On Wednesday, April 17, the Charter Institute at Erskine Board welcomed three new applicant groups to the Institute family. Together, these three charter groups will result in ten new schools and 14,300 new students in the pipeline.
“We welcome Ascent Classical Academies, Charter Lab School, and Legacy Traditional Schools to the Institute family with our main goal in mind – transforming the next generation of American citizens,” said Director of Authorization, Kristin Olcott. “Having worked with their application teams throughout this process, I believe the hard work and dedication that they have shown up until this point are a strong indicator of the immense impact that they will make on South Carolina’s children.”
Get to know them better below:
Ascent Classical Academies of South Carolina
Approved
Locations: Three (ACA-Charleston, ACA-Columbia, and ACA-Greenville)
Grades: K-8, K-12 at full matriculation
Proposed opening date: Fall 2026 or later
Mission: Ascent Classical Academy trains the minds and improves the hearts of young people through a classical, content-rich education in the liberal arts and sciences, with instruction in the principles of moral character and civic virtue in an orderly, disciplined environment.
Ascent Classical Academies is working with the Institute to develop a network of schools in South Carolina. The ACA Application Group submitted four charter applications in 2023, and has received approvals for those charters located in Irmo, Fort Mill, Upstate, and Charleston/Lowcountry. ACA-Fort Mill will open in Fall 2024 as K-8 schools, and ACA-Upstate, ACA-Irmo, and ACA-Charleston/Lowcountry are set to open in Fall 2025.
The three locations approved in this charter application cycle are in addition to those four other charters approved in the 2023 application cycle, resulting in Ascent Classical Academies of South Carolina having seven approved charter applications.
Overall, ACA offers an American Classical Education, which is well-rounded in the liberal arts and sciences. Each location consists of a Grammar School (K-6) and an Upper School (7-12).
Conditionally Approved
Location: Gaston, SC
Grades: K-6, K-8 at full matriculation
Proposed opening date: August 2025
Mission: To develop moral character and academic excellence in the current generation of young Americans.
The Institute Board has conditionally approved Charter Lab School and requested that the planning committee submit additional documentation to address the identified sections of the charter application to meet Institute expectations. If fully approved, this unique charter school will provide a well-rounded, nature-based education unlike anything else in South Carolina.
This school is anticipated to be located in the Mission Lake Wilderness Camp, which consists of over 2,000 acres of natural land. This unique campus will lead to opportunities for immersive learning experiences, like nature walks, living laboratory projects, and more. As a Lab School, CLS will have partnerships with higher education institutions and businesses to design, test, and develop teachers and students in innovative new educational models.
Students will learn the A.M.E.R.I.C.A.N. virtues – Accountability; Mindfulness; Excellence; Respect; Integrity; Courage; Action; Noble-Mindedness. There will also be an emphasis on the importance of exposing students to the workforce through classroom activities like interviews, resumes, job shadowing, and career research.
Approved
Locations: Six (LTS-Charleston 1, LTS-Charleston 2, LTS-Columbia 1, LTS-Columbia 2, LTS-Greenville 1, LTS-Greenville 2)
Grades: K-8 (LTS-Columbia 2 will be K-12 at full matriculation)
| Campus | Opening Year | Year 1 Enrollment | Year 1 Grade Span | Full Matriculation Enrollment | Full Matriculation Grade Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia #1 | 25-26 | 1,000 | K-8 | 1,350 | K-8 |
| Charleston #1 | 25-26 | 1,000 | K-8 | 1,350 | K-8 |
| Greenville #1 | 26-27 | 1,000 | K-8 | 1,350 | K-8 |
| Columbia #2 | 26-27 | 1,250 | K-8 | 2,945 | K-12 |
| Charleston #2 | 27-28 | 1,000 | K-8 | 1,350 | K-8 |
| Greenville #2 | 28-29 | 1,000 | K-8 | 1,350 | K-8 |
Proposed opening date: LTS-Columbia 1 & LTS-Charleston 1 are set to open in Fall 2025, LTS-Greenville 1 & LTS-Columbia 2 are set to open in Fall 2026, LTS-Charleston is set to open in Fall 2027, and LTS-Greenville 2 is set to open in Fall 2028.
Mission: To provide all students with the opportunity to achieve academic excellence in an accelerated, back-to-basics, safe learning environment taught by caring, knowledgeable, and highly effective educators.
The Legacy Traditional Schools Applicant Team has a plan to gradually open new charter schools across the state of South Carolina over the next 4 years, subsequently adding six new schools to the Institute’s portfolio.
Legacy Traditional Schools offer a back-to-basics education, meaning a strong focus on achieving mastery of the basic skills of reading, writing, and math as the foundation for success in all areas of study. There are also increased focuses on positive discipline and citizenship.
LTS intends to partner with Vertex Education, its proposed EMO that currently supports 28 successful Legacy Traditional Schools across Arizona, Nevada, and Texas.
The Institute looks forward to supporting these schools in their efforts to bring an excellent education to communities across the state. The additions to the Institute portfolio thus far have been intentional, with the hopes of bringing school choice to the families who could benefit from it the most.
“We have grown very strategically, seeking to reach into our rural communities, seeking to reach into areas of high need, and to create high-quality educational options that reinforce the values of South Carolina families,” said Institute Superintendent Cameron Runyan.
Follow along on the Institute’s social media to witness these new schools’ journeys from approval to opening their doors in just a few short years!
