Open a New Charter School

Each new school application cycle begins with a Letter of Intent submitted in November to the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) and the desired authorizer(s). 

Download the S.C. Department of Education (SCDE) Letter of Intent (LOI) form. When completing the LOI form, indicate your intent to apply to open a charter school with the Charter Institute at Erskine as the intended sponsor. Upload the LOI to the SCDE Formstack Portal and also submit a copy of the Letter of Intent to [email protected]. The submission deadline is November 1, 2023 by 5:00 P.M.

 

The mission of the Charter Institute at Erskine is to authorize high-quality charter schools that elevate educational opportunities through innovation and creativity. Applicants are encouraged to attend, review, and participate in trainings provided by the Charter Institute at Erskine, the South Carolina Department of Education, and the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina. New charter applications are submitted in February via the SCDE portal and  then reviewed by the Institute. After receiving a recommendation report for an application, the Charter Institute at Erskine Board of Directors votes to approve or deny the new charter.