A bill has been introduced to expand the Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) program to be universally available; it is expected to be heard on the floor of the House of Representatives next Wednesday. For the 2024-2025 school year, the program is only available to families with incomes that do not exceed 200% of the federal poverty guideline. This will increase to 300% next year and 400% the following year. The bill would allow all S.C. families to participate right away.
The ESTF program allows parents to utilize state funding toward their children’s education for approved uses, which includes our Catholic schools. If all families in South Carolina qualify, parents will have more freedom to choose the education best fit for their unique children.
The S.C. House is debating the expanded bill this coming week. It will be very beneficial to have students in the gallery during deliberations, so our representatives see the children who benefit from Catholic education. The session will convene at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 20.
Please make the effort to bring students to the State House as you are able. We want to demonstrate our strong commitment to making Catholic education accessible to all families. Join us and show your support!
Click HERE to send a message to your representative and urge them to support H. 5164 - ESTF Expansion!