South Carolina Education Trust Fund Recipients

05/25/2026

Idlehurst is an approved ESTF Direct Pay tutor and we couldn’t agree with them more.

Today is not just another quiet day on the farm.

It’s a day of reflection. A day of gratitude. A day of remembering the men and women who gave their lives for this country and the freedoms we often take for granted.

While the horses still need feeding and the sun still rises over the pastures, today carries a different kind of weight. Freedom was not given lightly. It was defended through courage, sacrifice, and lives laid down far from home by people who believed in something bigger than themselves.

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor those who never made it home. We remember the families who carry that sacrifice long after the uniforms are folded away. And we remain deeply grateful for the freedoms we get to live each day because of them.

Today the farm is still but our gratitude runs deep.

05/21/2026

Learning doesn’t stop just because it’s summer! Rainbow Resource Center, Inc. is an approved ESTF Direct Pay vendor that offers free curriculum consultations and so many other free resources! Tune in tomorrow at 2PM EST for a chance to win a free fun filled basket, because they know learning doesn’t mean boring!

Free stuff, what!?

Tune in Friday at 1 CST as your Rainbow Curriculum Consultants go LIVE on our YouTube channel to take your questions!

Details on how to enter to win this giveaway will be given during our Live YouTube event on Friday, May 22nd at 1CST!

05/20/2026

Mini grants for public and private schools- including those schools serving ESTF students!

Applications are open for the 2026 Learn to Farm Classroom Mini-Grants! This program provides funding to support classroom project that enhance students' understanding of agriculture, farming and food systems.

This year, the SCFB Young Farmers and Ranchers are expanding the program to offer two $500 mini-grants per SC Farm Bureau district. That means we'll award eight mini-grants across the state!

Application deadline is September 7, 2026. Learn more and apply online: www.scfb.org/mini-grant 🌱

05/12/2026

Currently the ESTF does not guarantee sport extracurricular options or PE outside of schools, but The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that should change.

Access isn’t just for fun as it has educational benefits as well. Have you reached out to your legislators so kids can access sports outside of the school they attend?

It may look like free time — but doctors say recess is doing serious work for students.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is warning schools not to cut back on unstructured play, saying it directly benefits kids’ health, focus, and behavior in class.

05/07/2026

Thank you Representative Long for again informing our state leaders that the ESTF is not a voucher system!

05/01/2026

Parents continue to need options! Unbundling options for parents of children on the autism spectrum can mean life or death. Encourage your representatives to increase the ESTF scholarship allowance to the 20,000 students that the Governor approved.

New students to the program need access to unbundling providers as well. Senators voted to remove that option last week. Let legislators know all students need access to an education that supports their needs.

☎️☎️ Reach out to your legislators as they prepare for next week
Find your legislators here ⬇️⬇️
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php

A behavioral specialist faces charges after a student with autism died at a Texas school: http://www.12news.com/article/news/nation-world/texas-student-autism-dies-school-behavioral-therapist-charged/507-5b408071-22a4-4b4b-8bbc-ffaada19c049?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_12News

04/29/2026

Internship opportunity for a possible high school senior! This is why hands on learning matters. It prepares students for real world services that are needed in our state and beyond.

Looking for the ultimate summer gig? Become a Recreational Waters Intern with SCDES!

If you love being outdoors and want a job that actually makes a difference in your community, this is for you. You’ll travel your region, test water quality, and help keep South Carolinians safe while they stay cool.

The Perks:
~ Competitive pay ($15-$17/hr.)
~ State vehicle provided for field travel
~ College credit potential (check with your school!)
~ Weekend-free schedule

We have spots available all over SC—from the Upstate to the Coast.
👉 Ready to dive in? Visit our careers webpage to find the "Recreational Waters Intern" posting for your region!
🔗 governmentjobs.com/careers/sc/scdes

04/25/2026

🚨 URGENT: Don’t Let SC Students Lose Their Schooling!

Families across South Carolina were just promised a future, and now it’s being threatened. The Senate recently passed a budget with a proviso that could strip away approved ESTF funding for the 2026-2027 school year—specifically targeting hundreds of new students who were already accepted into the program.

These families are now in limbo, wondering if the "free and appropriate education" they were promised will disappear before the start of the new school year.

📝 We need you to act! Please contact your state House legislators today. Tell them to stand up for our families and ensure these approved funds and parent-led options remain in place.

Find your legislators here ☑️
https://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php

They call it a free appropriate public education.

In reality, families pay for evaluations.
Pay for tutors.
Pay for advocates.
Pay for attorneys.
Pay with missed work, lost sleep, and years of stress.

When literacy depends on a family’s resources, the system is not providing equal opportunity.
It is institutionalizing a permanent underclass.

Literacy is a fundamental civil right. Let’s treat it like one.

04/22/2026

Learner-centered education sounds promising! How many schools in South Carolina offer this approach?

❤️

'New case study research of these schools, shared exclusively with The 74, was published recently by Education Reimagined, a national nonprofit that helps schools implement learner-centered education.

It’s an approach where young people have ownership of their education, learn in their communities and show their knowledge through multiple ways, not just tests, according to the nonprofit.'

04/08/2026

Did you know 3D printers are not an allowable expense with ESTF funds? ❌ While libraries are great, not every student lives near a maker lab.

Imagine if every student had access to the tools to create and help others—just like the inspiring young man in this video. 🛠️✨

Let's make hands-on learning a reality for everyone, regardless of their zip code. 📍📖