About

Charter Schools

South Carolina first established charter schools with the Charter Schools Act of 1996.  H. 3241 revised the Charter School Law – view the Summary Sheet of major changes.

In South Carolina, a charter school can be established in one of the 86 county-based school districts or in the South Carolina Public Charter School District (SCPCSD). PSA is part of the SCPCSD. As such, PSA can enroll students from any county.

Charter schools are simply another form of public schools.

Like public schools, charter schools are:

  • Non-sectarian
  • Non-religious
  • Required to meet state and federal laws
  • Within a public school district and accountable to its board
  • Required to participate in SC standardized testing

Charter schools are different in several important ways:

  • Are governed by a board of school-elected parents, teachers, and community members
  • Can solicit and accept donations and gifts as a non-profit corporation
  • Have control over their class size, curriculum, discipline code, and employment practices
  • Are accountable to meet the objectives set forth in their charter
  • Increase parental involvement in schools

The PSA Difference

Palmetto Scholars Academy (PSA) is a public charter school designed to discover, nurture, and optimize the full potential of intellectually gifted 6th-12th grade students