General information pertaining to the Charter School Application Process:
For applicants wishing to submit applications to propose schools opening during the 2027-2028 school year or beyond:
- Applications should be submitted via the online dashboard. The deadline for submission of an application is January 30, 2026.
- A letter of intent (LOI) must be submitted to the charter school sponsor at least ninety days before the application deadline (October 31, 2025)
- If submitting an LOI to more than one sponsor, separate LOIs must be completed and submitted accordingly.
- If submitting an LOI for a proposed school with multiple locations/campuses, separate LOIs and applications must be completed and submitted accordingly.
- Please contact the intended sponsor(s) to confirm sponsor-specific LOI submission procedures.
- A copy of the letter of intent must also be submitted to the SCDE by uploading it to Formstack.
- The board of trustees or area commission from which the applicant is seeking sponsorship shall rule on the application for a charter school in a public hearing, upon reasonable public notice, within ninety days of receiving the application.
- Applications must reflect the most recent updates of the South Carolina Charter Schools Act of 1996. Please familiarize yourself with the law to make sure applications meet all of the criteria for submission and that applicants and sponsors are aware of any changes. A copy of the South Carolina Charter Schools Act of 1996 can be found at: http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t59c040.php
Charter School Application Documents
For schools proposing to open in the 2027-2028 School Year:
The application and all accompanying forms/documents are available below for reference and planning purposes:
If you have questions, please contact us at CharterSchools@ed.sc.gov or 803-734-2781.
