For Parents

A VISION for Fixing the Program

Published

5 years ago

August 11, 2020

A parent asked this week if we were “at all hopeful the scholarships may still come through for this school year?”

Well … IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS HERE SHORTLY. It can be done … easily … “if” the remaining 4 board members work cooperatively in supporting this vision.

THE VISION TO FIX EXCEPTIONAL SC

If we can win adding back CONSTITUTIONAL”independent non-profits” when the legislature returns on September 15th, CPAs will be comfortable to recommend the program to their clients, people that actually care about the kids will be involved (not just “paid” fundraisers) … and we have no doubt that the collective “we” (ourselves and other groups who want to get involved) will raise the full 2020 available $12 million by 12/31 …. and next year’s available $12 million in early January 2021.

We have personally done it before … independent non-profits are doing it today all across the nation … EASY!!!

That is $24 million raised for scholarships in the next 6 months … by 1/31/2021 … which will turn this mess around FAST … REAL FAST!!!

The legislative language is already drafted and LOTS of legislators are behind it an ready to go.

Who is not behind it yet … who have we not heard from yet … the Exceptional SC Board.

If they do nothing September 15th when the legislature comes back into session … or more of the same … we will be lucky if Exceptional SC raises a few million dollars over the next 6 to 12 months. That is their track record … so why keep doing the same?

HOW CAN YOU HELP?:

PLEASE – Contact EXCEPTIONAL SC BOARD:

Ask them if they will support INDEPENDENT NON-PROFITS. Ask them if they will meet to discuss a solution. It is not hard … but the time for them to speak-up is NOW!!!

Betsy Fanning, Head of School, Trident Academy. bfanning@tridentacademy.com, 843-884-7046 x111 (school)

Michael Acquilano, Director, South Carolina Catholic Conference. MAcquilano@catholic-doc.org 843-261-0535 (office) 843-709-2717 (cell)

Edward Earwood, Executive Director, South Carolina Association of Christian Schools. eearwood@christianeducation.org 803-798-7558 (office) 843-513-5010 (cell)

Dr. Spencer Jordan, Executive Director, SCISA. administration@scisa.org & sjordan@scisa.org 803-535-4820 (office)

And we DON’T have a lot of time: If the remaining four board members at Exceptional SC don’t get together with us … and start working together in the next week or so … we won’t get anything accomplished when the SC Legislature goes back to Columbia on SEPTEMBER 15th.

It’s NOW … or the 2020-2021 program year is lost.

CALL your Exceptional SC Board Member … TODAY!!!

For Parents

“Real” School Choice Bill Is Here

Published

3 years ago

December 6, 2021

PALMETTOKIDSFIRST

County Republican Parties (although this should not be a partisan issue) from around South Carolina are coming together to support “real” school choice … and to FIX the (not so) Exceptional SC debacle.

On Monday, December 6th, 2021, Senator Tom Davis (R – Beaufort) filed S903 … the PACE Scholarship Bill. Senator Brian Adams (R – Dorchester / Berkeley) who has been working with our friends in the Dorchester County Republican Party promptly joined on.

P.A.C.E Scholarship, a $100 MILLION school choice scholarship tax credit bill is out.

> $25 Million for Exceptional Needs (our hot issue)

> $25 Million for Disadvantaged / Low-Income

> $10 Million for Home School

> $40 Million for Kids moving from Public to Independent Schools (just like in Georgia)

https://www.palmettokidsfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/PACEBill.pdf

The below graphic is the general structure. For our families, no real change except that Exceptional SC will be gone (finally) and INDEPENDENT NON-PROFITS will raise the tax credit donations and issue scholarships. Same qualifications to receive a scholarship … and same $11,000 maximum … only difference is this structure works everywhere!!!

Email or call us with any questions. We will let you know how you can help make this a reality in the coming weeks. #NeverSurrender!!!

