The U.S. Department of Education designed a blueprint for a re-envisioned federal role in education through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) will support effective public school choice in addition to broad-based comprehensive state and local reforms and the expansion of evidence-based practices and innovations. Legislatures around the country have enacted various forms of school choice over the past 20 years. The intent of these policies has been to improve student achievement throughout the education system, seek innovative methods of instruction and school governance, and provide parents with an alternative to neighborhood schools.
South Carolina State Superintendent, Ellen Weaver, wants to ensure a system of instruction that will prepare every graduate for a successful life after high school. The foundation for that instruction is effective classroom teachers and principals who facilitate personalized learning for every student, every day. In South Carolina, students have a number of public school options when it comes to their education. The School Choice Team in the Office of School Transformation works to provide support and resources to all stakeholders in regards to the options available. Students who are able to select a choice option to best suit their educational needs have a greater opportunity to excel. Some of the options available to students in South Carolina include; Magnet Schools, Public Charter Schools, Virtual Education, and Residential School Choice. The amount of choice varies from one school district to another.
2018 Transforming Public School Choice Conference Resources
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Watch a short video about School Choice in South Carolina.
School Choice Resources
