Higher Education in South Carolina: Cut Administrative Costs and Focus on Student Performance
While South Carolinians can take pride in our state’s higher educational system, costs and tuition have skyrocketed in recent years, even as graduation rates remain below 40 percent. At the…
ACTA PowerPoint Presentation by Dr. Michael Poliakoff
In case you weren’t able to attend the governor’s summit on higher education (held September 28, 2010), we are posting Dr. Michael Poliakoff’s PowerPoint presentation. Dr. Poliakoff is director of…
An Analysis of 2010 SAT Scores, Part II
This is the final report in our ongoing analysis of the state’s 2010 SAT scores.
Improved Access No Excuse for Lower Scores: How S.C. Compares to Other States
Last week, the S.C. Department of Education almost suggested the state’s second-lowest-in-the-nation SAT score was excused by increased participation rates. At the very least, let’s say they focused on increased…
Contrary to DOE Claims, SAT Participation Rate Falls for 2010
Fewer South Carolina students took the SAT in 2010 than in 2009, as participation rates for African-American and white students fell. This finding raises questions about the S.C. Department of…
Districtwide Analysis of S.C. 2010 SAT Scores
As reported earlier, the statewide results of the 2010 SAT have been released by the College Board. Districtwide results are also out now. These are the results: …
South Carolina SAT Scores Second-Lowest in the Nation
South Carolina student performance on the 2010 SAT declined by 5 points to a lowest-in-the-South average composite score of 1447. Students from private schools and religiously affiliated schools again scored…
Who’s Got The Power? Not you…
SC state government has no balance of power. The legislature MAKES laws, EXECUTES laws and elects the judges who INTERPRET laws. Want proof? The SC Legislature controls more than 420 appointments…
An Analysis of 2010 SAT Scores: Part I
As education policy makers across the state await the release of the 2010 SAT scores, it's worth reviewing how South Carolina fared on the 2009 SAT. In Part I of…
Policy Report: Shorten South Carolina’s Legislative Session
Any way you measure it, South Carolina has one of the longest legislative sessions in the country. Such a lengthy session is not only unnecessary, it bars most citizens from…
Policy Report: Record Every Vote
The first step toward holding the legislative leadership accountable for their actions is to hold legislators accountable for their votes. The people of South Carolina have a fundamental right to…
Policy Report: Reform the South Carolina Legislature
South Carolina’s General Assembly has long enjoyed a virtual monopoly of power over the state’s government and economy. The Legislature overshadows the executive branch and controls judicial branch appointments. Likewise,…
Fact Sheet: Reform the Legislature, Shorten Session, Record Every Vote
Advocates of good government in South Carolina have long recognized that the state’s governing structure is outdated, inefficient and not transparent. At the root of the problem is a concentration…
Total State Spending: A 10-Year Overview
As part of an ongoing analysis of state spending trends, this fact sheet looks at total state spending over the past 10 years. Taking this bird’s eye view of the…
South Carolina Counties Score Low in Transparency
In 2009 the General Assembly passed legislation (H 3352) requiring all school districts to post a transaction register online, as well as a copy of the district’s monthly credit card…
Behind the Myths: Education Spending Up 20 Percent Since Start of Recession
The ongoing practice of keeping state spending high, especially in the midst of the “Great Recession” that has lowered the standard of living for many South Carolinians, depends upon the…
Government Hiring Masks Real Unemployment Picture
South Carolina’s unemployment rate has long been among the worst in the country, hitting a high of 12.5 percent in January 2010. As of June 2010 (latest data available), the…
Which Counties Spend the Most of Your Tax Dollars?
As part of our ongoing review of local spending and taxation trends in South Carolina, this Fact Sheet looks at per capita county spending. Like total state spending, local spending…
Special Legislative Report
Download the pdf Business as Usual in South Carolina The General Assembly has just completed this year’s South Carolina legislative session—one it seemed would never end. With it, some things…
Special Legislative Report
It’s business as usual in South Carolina. Out-of-control spending, over-regulation, and an out-of-touch Legislature determined to govern behind closed doors. And while we’ve cringed at political gaffs and ugly politics…
Budget Watch Part IV: Making Sense of the Governor’s Budget Vetoes
The House voted yesterday to sustain 51 of 107 of Governor Sanford’s vetoes. The result is regarded as a victory for the governor, whose past veto record was lackluster at…
Cut the Budget … By Cutting Length of Session
As the S.C. legislative session finally comes to a close this week, it’s worth asking whether lawmakers are making good use of their time – and taxpayer dollars. As the…
Economic Development Bill Rewards Special Interests Over Independent Businesses
One of the final pieces of legislation that may pass the General Assembly this year is an omnibus economic development bill that provides an array of targeted credits and subsidies…
Budget Watch – Part III: 10 of the Worst New Budget Provisos
The total budget for FY10-2011 is $21.149 billion, comprised of $8.268 billion in Federal Funds; $7.766 in Other Funds; and $5.115 billion in General Funds. The budget is almost half…
Retail Incentives Set Stage for 2 Percent Sales Tax Increase
A few months ago it seemed as if the idea of handing out retail tax incentives was all but dead. But, be warned, the last week of session is the…
Budget Watch – Part II: Obesity Coverage Mandate
As the budget goes into conference committee, we will be highlighting issues that currently divide the two chambers. In Part I of this series, we looked at the I-95 Corridor…
Budget Watch – Part I: The I-95 Corridor Authority
The Senate voted today not to concur with the amended House budget – meaning the state budget will head to conference committee. As part of our ongoing budget coverage, we’ll…
Four Easy Cuts: The House Can Reduce Spending by Looking at the Entire State Budget
Cutting spending should be a top priority as the House takes up the proposed Senate budget. As we have previously noted, the proposed Senate budget increases spending by $60 million…
Federal Spending in South Carolina: How Does Your County Rank?
South Carolina is heavily dependent on federal funding, raising questions regarding the state’s fiscal autonomy, as well as its approach to budgeting. But who, really, is getting this money?…
Cut the Budget … By Cutting Length of Session
Download the PDF. As the S.C. legislative session finally comes to a close this week, it’s worth asking whether lawmakers are making good use of their time – and taxpayer…