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PARENT POWER!

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  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index

PARENT POWER!

  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index
Menu
  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index

PARENT POWER!

  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index
Menu
  • National Overview
  • Select Your State
  • About The Index

South Carolina

U.S.
Rank

#15
Overall PPI Score:
72.5%
PPI Grade Key:
← Back to South Carolina state overview
A
B
C
D
F
  • Opportunity
  • Innovation
  • Policy Environment

Charter Schools

Score:

82%

Grade:

B

Rank:

#8

The Rise of the Palmetto State’s Charter School law is owing more to the decline of other state laws, and not necessarily its own strength. Still, recent developments in universities authorizing have helped spur more growth; more is needed. So is funding such things like transportation which is currently denied these public schools of choice which makes it very hard for Rural communities to get excited about charters.

Fast Facts:

Law passed: 1996

Most recently amended: 2016

Number of charter schools: 70

Number of charter students: 37,949

Cap on the number of schools allowed:? No

Virtual charters allowed? Yes, provided that 25% of instruction involves a “”real time”” teacher

Charter Law Analysis:

In Oct. 2019, lawmakers were considering a variety of changes to the charter law — everything from including blended learning to giving struggling schools 6 years instead of the current 3, to tightening restrictive language — in anticipation of the 2020 legislative session.

AUTHORIZERS: Local districts, universities, and the Public Charter School District of South Carolina (PCSDSC) are allowed. The PCSDSC had been the only statewide authorizer until Erskine College began authorizing in May 2017. For the 2018-19 school year, 10 schools transferred from the PCSDSC to Erskine, and it now has 17 schools.  Denied applications may be appealed to the administrative law court.

GROWTH:  Enrollment is up 20 percent in two years and this growth could continue with a less  bureaucratic and burdensome application/reapplication processes. The evolution of multiple authorizers helped grow the charter sector here. Operators must currently apply for a new charter each time they want to expand.

OPERATIONS: Schools have a blanket waiver from most state and local regulations. Virtual charters are allowed;  25% of instruction must involve a “real time” teacher  which is the case with most good models.

EQUITY: Funding flows from authorizer, instead of the state. Charter schools authorized by a statewide authorizer – the PCSDSC or a university – are not eligible to receive local dollars like district schools are. They do, however, receive state funding based on the base per student amount that each school receives. For virtual schools, this amounts to $1,900 per student and for brick and mortar charter schools, $3,600 per student. State funding is subject to budget cuts, though. No per-pupil facilities funding and no transportation funding.

Learn More:

South Carolina Charter School Law

Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina

Choice Programs (Scholarships, Vouchers, Tax Credits, etc.)

Score:

62%

Grade:

D

Rank:

#27

The Palmetto state’s programs offer choices for a limited number of students with special needs, approximately 2,600 students.

Fast Facts:

Law enacted: 2013-2015

Number of programs: 2

Statewide Participation: 2,649

Types of programs: Tax Credit Scholarship, Individual Tax Credit / Deduction

Choice Laws & Analysis:

Tax-Credit Scholarship
Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children 
South Carolina’s tax-credit scholarship program was launched in 2014 to give private school scholarships to students with special needs, and was codified into law in 2018. Under this program, corporations and individuals can receive tax credits up to 100% of their donations. There is no enrollment cap or income limit, and the scholarship cap is set at $11,000 per student.   


Individual Tax-Credit/Deduction
Refundable Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children 
The South Carolina’s individual tax credit/ deduction program launched in 2015. This program allows parents of students with special needs to receive refundable tax credit worth $11,000 per student, or the expense of their student’s school tuition, whichever number is less. The budget cap on this program is $2 million. 

Learn More:

EdChoice Analysis on South Carolina

Federation for Children Choice Program Information

2019 ALEC Report Card on American Education

Teacher Quality

Score:

76%

Grade:

C

Rank:

#13

Requires student growth data to be incorporated into teacher evaluations; has a data system in place that “has the capacity to link student-level data and teacher performance” for those teaching the basics.

TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 67%
General Teacher Preparation 68%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 63%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 85%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 55%
Alternate Routes 65%  

STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 80%
Hiring 93%
Retaining Effective Teachers 67%

TEACHER EVALUATION: 88%
Teacher and Principal Evaluation

TEACHER COMPENSATION: 68%

Learn More:

National Council for Teacher Quality State Teacher Policy Database

Charter Schools

Score:

82%

Grade:

B

Rank:

#8

The Rise of the Palmetto State’s Charter School law is owing more to the decline of other state laws, and not necessarily its own strength. Still, recent developments in universities authorizing have helped spur more growth; more is needed. So is funding such things like transportation which is currently denied these public schools of choice which makes it very hard for Rural communities to get excited about charters.

Fast Facts:

Law passed: 1996

Most recently amended: 2016

Number of charter schools: 70

Number of charter students: 37,949

Cap on the number of schools allowed:? No

Virtual charters allowed? Yes, provided that 25% of instruction involves a “”real time”” teacher

Charter Law Analysis:

In Oct. 2019, lawmakers were considering a variety of changes to the charter law — everything from including blended learning to giving struggling schools 6 years instead of the current 3, to tightening restrictive language — in anticipation of the 2020 legislative session.

AUTHORIZERS: Local districts, universities, and the Public Charter School District of South Carolina (PCSDSC) are allowed. The PCSDSC had been the only statewide authorizer until Erskine College began authorizing in May 2017. For the 2018-19 school year, 10 schools transferred from the PCSDSC to Erskine, and it now has 17 schools.  Denied applications may be appealed to the administrative law court.

GROWTH:  Enrollment is up 20 percent in two years and this growth could continue with a less  bureaucratic and burdensome application/reapplication processes. The evolution of multiple authorizers helped grow the charter sector here. Operators must currently apply for a new charter each time they want to expand.

OPERATIONS: Schools have a blanket waiver from most state and local regulations. Virtual charters are allowed;  25% of instruction must involve a “real time” teacher  which is the case with most good models.

EQUITY: Funding flows from authorizer, instead of the state. Charter schools authorized by a statewide authorizer – the PCSDSC or a university – are not eligible to receive local dollars like district schools are. They do, however, receive state funding based on the base per student amount that each school receives. For virtual schools, this amounts to $1,900 per student and for brick and mortar charter schools, $3,600 per student. State funding is subject to budget cuts, though. No per-pupil facilities funding and no transportation funding.

Learn More:

South Carolina Charter School Law

Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina

Choice Programs (Scholarships, Vouchers, Tax Credits, etc.)

Score:

62%

Grade:

D

Rank:

#27

The Palmetto state’s programs offer choices for a limited number of students with special needs, approximately 2,600 students.

Fast Facts:

Law enacted: 2013-2015

Number of programs: 2

Statewide Participation: 2,649

Types of programs: Tax Credit Scholarship, Individual Tax Credit / Deduction

Choice Laws & Analysis:

Tax-Credit Scholarship
Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children 
South Carolina’s tax-credit scholarship program was launched in 2014 to give private school scholarships to students with special needs, and was codified into law in 2018. Under this program, corporations and individuals can receive tax credits up to 100% of their donations. There is no enrollment cap or income limit, and the scholarship cap is set at $11,000 per student.   


Individual Tax-Credit/Deduction
Refundable Educational Credit for Exceptional Needs Children 
The South Carolina’s individual tax credit/ deduction program launched in 2015. This program allows parents of students with special needs to receive refundable tax credit worth $11,000 per student, or the expense of their student’s school tuition, whichever number is less. The budget cap on this program is $2 million. 

Learn More:

EdChoice Analysis on South Carolina

Federation for Children Choice Program Information

2019 ALEC Report Card on American Education

Teacher Quality

Score:

76%

Grade:

C

Rank:

#13

Requires student growth data to be incorporated into teacher evaluations; has a data system in place that “has the capacity to link student-level data and teacher performance” for those teaching the basics.

TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 67%
General Teacher Preparation 68%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 63%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 85%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 55%
Alternate Routes 65%  

STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 80%
Hiring 93%
Retaining Effective Teachers 67%

TEACHER EVALUATION: 88%
Teacher and Principal Evaluation

TEACHER COMPENSATION: 68%

Learn More:

National Council for Teacher Quality State Teacher Policy Database

Digital & Personalized Learning

Digital Learning:

Score:

75%

Grade:

C

Rank:

#22

In February 2020, the South Carolina DOE released the 2020-2024 South Carolina Educational Technology Plan: Empowering Education with Technology. The plan outlines digital learning goals for the future of the state’s education system.

