SC Public Charter School District Kids First Podcast

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes back Sara Jane Arnett of the Military Child Education Coalition, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. As a new school year begins, the three look at what that transition means through a military lens, a perspective Sara Jane knows firsthand as a military mom whose family has moved again and again. She opens up about the reality of PCS season and the fact that military-connected children often change schools many times before they graduate, and she shares why the Purple Star designation has been such a lifeline for families trying to find the right fit from one state to the next. Chris explains the pride behind the district becoming what he believes is the first and only statewide Purple Star district in the country, reaching military families in every corner of South Carolina.The conversation then turns to the emotional side that outsiders rarely see, from the quiet stress children carry during a deployment to the signs parents and educators can learn to spot. Sara Jane previews the support the Coalition is bringing to the district's leadership summit this fall, and shares a striking statistic about how military-connected students in South Carolina have been performing year after year. Both guests reflect on the idea of building a "village" wherever the military sends you, and close with heartfelt, hard-earned advice: Sara Jane for the spouses holding things together at home, and Chris, drawing on his own deployments, for the service members serving far away. It is a warm, honest, and deeply human look at how the right school community can help military kids not just adjust, but thrive.🔗 Learn more: https://militarychild.org/

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Kevin Mason, Executive Director of the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Mason explains what the Alliance actually does, serving as a statewide voice for charter schools of every model, mission, and size, advocating for them at the State House and beyond, walking alongside them on the operational side, and amplifying the good work happening in classrooms across South Carolina. Together, he and Chris tackle one of the most stubborn misconceptions in education, the idea that "charter" means private or costly, when in fact these are tuition-free public schools open to any student in the state. They also dig into why the deep commitment charter parents make, including getting their children to school without the convenience of a bus, so often translates into real success.From there, the conversation turns to the work of leveling the playing field. Mason and Neeley make the case that charter schools are delivering strong results with significantly less funding per student, and that the goal is not necessarily more money in education but a fairer way of allocating what the state already spends. They talk candidly about the families in rural communities who still have no public school choice at all, the untapped potential in counties across South Carolina, and why the whole effort keeps coming back to a single idea: connecting with each student and putting kids first. It is a clear-eyed, energizing look at the partnership working to expand opportunity for families statewide.🔗 Learn more: https://sccharterschools.org/

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Kelli Campbell and Dr. Jacinta Bryant of Acceleration Academies, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Together they unpack a simple truth that drives everything the academies do: a traditional high school is not built for every student, and when a young person struggles, the reason is usually something happening in life rather than an inability to do the work. Campbell shares a few short student stories that capture exactly who these tuition-free public charter schools are for, from a teen who needed a fresh start to one balancing full-time work to another who simply needed to focus on one course at a time. With locations serving the Myrtle Beach, North Charleston, and Summerville areas, the academies are reaching hundreds of students across South Carolina who might otherwise have slipped away.The conversation goes deeper into what makes the model work, including a flexible hybrid schedule, a "one course at a time" approach, and wraparound support from content coaches and mentors who help students clear the non-academic barriers standing in their way. Campbell and Bryant describe welcoming, lounge-like spaces designed around real student needs, along with community partnerships that have helped young people facing homelessness and other hardships not just graduate, but build a life afterward. Woven throughout is a belief Chris Neeley returns to often: that every child carries a spark, and that the right environment can help that spark catch fire. It is a hopeful, eye-opening look at how second chances become success stories.🔗 Learn more: https://www.accelerationacademies.org/our-locations/south-carolina/

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Ashley Lang and Rebecca Kick of York Preparatory Academy in Rock Hill, joined by Brad Henry of the South Carolina Public Charter School District. The two share what makes York Prep so distinctive, starting with a sprawling 43-acre campus that houses all of grades K through 12 in one place, home to roughly 1,700 students and ranked among the largest brick-and-mortar charter schools in the state. Lang and Kick describe the close family and community culture that grows when siblings, cousins, and friends all come up through the same campus, and Kick explains her role as pathways director, guiding students from kindergarten all the way to graduation, so that earning a diploma is only the beginning of the plan.The conversation then turns to an exciting new chapter: the Ready to Work program, a first-of-its-kind partnership with York Technical College that brings instructors and equipment directly onto York Prep's campus. In just nine weeks, juniors and seniors can earn four industry certifications with no eligibility requirements to get started, opening doors to high-demand careers in fields like welding, HVAC, and construction. Lang and Kick talk about why meeting students where they are matters, how York Prep pairs this with dual enrollment options that let students finish real college credit for free, and why a graduation rate near the top of the state means little if young people walk across the stage without a clear next step. It is an energizing look at a school determined to send students into the world truly ready for whatever comes next.🔗 Learn more: https://www.yorkprepsc.org/

