School choice has faced a bumpy road in South Carolina, but the state Legislature appears to have a solution to solve the program’s crisis – and then some.

The ongoing tussle over school choice in South Carolina has taken a significant turn as the state Legislature has passed a new bill that aims to reinstate and expand the private school voucher program, formally titled the Education Scholarship Trust Fund. Despite previous setbacks from the state Supreme Court, which declared similar legislation unconstitutional, lawmakers are now hopeful that their new approach will be legally viable. Senate Bill 62, approved by the Republican-led Senate with a 29-13 vote, proposes funding the program through state lottery revenues rather than the General Fund, addressing previous concerns regarding constitutionality stemming from the state's Blaine Amendment. This legislation significantly increases the grant amounts from $6,000 to $7,500 per student and expands eligibility, meaning that 85% of South Carolina families will qualify for the program starting in the 2027-28 school year. Critics of the bill, such as Sherry East from the South Carolina Education Association, have expressed concerns that the funding for private school vouchers could siphon resources away from public schools, especially since funding is based on student attendance within public schools. The amendment's removal of previous requirements that participants must have attended public school raised alarms among teacher groups about the potential implications for public education funding. With the legislative session concluding soon, all eyes will be on the House to see if they will concur with the Senate and send this controversial bill to Governor Henry McMaster for final approval. If implemented, South Carolina would join a growing trend of states reinstating school vouchers amidst ongoing debates about educational equity and quality.