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PCSD issues notice of revocation for Palmetto Excel campuses, offers conditional MOA if funding secured
Summary
The PCSD Board voted to issue notices of revocation for Palmetto Excel campuses in North Charleston, Sumter and Spartanburg effective June 30, 2025, while permitting a conditional MOA to keep operations for one additional year if sustainable funding is secured.
The South Carolina Public Charter School District Board of Trustees voted April 10 to issue formal notices of revocation for Palmetto Excel campuses in North Charleston, Sumter and Spartanburg effective June 30, 2025, while authorizing staff to negotiate a time-limited memorandum of agreement (MOA) to allow operation in the 2025–26 school year only if a stable, sustainable funding source is secured.
Superintendent Neely briefed the board at length, describing serious oversight issues in the pilot adult-education charter’s first year, including transcript irregularities, excessive awarding of credits and failure to implement an approved proficiency-based instructional model. Neely said the issues were raised by the South Carolina Department of Education and the Governor’s Office and that some problems predated current school leadership. He noted Palmetto Excel received approximately $1.3 million in public funding in its first year and awarded 13 graduates—roughly $100,000 per diploma under that accounting—with the school trending toward a higher number of diplomas this year but still short of charter expectations.
Neely said the district supports adult-focused charter options in principle but must balance mission support with legal obligations, fiscal stewardship and accountability. He said staff recommended revocation due to ongoing uncertainty about funding and policy direction from the General Assembly and the Governor. The board motion directed staff to issue a notice of revocation effective June 30, 2025 for the three campuses cited but authorized negotiation of an MOA that would permit the school to operate under its current charter for 2025–26 solely to secure long-term funding; the MOA would require a voluntary surrender of the charter by June 30, 2026 if adequate funding were not obtained by passage of the FY 2026–27 state budget.
Trustees debated and asked clarifying questions about authorization length (the schools were in year two of their charters), the financial metrics cited by the superintendent, and the scope of an MOA. After discussion, the board approved the motion on a unanimous voice vote.
