[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6607757,"mediaKeyId","2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514","parentId",2948171,"title","PCSD issues notice of revocation for Palmetto Excel campuses, offers conditional MOA if funding secured","audioSeconds",692,"startMs",2343000,"endMs",3035000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514&start=2343&end=3035","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514/thumbnail_2343000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6607757/South-Carolina/PCSD-issues-notice-of-revocation-for-Palmetto-Excel-campuses-offers-conditional-MOA-if-funding-secured","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607757-2d9254b90945af82228cde9fd3b31d29/orig.mp4?Expires=1771045824&Signature=BzON~YFBP7VjjXx43R7Y3SAnxdstq~CxtcOyHh4n93inx3hUy4WOVStDPoXkzMXu6qzO842bd2k5DDhPWb85ARU-0Z-5LX8Bx7b1GDcPHTcc1Tv3AWQMVUEb72FhmpGnQFI4XYMkMpAc2IdllO4W-6XfnqxpbdHj3Vvjh~NCuzYKTbLuoTRCSM7N7sLXtVTsFFZmOT~2I9KWsVuUrLeUBKux9Vfr16lVqNZdcnn8TAUVRX8pAnd7HnxGVhYfUGqEaHwFZNEKZDtjbywZCV7JFEB2f5G0ivAl0Ehqlm93xjkDlKCm6AHJvpHs0S0Ycb1mX~EoMjOCOJ2CLUsQIAANWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","SC Public Charter School District","date","2025-04-10T16:17:16.59Z","article","The South Carolina Public Charter School District Board of Trustees voted April 10 to issue formal notices of revocation for Palmetto Excel campuses in North Charleston, Sumter and Spartanburg effective June 30, 2025, while authorizing staff to negotiate a time-limited memorandum of agreement (MOA) to allow operation in the 2025–26 school year only if a stable, sustainable funding source is secured.

Superintendent Neely briefed the board at length, describing serious oversight issues in the pilot adult-education charter’s first year, including transcript irregularities, excessive awarding of credits and failure to implement an approved proficiency-based instructional model. Neely said the issues were raised by the South Carolina Department of Education and the Governor’s Office and that some problems predated current school leadership. He noted Palmetto Excel received approximately $1.3 million in public funding in its first year and awarded 13 graduates—roughly $100,000 per diploma under that accounting—with the school trending toward a higher number of diplomas this year but still short of charter expectations.

Neely said the district supports adult-focused charter options in principle but must balance mission support with legal obligations, fiscal stewardship and accountability. He said staff recommended revocation due to ongoing uncertainty about funding and policy direction from the General Assembly and the Governor. The board motion directed staff to issue a notice of revocation effective June 30, 2025 for the three campuses cited but authorized negotiation of an MOA that would permit the school to operate under its current charter for 2025–26 solely to secure long-term funding; the MOA would require a voluntary surrender of the charter by June 30, 2026 if adequate funding were not obtained by passage of the FY 2026–27 state budget.

Trustees debated and asked clarifying questions about authorization length (the schools were in year two of their charters), the financial metrics cited by the superintendent, and the scope of an MOA. After discussion, the board approved the motion on a unanimous voice vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 10th, 2025 - School District Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The PCSD Board voted to issue notices of revocation for Palmetto Excel campuses in North Charleston, Sumter and Spartanburg effective June 30, 2025, while permitting a conditional MOA to keep operations for one additional year if sustainable funding is secured.","taxTitle","SC Public Charter School District, School Districts, South Carolina","taxId",14922,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6607761,"PCSD approves two ‘innovative’ English courses for CTE diploma pathway",627,1432000,2059000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514&start=1432&end=2059","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514/thumbnail_1432000.jpg","/articles/6607761/South-Carolina/PCSD-approves-two-innovative-English-courses-for-CTE-diploma-pathway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607761-28a96efb84af2f6bab97534eb69b38de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771045824&Signature=gj1GcURahPQWGrA9fb81Mbh~c9ereWBeF9sAy~qT~YaVJJ7IgxJXVTek0cJdcEZcj5OG6wMV85kGslKFkWzH0k0E8NrIpzeE3K2H1mtPieuuoYFt3oAp0bV1i50r0S0SGZNG~kPBqC8E2JYH7tT9p9dzU32Jn2XJdgK51vOyfnvc~Kzdu8~~zcFeAJdcMKi6nw7f45AaOTQl2NvCivzW-Wua4kbOh~DaLGrj1dSxXc3hHI9R-wOT8WzuxbdNdhg4HKKYh3bbX6RO8XFVOX1IuAlA4hT39QYprDgGekNPxtc0lx5UUiQKtHrI4Aeh4WZMTITRS1003X~5vDi6lxxJwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The South Carolina Public Charter School District Board of Trustees on April 10 approved two innovative-course applications—English I: The Entrepreneur’s Voice and English II: The Financially Literate Voice—to be submitted to the South Carolina Department of Education as part of a career-and-technical-education (CTE) diploma pathway.

