Senate adopts amendment giving preference in school-choice program to families at or below 300% of poverty

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Senate on Tuesday adopted an amendment that gives enrollment preference in the state's education scholarship program to children from families at or below 300% of the federal poverty level and clarifies that children already enrolled will be counted as continuing participants.

The amendment, offered on the Senate floor by Senator Hembree, passed on a roll-call vote of 37 to 2. Senator Hembree told colleagues, "This is the amendment that gives preferences to children that are at 300% of poverty," and said it also clarifies that currently enrolled students are carried forward as participants under the program's new name.

Why it matters: The change alters the program's priority tiers as lawmakers plan for the program's expansion and lingering court questions about funding and structure. Senators debated whether the new priority would protect lower-income families or unintentionally favor siblings of current participants whose household incomes differ. The session included extended questioning on implementation, fiscal impact and whether lottery funds or general fund dollars should back the program.

What the amendment does: As adopted, the amendment creates a three-tier priority system: current participants first, siblings of current participants second, and children from households at or below 300% of the federal poverty level third (the amendment makes that income tier an ongoing preference rather…