South Carolina Supreme Court Strikes Down School Choice Program for Low Income Families

Justices object to a voucher program that allows public funds to go to private schools. The ruling could force some families to switch schools midsemester.

The South Carolina State House in Columbia on May 16, 2023. Logan Cyrus/AFP/Getty Images

The South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled that a key part of the state’s school voucher program is unconstitutional, halting an attempt to help low income families with private school tuition.

The court’s 3–2 decision, issued on Sept. 11, found that the Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) Act violates the state Constitution by directing public funds to private educational institutions.