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Corey Bedenbaugh, the 2026 South Carolina Teacher of the Year, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Corey reflects on his years teaching eighth-grade social studies and why South Carolina history lands so powerfully with students when they can connect it to the places they already know. He shares the philosophy behind his teacher of the year theme, that the little things create the biggest impact, and offers advice for new teachers heading into their first classroom this fall. He also opens up about the second-grade teacher who convinced a small-town kid from Saluda County that any dream was possible, and how that memory redirected his life away from the career he first thought he wanted.The conversation then turns to what comes next. Corey talks about his new role at the South Carolina Department of Education, leading the effort to strengthen civics education statewide, and the mindset shift that helped him say yes to leaving the classroom he loved. He explains why so many students see civics as something distant and disconnected from their daily lives, what the Palmetto Civics Project aims to change about that, and why he believes the future civic leaders of the state are already sitting in classrooms today. Keven and Chris add their own take on why local community involvement matters just as much as anything happening in Washington. It is a warm, encouraging conversation about calling, character, and the lasting influence of one great teacher.🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Debbie Vaughn, Development Director at Lakes & Bridges Charter School in Easley, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley. Debbie shares what makes this school unlike almost any other in the state: every single student has a diagnosis of or characteristics of dyslexia. She explains how specialized, individualized instruction built on the Orton-Gillingham approach helps students who once struggled, and sometimes came in reading grades below level, build confidence, close gaps, and rediscover a love of learning. Along the way, Keven and Chris reflect on how early identification and the power of parental choice are changing the story for families across South Carolina.The conversation also celebrates just how far Lakes & Bridges has come, from becoming the first alternative education campus in the state to earn an "Excellent" on the South Carolina report card to Debbie's recent invitation to testify before a United States Senate committee on behalf of students with dyslexia. She offers heartfelt advice for parents who sense their child may be struggling, and shares a graduation story that captures exactly why this work matters. It is an encouraging, eye-opening look at how the right environment can unlock a child's full potential.🔗 Learn more: https://www.lakesandbridges.org/

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen sits down with Superintendent Chris Neeley for a special Freedom Week conversation as America marks its 250th birthday. The two reflect on how easy it is to take our freedoms for granted, sharing what they took away from recent trips through American history, from the Henry Ford Museum to Boston's Freedom Trail. Woven through it all is one idea: the enduring connection between our nation's history and the power of education to shape what comes next.The conversation then turns to the children who will carry the torch forward. Chris explains his belief that every child is born with a "spark" that educators and families are called to protect and grow. He calls kids our greatest natural resource, pointing to how far the South Carolina Public Charter School District has come, now serving more than 30,000 students with strong gains among students of poverty and students with disabilities. It is an optimistic, patriotic look at why encouraging every child's spark may be one of the greatest ways we can prepare for America's next 250 years.🔗 Learn more: https://sccharter.org/

On this episode of Kids First, Keven Cohen welcomes Curtis Baker, Principal at LEAD Academy, joined by Superintendent Chris Neeley.Now in his seventh year leading the Greenville charter school, Baker shares how LEAD Academy has spent fifteen years building something rare: a K-8 community where character carries the same weight as academics. The whole approach grows from a four-part mission that students live out every day: be nice, work hard, serve well, and have fun. Baker explains how those words shape everything from the classroom to the culture families feel the moment they walk through the door, and why the school treats its nine years with each student as nine years to develop a leader.The conversation digs into the specifics that set LEAD apart, including daily "crew time" built on the idea that students are crew, not passengers, a required community service commitment that has produced thousands of completed service hours, and a deliberate move to pull back on screens and put great teachers back at the center of learning. Baker also talks about the school's career-driven partnerships with names like BMW and ReWa, the profile of independently responsible, critically thinking graduates LEAD aims to send into high school and beyond, and what local high schools are noticing about LEAD students once they arrive. It is a candid look at how one Upstate school is preparing young people not just to test well, but to lead.🔗 Learn more: https://myleadacademy.com/