Traditional public schools – often called neighborhood schools – are the education option most familiar to many people. They are free, tax-supported schools controlled by a local school district and board and typically students are assigned to them based upon where they live.
What To Do:
• Visit South Carolina’s State Department of Education at for a complete list of K-12 public schools. You may compare school report cards.
• Call your local school and make an appointment to visit.
• Charter schools (pages 4-5), magnet schools (pages 8-9) and many virtual schools (pages 14-15) are 100% public schools. Although they are organized differently, they still must accept all students and are accountable to train teachers and measure student achievement just like a traditional public school.