VirtualSC is in the top five largest virtual schools in the country and is available to students grades 7-12 attending public, private, and homeschools. VirtualSC serves as a supplementary online learning program, offering a broad range of courses in core subjects, credit recovery, honors, and college prep.In 2018-2019, 45,912 students attended Virtual SC from 393 schools and 81 school districts in the state.

Through VirtualSC, the state offers supplementary digital resources for schools, students, and teachers. Teachers can join professional development cohorts to study specific online content, and can earn online teaching endorsements to add to their license. Resources for school include a Virtual Learning Labs, Blended Elementary Keyboarding, and skills recovery courses.

South Carolina has four school districts that are members of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, providing approximately 80,000 students digital learning opportunities in the state. The League of Innovation Schools is a network of school leaders in 114 districts in 34 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation. 

Bandwidth: 100% of students in South Carolina can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds.

Personalized Learning:

In an effort to redefine what it means for students to be successful, a coalition of leaders in education and business collaborated on creating the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate, which was later adopted in 2015 by the SC Board of Education to be used statewide. Students develop skills for the future to ensure they are ready for college and career.

By law, Schools of Choice in South Carolina are exempt from many state laws and regulations that might have been a barrier to student-centered learning.

South Carolina has a few non-statutory, flexibility programs in place to encourage personalized learning:

The Innovative Approaches and Locally Designed Subject Area Courses initiative allows schools to implement new models of teaching, and high schools to give credit towards locally designed subject area courses.

The Proficiency-Based Systems program allows districts to apply for proficiency-based systems through the state DOE. Proficiency-based models are important to PL because they allow students to progress at their own pace, by demonstrating understanding of skill and content, rather than seat time and standardized tests.

Learn More:

VirtualSC

League of Innovative Schools

Profile of the South Carolina Graduate

Schools of Choice

COVID-19 Response

South Carolina responded with clear communications to schools and parents, and worked to ensure that all students had internet access, including using buses in neighborhoods to provide mobile hotspots. Teachers also had access to professional development opportunities to help plan for remote teaching. Districts were encouraged to continue remote instruction in ways that best served their students.

The state quickly convened a task force, called AccelerateED, that released recommendations and guidelines for fall learning at the end of June.  Districts develop their own plans, but all plans must be approved by the state and must include a variety of options — virtual, in-person, and hybrid. The state also directed resources to provide hot spots for up to 100,000 low-income students to ensure internet access. In July, the governor urged districts to offer standard full time in-person instruction, but the education superintendent disagreed with that guidance and announced the department would only approve district plans deemed high quality and focused on safety. The superintendent released guidelines for approval, which include required virtual and in-person options and a phased approach to full-time in-person instruction.

As of August 10, all districts had approved plans for the 2020-21 school year.

Fast Facts

4th Grade Math Proficiency:

34%

8th Grade Math Proficiency:

292

12th Grade Math Proficiency:

24% (nat'l average)

4th Grade Reading Proficiency:

33%

8th Grade Reading Proficiency:

26%

12th Grade Reading Proficiency:

37% (nat'l average)

Graduation Rate:

81%

Average SAT Score:

1030/1600

Average ACT Score:

18.9/36

Public School Enrollment:

780,878

Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:

5%

Average Student Funding:

$11,532.00
Digital & Personalized Learning
Digital Learning:

Score:

75%

Grade:

C

Rank:

#22

In February 2020, the South Carolina DOE released the 2020-2024 South Carolina Educational Technology Plan: Empowering Education with Technology. The plan outlines digital learning goals for the future of the state’s education system.

VirtualSC is in the top five largest virtual schools in the country and is available to students grades 7-12 attending public, private, and homeschools. VirtualSC serves as a supplementary online learning program, offering a broad range of courses in core subjects, credit recovery, honors, and college prep.In 2018-2019, 45,912 students attended Virtual SC from 393 schools and 81 school districts in the state.

