Research

  • A snapshot of literacy trends in the South

    Across the United States, fourth grade reading scores paint a grim picture. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the average reading score for U.S. fourth graders fell to 214 in 2024, its lowest in over two decades. Forty percent of students across the nation read below the...
    Katelyn Bergman

    Written by
    December 12, 2025

  • Cutting the weeds: Reining in bureaucracy

    Small business is the backbone of South Carolina’s economy.  They, along with their employees and consumers, are increasingly burdened by a plethora of regulation and red tape.   According to a study done by the National Association of Manufacturers, federal government regulations alone can cost businesses across the country upwards of $12,000 per employee.  Some regulations may be necessary, however with the combination of...
    Ethan Brawer

    Written by
    December 04, 2025

  • The 2027 South Carolina Responsible Budget

    A Pro-Growth Framework for Responsible Spending, Surplus-Driven Tax Relief, and Long-Term Prosperity By Vance Ginn, PhD., and Sam Aaron   Introduction South Carolina enters Fiscal Year 2027 with strong economic momentum but growing fiscal risk. Payroll employment expanded by 3.1 percent year over year, while the unemployment rate edged up...
    Vance Ginn PhD. and Sam Aaron

    Written by
    November 12, 2025

  • Edisto Island Shuttle shows how red tape hurts small-town transportation

    When large rideshare companies don’t serve rural South Carolina, small operators step up, but government rules make it an uphill climb. There are several rural communities across South Carolina where major rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have declined to operate. This is due to a mix of factors, chiefly limited...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    November 07, 2025

  • Lessons to learn from Mississippi’s education reforms

    Mississippi’s recent rise in education is teaching a lesson that policymakers across the country are watching closely, given the state’s long-standing reputation for struggling in national rankings summed up by the old saying, “Thank God for Mississippi.”
    Brendan Connors

    Written by
    October 31, 2025

  • Where SC’s gubernatorial candidates stand on judicial reform, taxes, and spending

    Recently, the South Carolina Policy Council sat down with several of the state’s gubernatorial candidates for in-depth policy discussions. While SCPC does not endorse candidates, we extended an invitation to all who have formally declared their candidacy.  Over the past several election cycles, one thing has become clear: Long-form, open...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    October 25, 2025

  • Data centers in South Carolina: The responsible path forward

    Over the past several years, the United States has entered a new technological era marked by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). AI systems store and process massive amounts of data on servers housed in large facilities known as data centers.   States across the country have adopted policies that...
    Neil Wolin

    Written by
    October 11, 2025

  • South Carolina's roads: Spending, quality, and safety in question

    South Carolina has long struggled to maintain adequate roads, and citizens are well aware of the issue. In 2017, public frustration over poor road conditions pushed the Legislature to approve the first gas-tax increase in 30 years. The revenue was intended to improve infrastructure and bring South Carolina’s road quality...
    Sam Aaron

    Written by
    October 03, 2025

  • South Carolina must learn from Kansas’ tax reform failures

    For years, critics have pointed to Kansas as a failed tax experiment—“cut taxes and calamity follows.” That’s a myth. The real problem wasn’t the tax cuts; it was the refusal to restrain spending. Kansas lowered income-tax rates in 2012 but let government outlays surge. By 2017, deficits ballooned, and lawmakers...
    Vance Ginn Ph.D.

    Written by
    September 25, 2025

  • Mandatory grading floors allow mediocrity in K-12 education

    South Carolina ranks 43rd in the U.S. in K-12 public education performance. It’s no surprise, then, that the South Carolina Policy Council’s recent poll found 47% of residents are dissatisfied with K-12 public education.  We also found that 51% of S.C. voters support legislation prohibiting public schools from adopting grading...
    Brendan Connors

    Written by
    August 30, 2025