South Carolina Freedom Initiative 2025

South Carolina should join the 18 other states who have passed an Education Savings Account (ESA) program that empowers parents to choose the best educational options for their children and where their paid tax dollars follow the student to the school of their choice.

Parents pay taxes, and they should have some say in where it goes and how it is spent. Universal choice is the priority for all South Carolina students. Giving parents control of their child’s education through a $6,000+ ESA and ensuring students who are trapped in failing schools get priority enrollment is what a good ESA bill should look like.

Right now, in South Carolina only 3,000 students have access to the educational option via the ESA program, with thousands more on the waitlist. It’s beyond time to expand school choice – giving EVERY South Carolina student the opportunity to thrive in an educational environment that is the right fit for them on an individual level. However, these 3,000 students are currently in limbo following the South Carolina Supreme Court’s recent decision to strike down the constitutionality of the 2023 Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) program. This ruling has left them uncertain about their educational future, emphasizing the urgent need for a permanent solution that ensures all students can access the educational options they deserve.