Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFO)

South Carolina allows individuals, partnerships, corporations, and similar entities to claim a 100 percent tax credit for contributions to approved Scholarship Funding Organizations (SFOs), nonprofits that provide private school scholarships. Individuals, partnerships, corporations, and similar entities can claim tax credits up to 60 percent of their tax liability; however, married couples filing separate returns may only claim half of the tax credit allowed had they filed jointly. The total amount of tax credits awarded statewide is limited to $8 million. Please notify our office immediately if you are interested in this scholarship opportunity @ 803-661-5143.

 

Website Link:

http://www.edchoice.org/School-Choice/Programs/Educational-Credit-for-Exceptional-Needs-Children.aspx

 

 

No Child Left Behind Act - School Choice (NCLB)

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) lets parents send their children to other public schools or to obtain free tutoring for their children if their children are attending an underperforming, unsafe school. The school districts must also pay for transportation costs. It does not cover the costs of sending children to private schools.

 

Website Link:

http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml

 

 

 

Children's Scholarship Fund

The Children's Scholarship Fund provides renewable partial tuition scholarships to allow low-income families to send their children to private and parochial elementary schools (grades K-8). There is no restriction on the type of school, which can include religious schools such as Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Islamic schools, as well as secular schools like Montessori schools. Scholarship recipients are selected in a random drawing from among qualified applicants. All eligible children in the chosen families receive scholarships. Approximately 2% of qualified applicants receive scholarships, with more than one million applying. The average scholarship is about $1,250 to $1,500 per child. Scholarship amounts are based on family size, family income and school. The scholarship may be capped at 25%, 50% or 75% of tuition, depending on family income and a dollar cap on the scholarship. Usually families are required to contribute $500 per year or 25% of tuition, whichever is greater, toward tuition. Financial need is based on the eligibility criteria for the federal free and reduced-price school lunch. Deadlines are usually in the fall preceding the next school year. The Children's Scholarship Fund was founded in 1998 by Ted Forstmann and the late John Walton. It provides matching grants to affiliates in more than 35 cities nationwide.

 

Website Link:

http://www.scholarshipfund.org/drupal1/apply

 

 

 

Alliance for School Choice- Referral inforamation only

The Alliance for School Choice is a national advocacy program for school voucher and scholarship tax credit programs. Their web site includes a database of state school choice programs.

 

Website Link:

http://www.allianceforschoolchoice.org/