The South Carolina Public Charter School District (SCPCSD) is an independent state agency charged by the South Carolina Charter School Act to improve student achievement and close the achievement gap. As a charter sponsor, the SCPCSD promotes school autonomy while ensuring access, equity, and accountability across its system of charter schools. This focus on well-supported autonomy and accountability is the foundation of the charter bargain, protecting charter schools from “central office” micromanagement of school schedules, budgets, curriculum and staffing. We believe that charter school leaders and teachers—those closest to the students—are best suited to make these decisions. We strive to support and empower schools through the continued development of accountability systems, tools, and resources; the facilitation and sharing of proven practices; and the creation of policy and operational conditions necessary for quality schools to succeed and grow. This accountability focus and these specific efforts inform high-stakes decisions around annual review, replication and closure, and charter development—the primary processes that allow for authorizer support and intervention and that are proven to improve learning in charter systems.
This focus is paying off in a big way for students and taxpayers. This year, SCPCSD-sponsored schools had historic gains in graduation rate, hitting an all-time high of 72.3%--nearly ten points higher than last year and a 20-plus point gain over the last four years (all while the state average remained flat). SCPCSD schools had a nearly 6-point improvement in ELA this year and earned gains across the board in SC Ready Math, Algebra 1 and English 1 EOCs, SAT and ACT scores, and the percentage of students College/Career ready.
The work of the SCPCSD is focused on four strategic priorities: 1) authorizing high-quality charter schools; 2) holding our schools and ourselves accountable for student outcomes; 3) ensuring access and equity for every student; and 4) creating the conditions and policies necessary for quality charter schools to open, grow and thrive. We believe that these focus areas are the keys to achieving our mission and creating a high performing charter system in which all students reach their potential and develop the World Class Skills identified in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. In order to remain prudent stewards of taxpayer dollars in operationalizing these four strategic priorities, and to balance oversight responsibilities as the designated Local Education Agency (LEA) for portfolio schools, the SCPCSD organizes its efforts around a “Core Performance System.” This system is comprised of processes and tools that organize and evaluate charter school performance across academic, operational, and financial dimensions of school health and viability throughout the school life cycle. These frameworks and systems of review and monitoring seek to generate an environment built on common expectations, mission-aligned goal setting, objectivity, and transparency. It also seeks to drive a system of differentiated oversight that aims to reduce burdens and incentivize development for higher performing schools and increase oversight and technical assistance provided to schools that may be struggling along one or more dimension.
In the 2018-2019 school year, the SCPCSD was honored to add Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy, Charleston Acceleration Academy, East Link Academy, Lakes and Bridges Charter School, Midlands Arts Conservatory, and Polaris Tech Charter School to its portfolio of diverse charter schools. With these additions, the district is serving a student population totaling approximately 20,000 students statewide. With two new schools approved for next year—Compass Collegiate Academy and Butler Academy—the SCPCSD continues to focus on smart growth that puts quality over scale.
Moving forward, the SCPCSD will continue to prioritize consistently high expectations in charter development, accountability, and access and equity for all students and families. The SCPCSD will strive to be a national leader in charter authorizing, drivers of change in the state’s equity agenda in education, and one of South Carolina’s top performing school districts. Educators and leaders deserve to have the power and flexibility to innovate and make decisions based on what is best for their students, and families have the right to choose high quality school options.