District staff told trustees the district is one of five participants in the federally funded South Carolina Pathways Project, which is designed to enhance postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities while also benefiting all students. Staff said the diploma pathway combines individually approved innovative courses with CTE content to create alternatives that preserve Carnegie-unit rigor while offering hands-on learning, apprenticeships and work-based learning. If the district board approves the applications, they will be forwarded to the state department for review; staff noted the state’s review period is expected to take about 30 days.

High Point Academy was identified as the first PCSD school scheduled to implement the courses, with staff saying the school plans to pair English I: The Entrepreneur’s Voice with entrepreneurship coursework and English II: The Financially Literate Voice with personal finance to increase relevance. Staff said the initiative is driven in part by a federal grant that requires certain participation outcomes for students with IEPs; the pathway will be open to general-education students as well. The board voted to approve staff’s recommendation and authorized nonmaterial edits as needed for submission to the department of education.

Staff said the district has received approximately $76,000 so far for Pathways-related work and expects modest annual contract funding tied to implementation; staff do not anticipate ongoing school-level costs tied to the diploma pathway beyond local implementation requirements. The motion to approve was made, seconded, and carried by voice vote with no recorded opposition.","Trustees approved staff’s recommendation to submit two innovative course applications—English I: The Entrepreneur’s Voice and English II: The Financially Literate Voice—to the South Carolina Department of Education as part of a CTE-aligned diploma pathway under the federally funded South Carolina Pathways Project.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6607766,"PCSD approves Fox Creek expansion to add middle school grades",694,727000,1421000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514&start=727&end=1421","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514/thumbnail_727000.jpg","/articles/6607766/South-Carolina/PCSD-approves-Fox-Creek-expansion-to-add-middle-school-grades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607766-c21ddeb27bbf9ad09309d12acce4e58d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771045824&Signature=MLM9V71jAWaRzWR3paVOzfZ4Ets159SNrYYDkGqAKH0sRZk3YuVJYrxLLFnnti~7ic8zlyNN5DM2MnsR8LLospexXuCy93CaqUQ2Uc4b7XXefd261sLtPDpO5cxpDjNjUtmvE-mqxL8zHtbNX02oGfQ5Ia64EchLn6Qln-77ARvFJ9Apt1OI~oyWX1-pu-IvOf-G-iVEFOaSksIK1h-QvxIrMSJHfLgppUlzQRo1~L2dQIy0cNe2lIT3f~Sfhqj4cs9DsqTQRgLvup0yEx7Ac28a3FeenNWXXRgspbJxVE31u8abQSsI6r8SmKbXb7vhAIDqz4yys0XWp6UNv9mgAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The South Carolina Public Charter School District Board of Trustees voted April 10 to approve Fox Creek High School’s amendment to expand by adding middle school grades 6–8, with phased enrollment beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

District staff presented an amendment memo describing Fox Creek as a high-performing high school serving nearly 660 students across Aiken and Edgefield counties and reporting a 94% graduation rate. Staff said the expansion would begin with roughly 400 middle-school students in year one, grow to 600 in a subsequent year, and ultimately cap combined middle and high school enrollment at 1,400 students. The school has secured a $21,500,000 USDA rural development loan to construct a 55,000-square-foot middle-school facility on its existing property, with the building scheduled to open in fall 2026, staff said.

Fox Creek’s executive director Josh Trahan and the proposed middle-school principal, Tiffany Shepherd, attended the meeting to answer trustees’ questions. Trustees asked about a recent decline in the school’s fund balance (noted in staff materials as a 1.1 decline), enrollment projections, staffing diversity and certification, and contingency planning for the USDA loan. Trahan said the decline reflected recent capital projects (turf field, bleachers, scoreboard) and required local match and initial borrower contributions tied to the USDA loan, and added that the school had arranged a third-party lender and seen no indication the loan would be withdrawn. He described staffing as improving in diversity compared with the school’s early years and estimated roughly 5–6 Black certified staff members (the speaker said exact counts were not at hand).

