South Carolina House signs off on open-enrollment school bill

(The Center Square) – The South Carolina House has signed off on legislation that proponents say would give parents more control over their children’s education, including a measure to create an open enrollment system.

However, it’s not immediately clear how the bill might affect local school district budgets across the Palmetto State.

On Wednesday, the state House voted 91-25 in favor of H.3843. The measure would allow families to select any public school in the state to attend, regardless of their address. Proponents say the proposal would allow parents to personalize their children’s education.

“Parents across South Carolina and the country are demanding more of a say in their child’s education,” Americans for Prosperity-South Carolina State Director Candace Carroll said in a statement. “These reforms will help families choose an educational option that makes the most sense for their children and help students reach their full potential.”

According to a review by the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, the legislation “will have no expenditure impact on” the South Carolina Department of Education, but noted it “could have an impact on state funding that is allocated to districts based on enrollment.” It also concluded the “expenditure impact on local school districts to adopt and follow procedures for open enrollment is undetermined.”

Meanwhile, the House previously passed H.3591, a measure that would lift a provision that bars state tax dollars from benefiting religious or private schools. If codified, it would allow voters to decide during the November 2024 general election whether to eliminate the provision, known as the “Blaine Amendment.”

The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.