Through VirtualSC, the state offers supplementary digital resources for schools, students, and teachers. Teachers can join professional development cohorts to study specific online content, and can earn online teaching endorsements to add to their license. Resources for school include a Virtual Learning Labs, Blended Elementary Keyboarding, and skills recovery courses.

South Carolina has four school districts that are members of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, providing approximately 80,000 students digital learning opportunities in the state. The League of Innovation Schools is a network of school leaders in 114 districts in 34 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation. 

Bandwidth: 100% of students in South Carolina can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds.

Personalized Learning:

In an effort to redefine what it means for students to be successful, a coalition of leaders in education and business collaborated on creating the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate, which was later adopted in 2015 by the SC Board of Education to be used statewide. Students develop skills for the future to ensure they are ready for college and career.

By law, Schools of Choice in South Carolina are exempt from many state laws and regulations that might have been a barrier to student-centered learning.

South Carolina has a few non-statutory, flexibility programs in place to encourage personalized learning:

The Innovative Approaches and Locally Designed Subject Area Courses initiative allows schools to implement new models of teaching, and high schools to give credit towards locally designed subject area courses.

The Proficiency-Based Systems program allows districts to apply for proficiency-based systems through the state DOE. Proficiency-based models are important to PL because they allow students to progress at their own pace, by demonstrating understanding of skill and content, rather than seat time and standardized tests.

Learn More:

VirtualSC

League of Innovative Schools

Profile of the South Carolina Graduate

Schools of Choice

COVID-19 Response

South Carolina responded with clear communications to schools and parents, and worked to ensure that all students had internet access, including using buses in neighborhoods to provide mobile hotspots. Teachers also had access to professional development opportunities to help plan for remote teaching. Districts were encouraged to continue remote instruction in ways that best served their students.

The state quickly convened a task force, called AccelerateED, that released recommendations and guidelines for fall learning at the end of June.  Districts develop their own plans, but all plans must be approved by the state and must include a variety of options — virtual, in-person, and hybrid. The state also directed resources to provide hot spots for up to 100,000 low-income students to ensure internet access. In July, the governor urged districts to offer standard full time in-person instruction, but the education superintendent disagreed with that guidance and announced the department would only approve district plans deemed high quality and focused on safety. The superintendent released guidelines for approval, which include required virtual and in-person options and a phased approach to full-time in-person instruction.

As of August 10, all districts had approved plans for the 2020-21 school year.

Fast Facts

4th Grade Math Proficiency:

34%

8th Grade Math Proficiency:

292

12th Grade Math Proficiency:

24% (nat’l average)

4th Grade Reading Proficiency:

33%

8th Grade Reading Proficiency:

26%

12th Grade Reading Proficiency:

37% (nat’l average)

Graduation Rate:

81%

Average SAT Score:

1030/1600

Average ACT Score:

18.9/36

Public School Enrollment:

780,878

Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:

5%

Average Student Funding:

$11,532.00

Leadership

Your governor:

Henry McMaster (R)

Assumed office in 2017; first elected in 2019 (two-term limit)

 Re-elected Governor Henry McMaster has always supported expansive education opportunity and charter schooling, on top of continuing to grow resources well spent for good education. Let’s see what steps he takes to bring more innovative change to South Carolina parent power.

State Legislature:

The House and Senate are difficult environments for expanding educational opportunities. A bill to expand a scholarship tax credit to provide more opportunities for military families passed overwhelmingly in the House but failed in the Senate. In 2020, the Senate began making a push to create a scholarship tax credit program for low-income students, similar to the one they have now that is for special needs children. It was already getting significant opposition from teachers unions. Advocates in the state must insist on strong leadership in both chambers to expand parent power for all in the Palmetto State.

Constitutional Issues

On May 11, 2021, a highly anticipated District Court decision in a lawsuit filed by the Archdiocese of Charleston, Bishop of Charleston vs. Adams did not strike down South Carolina’s Blaine Amendment but has definitely cast down the gauntlet for continued legal challenges. The Court ruled that the plaintiffs “have only begun to scratch the surface of what will no doubt be a well-litigated challenge” to the state’s Blaine amendment in subsequent cases. The legal efforts continue in the state.

