COLUMBIA, SC, Oct. 9 – The South Carolina Forward Party has outlined its key priorities for state education, emphasizing the urgent need for transparency and accountability in the use of public funds, particularly within the state's school voucher program.
Forward Party Chair Clint Eisenhauer presented the party’s perspective during the annual Legislation Day of Delta Kappa Gamma in Columbia, an honorary society of women educators in the U.S. and internationally.
Eisenhauer stressed that education is not merely a policy matter but the fundamental basis for South Carolina's economic growth, civic stability, and long-term prosperity.
A Focus on Practical, Proven Solutions
Eisenhauer told the educators that the Forward Party is committed to learning from successful models across the country to improve educational outcomes. “We want to learn from what works and adapt it here, not reinvent the wheel or pursue ideological experiments,” he said.
The SC Forward Party has established seven key priorities for education reform:
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Teacher Pay and Retention
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Accountability in Voucher Spending
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Clear curriculum standards developed locally, and not driven by political fads
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Investment in early childhood education
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Retention and expansion of trade and technical training
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Data Transparency in Student Outcomes, measuring what matters
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Continued reduction of absenteeism
School Voucher Accountability: A Top Priority
Central to the Forward Party’s education focus was the issue of public funding and oversight. Eisenhauer highlighted accountability in school voucher spending as a critical priority, arguing that any program utilizing taxpayer dollars must be subject to rigorous transparency standards. This commitment extends to student performance, with the party advocating for data transparency in student outcomes to ensure effectiveness.
“If we don’t get education right, nothing else we try to fix will be sustainable,” Eisenhauer said. He concluded his remarks by emphasizing the party’s non-ideological approach: "We are committed to practical, student-centered, educator-informed solutions — not ideological battles or partisan games.”
The SC Forward Party was invited to present alongside the state's Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian parties. The Party is part of the national Forward Party movement focused on political and electoral reform and practical, common-sense solutions.
