House subcommittee backs charter-school enrollment preference for military families, keeps 20% cap

House Bill 3862, which would add active-duty military families to the list of permitted enrollment preferences under the Charter School Act, was reported favorably as amended by the South Carolina House Education and Public Works subcommittee on Feb. 4, 2025.

The bill adds “students who are members of a military service family that reside or are stationed in the state” to allowable preference categories and caps that preference at 20% of a charter school’s enrollment. Representative-level committee members also preserved a separate provision allowing charter schools located on military installations to reserve up to 50% of seats for military families; the committee restored the word “priority” for that provision by unanimous consent before advancing the bill.

Why it matters: Supporters said…