Learn More:

Institute for Justice: South Carolina School Choice and State Constitution

Transparency

School report cards are easy to access online from the main page of South Carolina’s DOE website under Data subheading. Report cards have a user-friendly interface and are filled with comprehensive data ranging from academic performance to school environment. Report cards give schools summative ratings, and contain detailed data on academics and school environments. Ratings are clearly explained in each category, making data easy for parents to read and comprehend.

Additionally, educational options are easily located under Districts and Schools tab. By clicking School Choice, parents have access to data and resources regarding magnet schools, school choice, charter schools, and virtual education, further increasing transparency in the state.

School board elections are not held during the general election cycle, which usually means lower voter turnout.

Leadership
Your governor:

Henry McMaster (R)

Assumed office in 2017; first elected in 2019 (two-term limit)

 Re-elected Governor Henry McMaster has always supported expansive education opportunity and charter schooling, on top of continuing to grow resources well spent for good education. Let’s see what steps he takes to bring more innovative change to South Carolina parent power.

State Legislature:

The House and Senate are difficult environments for expanding educational opportunities. A bill to expand a scholarship tax credit to provide more opportunities for military families passed overwhelmingly in the House but failed in the Senate. In 2020, the Senate began making a push to create a scholarship tax credit program for low-income students, similar to the one they have now that is for special needs children. It was already getting significant opposition from teachers unions. Advocates in the state must insist on strong leadership in both chambers to expand parent power for all in the Palmetto State.

Constitutional Issues

On May 11, 2021, a highly anticipated District Court decision in a lawsuit filed by the Archdiocese of Charleston, Bishop of Charleston vs. Adams did not strike down South Carolina’s Blaine Amendment but has definitely cast down the gauntlet for continued legal challenges. The Court ruled that the plaintiffs “have only begun to scratch the surface of what will no doubt be a well-litigated challenge” to the state’s Blaine amendment in subsequent cases. The legal efforts continue in the state.

Learn More:

Institute for Justice: South Carolina School Choice and State Constitution

Transparency

School report cards are easy to access online from the main page of South Carolina’s DOE website under Data subheading. Report cards have a user-friendly interface and are filled with comprehensive data ranging from academic performance to school environment. Report cards give schools summative ratings, and contain detailed data on academics and school environments. Ratings are clearly explained in each category, making data easy for parents to read and comprehend.

Additionally, educational options are easily located under Districts and Schools tab. By clicking School Choice, parents have access to data and resources regarding magnet schools, school choice, charter schools, and virtual education, further increasing transparency in the state.

School board elections are not held during the general election cycle, which usually means lower voter turnout.

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Charter Schools

Charter schools are public schools, open by choice, free from most rules and regulations that hamper traditional public schools and held accountable for results.

Since 1991, when charter schools were first established in Minnesota, the principle has remained the same — increased operational autonomy in exchange for increased accountability for outcomes. This freedom to innovate allows academically excellent charter schools to flourish.

As of 2020, there were more than 7,300 charter schools across the country with more than 3.3 million students, with demand higher everywhere they are located. Forty-six states, including Washington, D.C. have charter school laws. West Virginia enacted the most recent law in 2019. All charter laws are not created equal, however, and in fact, many are so flawed that they allow for only minimal opportunity for parents. PPI draws from CER’s newest Charter School Law Rankings and Scorecard, produced in the summer of 2020. For the US as a whole, the glass is more empty than full when it comes to meaningful charter choices.

Since 1996, CER has researched, analyzed, and ranked charter school laws, taking the content of each law into consideration as well as how it impacts charter schools on the ground. This Parent Power Index looks at four main areas of each state’s law:

If it allows for multiple authorizers, and if applicants have the ability to appeal a denial; whether it allows for growth, particularly with no caps on number of schools or enrollment; if schools and teachers have freedom to innovate; and if there is equitable funding of schools, including for facilities and transportation.

Charter schools are the most analyzed public school reform in decades. Since 1996, CER has studied their impact, their environment, and their practice and made recommendations for how to improve each law. The Parent Power Index charter score is based on whether the law allows for freedom and flexibility that can ensure parents, teachers and the general public are able to build vibrant, successful charter schools without undue interference from flawed state regulators, with equitable funding and parents in the driver’s seat. More about how this works can be found in CER publications, most notably Charting a New Course and The Future of School.

