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Board accepts Movement School Bridgeview's voluntary relinquishment; district to support student transitions
Summary
The SC Public Charter School District board accepted Movement School Bridgeview's voluntary relinquishment after Movement Schools cited persistent enrollment shortfalls, transportation barriers and financial unsustainability; the district approved a transition plan and noted June 4 as the campus's final day of instruction.
The SC Public Charter School District board on April 23 voted to accept the voluntary relinquishment of Movement School Bridgeview's charter, following a presentation from the school's CEO that described enrollment and operational challenges.
Kerry Ann Thomas, the Movement Schools chief executive who spoke at the meeting, said the decision "was a strategic decision, not an actual failure," and framed it as driven by persistent enrollment shortfalls and structural barriers. Staff materials included enrollment figures showing the campus hit about 43% of projected capacity in its first year, roughly 60% in its second year and is projected to be at about 61% next year.
Thomas told trustees transportation and staffing were major obstacles: families faced long commutes, local bus providers were limited to a single remaining option and the local teacher market made it difficult for a smaller charter to compete with nearby higher-paying school districts. She said Movement Schools had subsidized the campus, including more than $3 million in support, but concluded the site could not sustain itself under the network's expansion model.
Board staff recommended the board accept a formal resolution from the school's governing board submitted April 2, 2026, and outlined a transition plan. The plan includes support for families (school-choice fairs, personalized academic reports and outreach to nearby charter partners), staff placement assistance including a $1,000 transition bonus for employees, resume and hiring support, additional PTO for interviews, and options for transfers within the Movement network in Charlotte, N.C., or Atlanta, Ga. Staff noted the school's governing board voted to close the campus with a final day of instruction on June 4, 2026.
The board moved and passed the staff recommendation by voice vote. Trustees asked staff to monitor transition arrangements and to ensure any receiving school's enrollment processes comply with law (a trustee asked whether a taking school could admit Bridgeview students without a lottery; staff said the details of any such arrangement would need to be structured carefully and reviewed for legal compliance).
The board's acceptance does not change the district's stated intent to work with Movement Schools on future openings under a different model and location strategy. Thomas told trustees Movement Schools intends to pursue further opportunities in South Carolina under a multi-campus approach and asked the board to partner on site selection and market analysis.
