On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Teshia McIver of the Palmetto Promise Institute, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Teshia introduces Palmetto NavigatEd, the parent-focused resource her team built to help South Carolina families understand and use the state's Education Scholarship Trust Fund, or ESTF. She and Keven walk through how the program came to be, including the legal twists that once left families in limbo, and how the Palmetto Promise Institute stepped in with a rescue fund and a mission to make sure parents always have a place to turn for clear, accurate answers. Chris shares a point of pride too: that the South Carolina Public Charter School District was the very first district to sign on to the program, opening another door for the families it serves.
From there, the conversation gets practical and personal. Teshia explains who the ESTF is really designed to help, how funds can go toward real needs like transportation and tutoring, and why that support can be a game changer for families in rural areas or those choosing a charter school that does not provide transportation. Woven throughout is a message both guests return to again and again: there is no one-size-fits-all school, parents know their own children better than any system does, and choosing what is right for your child is never a betrayal of your community. It is an empowering, information-packed episode aimed at helping every family find the fit that lets their child thrive.
🔗 Learn more: https://www.palmettonavigated.org/
","author_name":"SC Public Charter School District"}