In addition, past rankings document how states have grown or confined charter schools and what best practices should be followed. Finally CER has provided a model charter school law for policymakers that is the standard bearer for advocates who believe that parents, not systems, should drive education.

Choice Programs

Educational choice is best defined as the availability of a multitude of public programs that provide parents with the ability to include private and religious entities – schools, tutoring, and other organizations – in their choices. Those programs are enacted at the state level, allowing in a wide variety of ways that the funds allocated for education in a state either follow the student to the institution the parent chooses or, as in the case of tax credits, public funds are redistributed to support the choices parents make, rather than automatically going to government based school districts.

These options are often referred to as scholarship programs, vouchers, tax credits, education accounts and more.

The existence of a higher degree of educational choice in a community or state, particularly for lower income students, has been found to be a significant factor in improving education and ensuring all students have access to the best school that meets their individual needs. Where once private options were only available to the more advantaged, most choice programs today ensure that those without resources have the power to shape their student’s education and invest in their future.

PPI 2020 assesses the extent to which every state gives families better and more abundant educational options through various mechanisms. Choice programs are analyzed and evaluated on their potential to reach all children across a state and for the degree to which they can actually support the full choice of parents, as opposed to only providing a modest amount of financial support. Programs where a significant population of parents can obtain scholarships or vouchers to send their children to the school of their choice score higher than those that have limitations based on geography, income, and student eligibility constraints.

To determine scores, PPI relies on well-established organizations which study, advance and support such programs. The scores were developed with this lens, and on information and ratings from EdChoice’s School Choice in America Dashboard, American Legislative Exchange Council’s Report Card on American Education: 23rd Edition, and American Federation for Children’s School Choice Interactive Map.

Teacher Quality

Teacher Quality is an equally important facet of ensuring greater educational opportunity. There is a direct correlation between quality teachers and student achievement, and teachers have the power to foster highly effective learning environments and leave a lasting impact on the future of their students. State teacher policies are critical in ensuring that students have the opportunity to receive the best education possible. Without schools full of well-prepared teachers who are held accountable either directly to the parent or to taxpayers for student achievement, opportunity can be meaningless. Most states vary widely in the criteria used to train, hire, retain, evaluate, reward and advance teachers, and local rules also influence that criteria greatly, as do teachers unions. PPI looked again to the expert analysis of the National Council of Teacher Quality, and from several aspects of their work PPI extrapolated final teacher quality scores. (NCTQ does not grade each state.)

Relying solely on the rich data collected from the National Council on Teacher Quality, states are measured by across a wide range of policy categories: Training and Recruitment, Staffing and Support, Evaluation, and Compensation. The score is by no means comprehensive about teacher quality across every community and state, but it is based on the extent to which states rigorously expect, manage and measure different aspects of teacher training, hiring, evaluation and compensation. States score higher when they have strong, data-driven, performance-based accountability systems that ensure teachers are rewarded, retained, and advanced based on their effectiveness. Likewise, states that establish rigorous teacher preparation programs and offer alternative licensing programs earn higher scores.

For more information about the Teacher Quality landscape, please see the National Council on Teacher Quality’s detailed analysis in their State Teacher Policy Database.

Innovation

States are measured on their increasing commitment to and practice of innovative approaches to education that include digital learning models and pathways, full or in part, encouraging personalized learning through focus on competency and mastery – even on a pilot level – or by allowing flexibility in schools and school districts that want to do it. Personalized learning models value mastery of material over traditional subject matter time tests, and competency over end of course grades. While these practices are best decided locally, closest to the student, states can motivate, incentivize, fund, discourage or encourage.

To determine scores, the PPI drew heavily from ExcelinEd’s 2019 State Progress Toward Next Generation Learning, Aurora Institute’s 2020 Future-Focused State Policy Actions to Transform K-12 Education, and KnowledgeWorks’ 2019 State Policy Framework for Personalized Learning.