Trustees also asked about the school’s financial projections in years three and four after the interest-only period on the loan. Trahan said the loan included an initial borrower contribution and furniture/fixtures/equipment (FF&E) within the loan but that the school plans conservative staffing and enrollment growth to meet mortgage and salary obligations. Trustees noted Fox Creek had no financial audit findings in the last three reports, and the motion to approve the amendment carried without recorded opposition.

Trustees approved the amendment by voice vote. Staff recommended approval; the board recorded the motion, a second, and the voice vote; no roll-call vote with member-by-member tallies was recorded in the transcript.","The South Carolina Public Charter School District Board of Trustees voted to approve Fox Creek High School’s amendment to add grades 6–8, authorizing a phased enrollment and noting the school’s secured USDA loan for facility construction.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6607748,"Votes at a glance: PCSD board actions on April 10, 2025",2375,669000,3044000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514&start=669&end=3044","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514/thumbnail_669000.jpg","/articles/6607748/South-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-PCSD-board-actions-on-April-10-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607748-ac7df456592011af0310c016e4706344/orig.mp4?Expires=1771045824&Signature=gYvWxQBLrV5AdSStH~lg7auHzwTIwZvDtmnIZc3M2BTVbk0sWtq3bIh-rqcLTAiRXNlddlvA3uRLxIbAMbm9~W12QPHB-KNyiGeStEnSD6jfPzTXionglyX4aanMXH84gFlcidJk9zInrJuHyJcU8zPCcmXGCFrw7GDmnARbfCIHqN-BQy6SlPumA3n6eMvijdAICkIpo4eVSMzeWISrtZD9IvvJLtuFUBX9Iw73dkm7Qg2dy00ASeooHw2fswU4ruhkHuDCv9ev0HYWMT4MKFtvvBhvfIflQztIzCvh6nedgf7DwcyfNjNPKSVUKjuqKFETX786Cv-iz3fvSDkNgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The South Carolina Public Charter School District Board of Trustees recorded the following formal actions and outcomes on April 10, 2025.

• Fox Creek amendment (Action Item A) — Motion to approve Fox Creek High School’s amendment to add middle school grades (6–8) beginning with the 2026–27 school year; staff recommended approval. Outcome: approved by voice vote. Key details: phased enrollment (approx. 400 first year), combined enrollment cap 1,400, $21.5M USDA rural development loan for a 55,000 sq ft facility.

• South Carolina Pathways Project innovative courses (Action Item B) — Motion to approve two innovative course applications (English I: The Entrepreneur’s Voice; English II: The Financially Literate Voice) for submission to the South Carolina Department of Education with permission for nonmaterial changes. Outcome: approved by voice vote. Key details: participation in a federally funded Pathways grant; High Point Academy first to implement; staff noted ~$76,000 in related grant funds to date.

• Sea Island Heritage Academy (Action Item C) — Motion to issue a notice of revocation effective June 30, 2025 for Sea Island Heritage Academy as recommended by staff; the school does not oppose issuance and reserves right to request hearing. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

• Rooted Schools Columbia (Action Item D) — Staff requested acceptance of the founding committee’s voluntary withdrawal of the charter application for the 2025 cycle. Motion to accept voluntary withdrawal/deny application as recommended by staff. Outcome: accepted/denied by voice vote.

• Palmetto Excel (Action Item E) — Motion to issue a notice of revocation for Palmetto Excel North Charleston, Sumter and Spartanburg effective June 30, 2025; alternatively, contingent upon securing adequate funding, authorize staff to negotiate an MOA to permit operation for 2025–26 with express agreement to voluntarily surrender the charter by June 30, 2026 if funding is not secured by passage of the FY 2026–27 state budget. Outcome: passed unanimously by voice vote.

• February 2025 financial report — Motion to approve the February 2025 financial report as presented by staff. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

• First reading, FY 2025–26 general fund budget — Motion to approve the first reading of the FY 2025–26 general fund budget as presented by staff. Outcome: approved by voice vote; final figures remain subject to state budget reconciliation.

