Charter Schools

The South Carolina Charter Schools Act defines a charter school as public, nonsectarian, nonreligious, nonhome-based, nonprofit, and nondiscriminatory. A charter school operates within a public school district and is open to all eligible students within that district. South Carolina has no limit on the number of charter schools.

It is accountable to the local school board, which grants its charter. Charter Schools are an avenue for parents, teachers, and community members to create new and more flexible ways of educating students within the public school system. The Act supports an atmosphere in South Carolina's public school system where research and development in producing different learning opportunities is actively pursued and where teachers are given the flexibility to be innovative and the responsibility to be accountable.

Charter Application Information

The 2012 Charter Application Guide is now available. Review Guide to follow soon.

• 2012 Charter Application Guide (851KB PDF)
• Application Process (19k PDF)
• Charter School Advisory Committee Members and Meeting Information
• 2012 Charter School Application Review Guide (185k DOC)
• 2012 Charter School Resources

Federal Grant Information

• Charter School Program Non-Regulatory Guidance (2011) (339k PDF)
• Charter School Program Non-Regulatory Guidance (2004) (122k PDF)
• Planning and Implementation Grant Information
• 2012 CSP Planning and Implementation Grant RFP (357k PDF)

 

A Charter School Technical Assistance Workshop will be held on December 6, 2011 for Planning & Implementation grant recipients.

• Agenda (188k PDF)
• Presentation (3.75mb PDF)
• SC Definition of High Quality Charter Schools (30k PDF)
• Definition of a New School to Receive Federal PCSP Funding (50k PDF)

 

General Information

• South Carolina Charter Schools Act (80k PDF)
• State Board of Education Regulation - 43-601 Procedures and Standards for Review (81k PDF)
• Guidelines for Charter Schools and Authorizers (NEW) (396KB PDF)
• List of Charter Schools in South Carolina

Charter School FAQ's

• Virtual Charter School FAQ (50k PDF)
• Lottery / Enrollment Process FAQ (73K PDF)
• Governing Board Information (77k PDF)

Information for Authorizers

• Roles and Responsibilities for Districts (520k PDF)
• Guide for School Boards (68k PDF)

Charter School Profiles

• 2010-11 Profiles (205k PDF)
• 2008-09 (Draft) (235k PDF)
• 2007-08 Profiles (138k PDF)

Resources

• SC Public School District (SCPCSD)
• Podcasts
• Grant Writing Resources
• CERRA
• U.S. Department of Education
• Greenville Technical Charter High School - High Quality Charter School Program (217k PDF)

Charter School Video Resources

Over the years, the Charter School Program created a series of videos to assist developers in creating portions of their school program. To view one of the recordings, simply click the link to ETV to view one of the previously recorded charter sessions. Sessions include budgets, school finance and board leadership.

http://www.knowitall.org/EducatorPlus/content/program.cfm?SeriesIDpassed=116

Articles or Published Papers

• Lessons Learned from South Carolina's Closed Charter Schools (96k PDF)
• Planning Supports Crucial to Charter Success

 

Last Updated: 04/11/2012