A new charter school could open in Fort Mill. 3 other South Carolina sites targeted.
A Colorado school group has applied to bring a new charter school to Fort Mill.
Ascent Classical Academies is a tuition-free, K-12 charter school model. Ascent has submitted applications for four new South Carolina campuses. The first could open next year.
The four sites are in Fort Mill, Charleston, Greenville and Chapin. Ascent submitted applications to the South Carolina Department of Education naming the Charter Institute at Erskine as sponsor. The institute is in Columbia, S.C.
Derec Shuler, executive director of Ascent, said in an announcement that as a South Carolina native it’s exciting to work with area parents and communities on a new education option. The goal is education beyond just college and career readiness. One that prepares students to be happy and flourish.
Shuler said the school began as parents searching for a traditional academic experience focused on reason and virtue development.
“Seeing our own children thrive in classical schools has led us to continue working to provide these opportunities to more families,” Shuler said.
Public charter schools are non-religious, nonprofit schools that form and operate in South Carolina with the sponsorship of a public school district, the state charter school district or an institution of higher learning. They can vary considerably in grades and programs offered.
This school year there are 87 charter schools operating in South Carolina. Only 16 of those schools include kindergarten through high school senior level courses. Almost all of the area charter schools are in Rock Hill.
York Preparatory Academy and Riverwalk Academy in Rock Hill are full K-12 schools. Sponsored by the Rock Hill School District, the Palmetto School is a high school program. Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill offers high school grades.
Discovery Charter of Lancaster offers K-5.
Some charter schools have well established histories. Yet not all succeed.
There have been 46 schools chartered in South Carolina since 1996 that have closed. Many of them just two or three years after receiving the charter. Children’s School at Sylvia Circle is the only one on that list based in the Rock Hill region.
This story was originally published February 22, 2023 at 10:54 AM with the headline "A new charter school could open in Fort Mill. 3 other South Carolina sites targeted.."