Where the transcript recorded only a voice vote it did not list member-by-member roll-call tallies. If member-level vote records are required, district minutes or the official board roll-call record should be consulted.","Summary of formal motions taken and outcomes at the April 10 South Carolina Public Charter School District meeting, including approvals, revocation notices, a withdrawal acceptance, and budget actions.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6607753,"PCSD staff report: finance, IT transition, multilingual supports and board onboarding",481,3117000,3598000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514&start=3117&end=3598","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2948171-656a0bb8d6c678fd8e6e5f9896a0f514/thumbnail_3117000.jpg","/articles/6607753/South-Carolina/PCSD-staff-report-finance-IT-transition-multilingual-supports-and-board-onboarding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607753-21b87820a3865dfb3a126dbd665f851c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771045824&Signature=M6OS8ul-1ZVLor7TkfIY5uAnFb6aKpAE5vVe0wQvwcghqSJWnwXOab81UUf91ZsyzQc2AeaqNrm0~9BBF6MgilkQsfcexQTY90x35IJWZu8qrE9uVrRQU1hJi7iFhWPYD2dNHjyvrrOZuRk4MXAwVDX9DzzTM9sQboKCeYrHGX9n-RWkJqckOTyYu5mysyV9~VNkZAS3~5O0E6tuFsWPu17EbwLVSxop5OM3tRiWSHQ8v1dhmMWYF5TfhmHDpQqSK~I~t7MU-g2IqIVxXYOG6GTw-PH-tS4x2XKMPoxr1wsXCpjpT2QnUUQSJYmkA-EB9CEvz0QSM2taLjnfsMPsIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff provided several informational updates April 10 covering February financial results, a planned IT/PowerSchool transition, Title III multilingual-learner funding, board onboarding and other implementation work.

Financial report: Financial services reported that through Feb. 28 the district had received roughly $136.2 million in revenue with expenditures just over $136.0 million, producing a net gain for the year to date of $172,303. The district office reported $555,000 in February revenue and $486,000 in expenditures, a month net gain of about $68,930, and an operating fund balance of approximately $2.7 million. Staff requested board approval of the February 2025 financial report; trustees approved the report by voice vote.

Budget first reading: Finance presented the first reading of the FY 2025–26 general fund budget based on the House budget projection, which includes 45-day membership counts, two new schools, a state minimum teacher salary increase to $48,500 and a proposed 3% cost-of-living increase for staff. The projected general fund revenue figure cited was approximately $5.5 million for district office operations; staff described conservative revenue assumptions and anticipated enrollment growth in the district. Trustees approved the first reading by voice vote.

IT/PowerSchool and staffing: Staff described a transition away from an outsourced PowerSchool/IT partner, the posting of three in-house positions (IT manager, PowerSchool administrator, PowerSchool coordinator), and the elevation of Josh Finley to chief of data, accountability and IT. Staff said the move will reduce purchased-services costs and improve data control; the board heard that more than 90 applicants applied for the IT manager role.

Title III and multilingual learners: Staff outlined Title III obligations under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act supporting multilingual learners and immigrant students, describing screening and annual proficiency review processes and noting the district currently codes about 1,220 multilingual learners (counted on the 180th-day enrollment). Annual Title III funding to the district was described as approximately $69,000–$90,000 plus occasional immigrant funds; staff said a district staff member (Chi Chiabando) oversees the program and that most federal funds are restricted for supplemental uses.

Board onboarding and strategic plan items: Staff completed a board onboarding process for the newest trustee and reported results from a recent board survey indicating trustees want more training in school finance and charter authorization, and a mentor program for new trustees. Staff also described “rapid reflection” activities to improve internal staff understanding of roles and noted dissemination of a new district newsletter and external board relations outreach to school board chairs.

These informational items were presented to the board; the financial report and the first budget reading were approved as described.","Staff reported February financials, a planned in‑house transition for PowerSchool/IT and new hires, Title III multilingual learner funding, board onboarding completion, and other district operations updates.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

PCSD issues notice of revocation for Palmetto Excel campuses, offers conditional MOA if funding secured

PCSD approves two ‘innovative’ English courses for CTE diploma pathway

PCSD approves Fox Creek expansion to add middle school grades

Votes at a glance: PCSD board actions on April 10, 2025

PCSD staff report: finance, IT transition, multilingual supports and board onboarding