On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen sits down with Superintendent Chris Neeley for a back-to-basics look at what public charter schools in South Carolina really are, timed to the start of budget season at the State House. Chris clears up the single biggest misconception right away: charter schools are free public schools, open to every student, that never charge a dime of tuition. He explains how the South Carolina Public Charter School District is unlike any other, with boundaries that stretch across the entire state and schools in nearly every zip code, now serving a record 31,000 students across 55 schools after more than doubling since 2020. Along the way, he and Keven get into how the district does more with far less, operating on a fraction of the administrative overhead of a traditional district while welcoming all kids, with no litmus test and no criteria beyond being a South Carolina resident.
The conversation then turns to accountability and the road ahead. Chris makes a candid case for holding every public school to the same standard, sharing why he has been willing to close schools that did not live up to their charter, and why real transparency is what families and taxpayers deserve. He also previews the priorities he will carry into his budget presentations, from a partnership with the Medal of Honor Society to build character and leadership in students to the district's Workforce Centers of Excellence and its deep commitment to military families. Throughout, he returns to a belief that anchors the whole show: that kids need more than a diploma; they need purpose, and that giving them their best shot is a responsibility all of us share. It is a clear, compelling primer on the district and the mission behind it.
🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/
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