South Carolina House passes universal school choice bill

On Thursday, the South Carolina House passed S.62, the Education Scholarship Trust Fund, by a vote of 80-32. The bill now returns to the Senate, where lawmakers will decide whether to accept or reject the House amendments. 

Last week, the House Education Committee made several key changes to the Senate’s version before advancing the bill to the full chamber. 

Key changes 

The House has taken a different approach to funding. While the Senate version proposed using state lottery revenue, the House amendment shifts funding to the general fund, where it will be held in trust. A trustee, appointed by the State Superintendent, will oversee the fund’s administration to prevent any direct benefit conflicts. 

The House also revised the program’s enrolment and income restrictions. The initial Senate version of the bill had the following enrollment caps and income restrictions: 

• 2025-26: Families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level; participation capped at 10,000 students.  

• 2026-27: Families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level; participation capped at 15,000 students. 

The House Amendments leave these sections in but remove the income restrictions for school year 2027-2028. Additionally, the bill states that enrollment caps will be determined by available funding. 

Therefore, if the governor and General Assembly allocate sufficient resources for the 2027-2028 school year, the program can achieve true universal school choice, available to every child across the state of South Carolina. 

To learn more about the initial Senate version of the bill click here. 

What now? 

The bill now returns to the Senate, where lawmakers must decide whether to accept the House amendments. If the Senate concurs, the bill proceeds to the governor’s desk for final approval. 

If the Senate does not concur, it returns to the House, which will then face the same decision. If both chambers fail to reach an agreement, a conference committee will be appointed to negotiate a final version. 

SCPC urges the Senate to concur with the House amendments. If enacted and fully funded for the 2027-28 school year, this program would deliver on the promise of universal school choice. Families, regardless of income, would gain access to educational opportunities that best fit their children’s needs. This would mark the most expansive school choice initiative in South Carolina’s history, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to pursue the education they deserve.