Advancing Charter School Development

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to visit one of South Carolina’s new charter schools scheduled to open in the fall of 2027. This school is located in Myrtle Beach, and it was exciting to see a vision coming to life in a building that was a former golf academy. Inside the large warehouse space, putting greens will be replaced with cafeteria tables and shared community areas where students can gather, learn, connect, and just be kids.

The front of the building is planned as a K–8 school, and the back will become the state’s first construction-focused high school. Imagining students exploring hands-on learning spaces, developing real-world skills, and discovering new opportunities reminded me why this hard work really matters. Every meeting, every document, and every decision we help guide is ultimately about creating better opportunities for students. I love being able to see the vision these founders have come together around.

Across South Carolina, new charter schools are emerging quickly, and it’s inspiring to see educators, parents, and community leaders step forward with big ideas and a shared goal of giving students more high-quality options to learn, grow, and thrive.

Of course, turning an idea into an actual school isn’t easy. The process is long and time-consuming. It starts with an idea and a simple letter of intent. This is followed by a long, detail-filled charter application. Planning groups have to outline how students will learn and grow, build strong governance structures, manage finances, and plan for their communities. For many first-time founders, it can be overwhelming. That is where the Alliance can step in to help.

The Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina is able to work with planning groups from the earliest stages through application submission, meeting with teams to hear their ideas, understand their goals, make connections, and explore ways we can truly show support. We help founders refine their vision, shape sustainable school plans, and keep students at the center of every decision.

At the Alliance, we don’t just want to support schools opening—we want to help them become the best. From the first idea to the first day of school and beyond, we walk alongside planning teams, providing guidance, support, and expertise every step of the way. By working hand-in-hand with founders, authorizers, and the State Department of Education, we want to ensure schools aren’t just ready to open, but ready to deliver meaningful opportunities and lasting impact for the students they serve, for years to come.

This year, 40 applications were submitted to authorizers across the state. As we await the next stages of the approval process, we will be watching closely to see how things unfold so we can identify ways to best support schools next.