unconstitutional in 2024. The state also offers two tax credit programs for students with special needs. While these are great steps forward, passing the ECCA at the federal level would enable families not currently benefiting from South Carolina’s school choice programs to access necessary funds for their children’s education. Passing the bill would:

• Expand Options & Improve Outcomes: School choice expansion is key, as just 32% of South Carolina fourth graders performed at or above the National Assessment of Educational Progress proficient reading level in 2024. Low-income students had an average score that was 30 points lower than that for middle- and high-income students. Expanded schooling options enable students to receive an education that meets their needs regardless of family income or zip code, resulting in higher student achievement.
• Empower Parents: Expanded school choice will give more parents the power to choose an alternative to a public school that no longer meets their child’s needs or aligns with their values. School choice programs that enable families to choose private, charter, or homeschool have proven to increase parent satisfaction greatly.
• Save Taxpayer Money: While details on specific funding mechanisms are being finalized, the goal of the ECCA is to make educational choice a reality for more American families without increasing the fiscal burden. Many state-level programs, such as Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Program, have saved taxpayer money and come in under budget.
• The ECCA has more support in Congress than any previous federal school choice bill. There are 186 co-sponsors in the House and Senate. House co-sponsors include Russell Fry (R-SC) and Nancy Mace (R-SC). Senate co-sponsors include Tim Scott (R-SC).
• 69% of likely voters said they support a federal tax credit program that would allow students to attend a school of their choice, including a private school.
• More than 67% of Americans support ESAs and school vouchers, and over 75% of school parents support those policies.

LEGISLATIVE & PUBLIC SUPPORT:

The combination of state- and federal-level school choice programming will enable more students to attain a tailored, high-quality education that allows them to succeed.

To find out about school choice options in your state, click here.

To learn more about how the ECCA expands school choice options, click here.