Rep. Sandifer with PublicSchoolOptions.org parent representative Becky Fox.
The SC Chapter of PublicSchoolOptions.org (SC-PSO), a national alliance of parents, students and teachers and others defending the rights of parents to choose the best public school education possible for children, drew more than 700 students, parents and teachers for an event on the Statehouse steps in support of school choice and equitable funding.
At the event, the organization presented State Representative Bill Sandifer with the SC-PSO’s Future of Education’s Golden Apple Award for Legislative Champions, honoring his support of public school options in South Carolina.
Sandifer, who chairs the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, is a long-time proponent of public charter schools, magnet schools, and other innovative options. Upon receiving the Golden Apple award, he said, “One of the best pieces of legislation that I have ever sponsored was the creation of the statewide charter school district, which has opened doors for parents and their children.”
He continued, “Education is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Every child is special and unique, and each one has a style of learning that suits him or her best. Whether it is a bricks-and-mortar charter school or a virtual academy, I am pleased that parents in South Carolina now have many public school options for their children that they did not have eight years ago.”
There are 11,600 South Carolina students enrolled in the South Carolina Public Charter School District and over 4,000 new students are expected this year.
Sandifer added, “What I love about public school choice most is that it is accountable to the taxpayers who fund the school. The children enrolled must pass the same tests in order to advance as children in traditional schools. Also, if a charter school fails parents and students over and over, it is closed, ensuring the highest level of accountability.”
PublicSchoolOptions.org is an alliance of parents that supports and defends parents’ rights to access the best public school options for their children. The coalition supports the creation of public school options, including charter schools, online schools, magnet schools, open enrollment policies and other innovative education programs. Additionally, it advocates for free and equal access without restrictions to these public schools for all children.