COVID-19 Response

When COVID-19 reached our shores in early 2020, states were forced to close their schools for in-person instruction. Whether and how to continue teaching and set expectations for continued learning outside of the classroom was a big debate. Many states and schools quickly pivoted to delivering education remotely, either through technology enabled tools or with low-tech paper packets and phone calls, or a combination of both. The response from schools and school districts varied widely, with some being willing to adapt and some actually discouraging both teaching and learning. CER tracked those responses (and continues to do so, given the fluidity of the situation). States that were encouraging, set expectations, and demanded that schools figure out whatever they could to keep moving students forward, tended to have more schools and districts that responded well and worked to deliver education regardless of challenges. Many states that had digital or virtual learning programs in place were able to make a more seamless shift. Innovative leaders at local and state levels rose to the occasion. But many states and localities dragged their feet and, in some cases, outright discouraged schooling to keep going, including forbidding teachers in some areas to be required to do any face to face teaching via technology.

States were evaluated based on reviewing their official notices and declarations, and by reviewing a broad array of surveys and data many groups have been maintaining. This score also factors in states’ prior commitments to expanding broadband and internet access and how they worked to provide devices to keep students learning and engaged.

What was, and is, a challenging and unprecedented time for schools, teachers, and parents was also an opportunity to look at states’ and schools’ abilities to adapt, be flexible, and innovate.

For more on Education Innovation, check out the CER ACTION Series:

  • Virtual Events & Videos
  • Key Data
  • Resources
  • Publications

Leadership

Improving education opportunity and innovation requires leaders who boldly and courageously push forward to create or expand successful programs that allow a wide variety of educational choice and individualized programs to thrive. Governors and state legislators are the most important entities in each state to pave the way, or deter, expanded parent power. Some leaders pay lip service to issues, while others wake up with a fire in their belly to ensure that they are doing what they can every day to push through conventional wisdom and demand 21st century schooling opportunities for all students.

Whether or not your governor is the bold, fire-in-the-belly kind, or a passive applauder of others’ efforts, is evaluated to help you push or prod or applaud. PPI looks at their positions AND actions on charter schools, choice programs, innovation, and commitment to increasing educational opportunities for all students at every level and summarizes it for you here. You have the power to elect leaders who prioritize parents and students!

Constitutional Issues

The ability for states to enact educational change can be significantly limited depending on certain provisions in state constitutions.

The most common clause that limits educational opportunity in most states are “Blaine Amendments” – named after 19th century Congressman James Blaine nearly 150 years ago. Historically, these provisions in 37 state constitutions were either interpreted to restrict educational choice programs that include private schools or have been a deterrent for many programs being considered, let alone enacted.

This issue received a great deal of press leading up to and following the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 30, 2020 decision in the case of Espinoza vs Montana Department of Revenue, a case that dealt with Montana’s Blaine Amendment. That landmark decision found that the U.S. Constitution “forbids states from excluding religious schools as options for families participating in educational choice programs, including through Blaine Amendments.”

As a result, most states have a new path to enact programs that provide options for families, including religious schools. Their individual versions of Blaine Amendments can either be nullified with attorney generals’ opinions, with legislation or with both. Additional restrictions on expanded opportunity are often dedicated by what is called a Compelled Support Clause where dated constitutional language restricts public funding to government entities.

We look at each state’s particular constitutional issues, utilizing a number of sources, CER attorney analysis and the Institute for Justice’s research as our guide. Additional information about Espinoza and Blaine Amendments can be found here.

In addition, if states have other constitutional barriers to more opportunity, they are evaluated in this area.

Transparency

Transparency is a key element of providing great opportunities for students. Every parent needs and deserves full transparency of school-level data to allow them to make informed decisions and drive changes in how their students are educated. School report cards empower parents in their decision making by giving them access to meaningful and quality education data about a particular school or district. Report cards often provide information on student performance, student growth, attendance, graduation rates, demographics, teacher quality, school environment, assessments, and more. States that have greater transparency and accountability provide the public with data that is current, readily available, and easy to understand.

States are measured based on the transparency and accessibility of data for the average person looking to learn about their child’s school. States have more gas in the tank when school report cards are easily accessible from their state DOE homepage; report cards are comprehensive, user-friendly, and easy to understand; and information about educational options are readily available. Additionally, states score higher when they hold School Board Elections during the General Election cycle, as opposed to off-times of the year when turnout is low, because this tends to afford parents more power in their decision-making.