ISSUES  > Education > School Choice
 
 

School Choice Status  
K-12 Public Schools and Students (2001-2002)
K-12 Public School Teachers (2001-2002)
K-12 Private Schools
K-12 Public and Private School Student Academic Performance
Summary
Background
State School Report Card
blue line

South Carolina

 

School Choice Status

  • Public school choice: Interdistrict/voluntary
  • State constitution: Blaine amendment
  • Charter school law: Established 1996
    Strength of law: Weak
    Number of charter schools in operation (2005): 26
    Number of students enrolled in charter schools (2005): 4,058
  • Publicly funded private school choice: No
  • Home-school law: Moderate regulation

K-12 Public Schools and Students (2002-2003)

  • Public school enrollment : 694,389
  • Students enrolled per teacher (2001-2002): 14.4
  • Number of schools (2000-2001): 1,067
  • Number of districts: 87
  • Current expenditures: $4,888,250,000
  • Current per-pupil expenditure: $7,040
  • Amount of revenue from the federal government: 9.8%

K-12 Public School Teachers (2002-2003)

  • Number of teachers: 46,508
  • Average salary: $40,362

K-12 Private Schools (2001-2002)

  • Private school enrollment: 58,937
  • Number of schools: 366
  • Number of teachers: 5,282

K-12 Public and Private School Student Academic Performance

  • NAEP test results:
 

NAEP Tests
South Carolina Student
Performance

State (National)
2005 Math
Scale = 0-500

State (National)
2005 Science
Scale = 0-300



State (National)
2005 Reading
Scale = 0-500

 

 

4th Grade

8th Grade

4th Grade

8th Grade

4th Grade

8th Grade

Average Scale Score

238 (237)

281 (278)

148 (151)

145 (149)

213 (217)

257 (260)

Advanced

5% (5%)

7% (6%)

2% (3%)

2% (3%)

6% (7%)

2% (3%)

Proficient

31% (30%)

23% (23%)

23% (29%)

21% (29%)

20% (23%)

23% (26%)

Basic

46% (44%)

42% (39%)

39% (68%)

31% (59%)

32% (33%)

42% (42%)

Below Basic

19% (21%)

29% (32%)

36% (32%)

46% (41%)

43% (38%)

33% (29%)

 

State Contacts

Carolinas State CAPE
James K. Rumrill, Network Coordinator, Carolinas Coalition for Private Education (CARCOPE)
PO Box 4143
Greenville, SC 29608-4143
Phone: 864-242-0720
Fax: 864-242-0720
E-mail: scpais@bellsouth.net

Partners Advancing Choice in Education (PACE)
Dr. Earle W. Lingle
1323 Pendleton Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 254-1201
E-mail: pacefdnsc@yahoo.com

South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools
Kathleen Carper, President
930 Knox Abbott Drive
Cayce, SC 29033
Phone: (803) 454-0427
Fax: (803) 454-0428
Website: www.scaihs.org
E-mail: SCAIHS@scaihs.org

South Carolina Home Educators Association  
P.O. Box 2707
Irmo, SC 29063
Phone: (803) 772-2330
Website: www.schomeeducatorsassociation.org
E-mail: SCHEA1@schomeeducatorsassociation.org

South Carolina Policy Council
Mr. Edward T. McMullen, Jr., President
1323 Pendleton Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 779-5022
Fax: (803) 779-4953
Website: www.scpolicycouncil.com
E-mail: virginia@scpolicycouncil.com

South Carolinians for Responsible Government
Randy Page, President
3020 Devine St.
Columbia, SC 29205
Phone: (803) 212-1051
Fax: (803) 212-1052
Website: www.scrgov.org
E-mail: randy@scrgov.org