For Parents

PKF FLASHBACK: “Who” Recommended this (not so) Exceptional SC

Published

3 years ago

November 5, 2021

PALMETTOKIDSFIRST

*https://www.postandcourier.com/aikenstandard/news/palmetto-promises-weaver-makes-recommendations-to-improve-education-in-south-carolina/article_e35cc85e-34e9-11ec-bc4f-272ce62ad918.html*

FLASHBACK – “Who” Destroyed SC Private School Choice Program: Remember, it was May 2016 … the Department of Revenue had already finished their nefarious politically targeted faux “audit” of Palmetto Kids FIRST. The Department, obviously working on behalf of nefarious legislators, claimed they wanted “peace” and just compliance with the law (although we did comply completely by the way, which is why they refused to shut us down as then we would prove it in COURT). But in the last 45 MINUTES of the SC Legislative Session that year, the proposal was brought up and passed to give 100% control the the GOVERNMENT … 100% control of the ENTIRE PROGRAM.

They couldn’t shut us down, they couldn’t stop us from raising the tax credits and issuing scholarships, they couldn’t stop us from making the program successful … so they proposed taking over the ENTIRE PROGRAM … and where are we today??? Complete failure and the Nation’s Worst Rated Independent School Choice Program.

YES, these nefarious parties (generally Republicans and their “monied” special interest and “paid” advocates) got everything they wanted … they DESTROYED independent school choice in SC … and many lives and schools in the process.

And guess “who” came up with and/or supported the idea that DESTROYED independent school choice in SC … as an “Independent Conservative Think Tank” … Jim DeMint, Ellen Weaver & Palmetto Promise Institute!!!

https://www.palmettokidsfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2016-05-2X-PPI-Legislative-Analysis-ECENC.pdf?ct=t%282021-10-30+-+Palmetto+Kids+FIRST%29

#FollowTheMoney

You won’t find that “Legislative Analysis” on the Palmetto Promise Institute website anymore … nor will you find the multiple other MAJOR “flubs”. They really are WRONG on A LOT of things … and history has proven it … and we have saved it all.

REMEMBER THIS DEBACLE? It was our October 1, 2016 Saturday Morning Parents Update. Ellen Weaver & Palmetto Promise “congratulated” Nevada … they were legitimately happy with the result even though all the kids suffered and the PROGRAM was completely shut down … and NO CHILDREN ever received a scholarship.

It was the biggest debacle in School Choice History (perhaps until Tennessee in 2020 which they supported too).

On September 29th, 2016, Ellen Weaver & Palmetto Promise “congratulated” Nevada … while that same day the Republican Governor of Nevada confirmed the ruling KILLED the ESA program … and the Republican State Treasurer who had pushed for the program APOLOGIZED to the families hurt by this whole debacle. But Palmetto Promise was happy??? It really is sick.

SUMMER 2020 – the $32 MILLION Debacle: And nobody is going to forget the debacle last summer … and the $1.4 MILLION ClassWallet “contract. That was another brainchild of the FAIL policies of Jim DeMint, Ellen Weaver & Palmetto Promise Institute.

It is all pretty sick stuff … but why do we care? Because this week SC State Superintendent of Education, Molly Spearman, announced she will not be running for re-election. Ok, so what?

Well … Ellen Weaver is rumored to be running for the position.

She / they / the “monied” special interest want her to RUN all of SC Education!!!

Is this what the call “failing up”???

More to come … but stay tuned!!!

For Parents

Only $165,579 raised in September

Published

3 years ago

October 19, 2021

PALMETTOKIDSFIRST

Friends, it is not really getting any better is it?

Our personal SC State Representative, Jason Elliott (R – Greenville) … not someone we like anymore as he has lied to us for years now and is working with his PAID ADVOCATE “masters” at Palmetto Promise Institute (Jim DeMint, Ellen Weaver & “Dr.” Oran Smith) … promised that his bill H 3899 that became law on May 17th, 2021 would fix everything.

IT HAS NOT!!!

On September 14th, 2021, (not so) Exceptional SC announced that there would be NO FALL SCHOLARSHIPS. Why? Because they don’t have the money because Rep. Jason Elliott’s H 3899 was a LIE and a COMPLETE FAILURE!!!

#FollowTheMoney!!!!

We dug the top picture up from the archives … what Jason told us a while back. The schools are satisfied??? #Really??? He doesn’t respond anymore … curious why? Sad …

And this from last summer / fall. Remember Jason & Palmetto Promise Institute‘s other bright idea. A lawsuit was filed the day after their idea was announced … and the trial court IMMEDIATELY SHUT IT DOWN!!!