Special education in South Carolina

What South Carolina calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in South Carolina

Special education is called

Special Education

The IEP meeting

IEP team meeting

Eligibility team

Evaluation team

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days. From district receipt of consent; eligibility within 15 days after evaluation (S.C. Code Regs. 43-243)

IEP timeline

30 days (federal)

Transition planning starts

13 (verified S.C. Code 59-33-360)

Rights transfer to the student at

Developmental delay category

3 to 9 (child count)

Dyslexia law

yes: S.C. Code 59-155-150 (Read to Succeed): universal K-3 screening incl. characteristics of dyslexia

Find your district and schools

94 districts and charter districts. 22 special education schools and 103 public charter schools.

Get your Hall Pass Schools in South Carolina Services for children in South Carolina (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office

South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Special Education Services (803) 734-3393

Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)

Read the state's notice

Mediation

Ask for mediation

State complaint

File a state complaint

Due process

Ask for a due process hearing

Ombudsman

SCDE Office of Special Education Services Ombudsman

Free help for families

Parent centers

Family Connection of SC
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), Columbia
(803) 252-0914
Family Resource Center for Disabilities and Special Needs, Inc.
Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC), Charleston
Serves: Berkeley County; Dorchester County; Charleston County
(843) 266-1318

Disability rights agency

Disability Rights South Carolina
Protection and Advocacy Agency, Columbia
(803) 782-0639

Advocacy groups in South Carolina

Paying for it

Medicaid for children

Healthy Connections Medicaid

CHIP

Healthy Connections (CHIP is part of Medicaid)

Apply

Apply for coverage

Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income

yes: Katie Beckett TEFRA Children

Schools bill Medicaid for health services

yes

Autism insurance law

yes. diagnosed at 8 or younger; under 16

Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities

SWD-specific: Exceptional SC (SWD tax-credit scholarship); Education Scholarship Trust Fund ESA (income-limited)

Program page

Official program page

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How South Carolina scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

C-

Rank 44 of 51

State of Support

D-

Rank 41 of 51

Combined

D+

Rank 44 of 51

Pillar	Grade
Following the law	D
Learning together	D+
Results	F
School funding	B
Family protections	A-
Options and transition	C+

IDEA determination 2026: Needs Assistance (2 or more years). How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the K12 Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.