The opposition of school choice (teachers unions, etc.) … as well as monied special interest purporting to be “supporters” of school choice (just with an ulterior motive to line their pockets) … all make the concept of school choice complicated.

Why? Because they want to control the BILLIONS of dollars that go into K-12 education so they can get a piece of the pie. Grifters all pretending they are “there for the children”.

Well, if they were “there for the children”, wouldn’t they be interested in proven solutions? Sadly in our 10 years of involvement here in South Carolina, we have not seen it yet.

A SUPER MAJORITY “RED” STATE?: The real issue here in South Carolina is we have a “super majority” Republican legislature and we have little to no private school choice … and what we have is rated the worst in the nation.

Haven’t our legislators heard of the SC Republican Platform?

SC REPUBLICAN PLATFORM

So what does the SC Republican Platform (HERE) say about School Choice? Well, it is actually spelled out very clearly … and we don’t have any of it here in South Carolina:

• “limited government”
• “keep government from encroaching on family and religion”
• “Constitutional”
• “appropriate resolutions of specific issues”
• “We, the SCGOP, dedicate this platform to the children of SC”
• “ethics in government”
• “sound fiscal management”
• “free markets”

And the clearest one yet …

“We believe in school choice for all students in this state.” -SC Republican Platform

Sounds great, but we don’t have it!!!

Nowhere in the SC Republican Platform does it promote the GOVERNMENT administering private school choice … or placing strings on K-12 private & religious schools. In fact it says the opposite!!!

But in South Carolina, that is exactly what we have … 100% government run private school choice … and because of that, South Carolina’s only operational school choice program is rated the worst in the nation. Yes, the nation’s absolutely worst private school choice program.

Not really surprising anymore is it?

NOT AN IRS ISSUE

The “excuse” the 100% government-run school choice (i.e., ESAs) advocates use is because of some TRUMP tax law changes from back in 2018. Well, we have always said this is not the case … and our friends in Georgia as well as all the 30+/- other states with similar programs have proven that year after year. But still, the ESA & 100% government-run private school choice advocates here in South Carolina keep insisting it is an IRS tax law issue. The lies are exhausting …

Note too, as recently as 2 weeks ago … the failed 100% government-run program’s former Executive Director (the former SCGOP Chairman Connelly Connelly no less) testified under oath that the reason for failed fundraising was the IRS tax law changes. Again, the lies are exhausting …

But ask yourself, how can Georgia independent non-profits raise $120 MILLION in educational tax credits in ONE DAY … but the SC 100% government-run non-profit can’t?

Although South Carolina only has $12 MILLION in annual “use it or lose it” educational tax credits … as of December 14, 2023, they had only raised $2.1 million in 348 days in 2023 … while in Georgia it only took them two or three days to raise the full $120 million in January 2023.

Don’t Georgia and all the other 30+/- states with similar programs work under the same IRS tax laws? Yes they do … and in fact an expert from Arizona testified in front of the SC Senate a couple years ago and plainly stated that the IRS tax law changes HELPED their fundraising.

THE FIX?

Simple … pass S285, the PACE / ACE Scholarship Bill … as-is, with NO CHANGES.

The SC Senate already has … and the legislation is sitting in the SC House Ways & Means Committee ready for passage.

Pass S285 and SC will have literally the nation’s best rated school choice program … we will go from LAST to FIRST … and on January 1st, 2025, the image above will say “South Carolina Non-Profits raise $55 MILLION in One Day”!

Will the SC House do it? Stay tuned …

Article:  HERE

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