Two South Carolina state representatives are calling on Governor Henry McMaster to direct the state Inspector General to investigate possible financial mismanagement and misconduct at Ascent Classical Academy of Fort Mill, as the school heads into spring break with its future uncertain.
Rep. Shannon S. Erickson, who chairs the House Education and Public Works Committee, and Rep. David W. Martin of District 26 sent a letter to McMaster dated April 7 requesting that the Inspector General work alongside the South Carolina Department of Education and Superintendent Weaver to determine whether financial mismanagement, misappropriation of public funds, failure of oversight, and possible misconduct by governing officials occurred, and whether civil, administrative or criminal referrals are warranted.
“It has come to our attention through constituents and press reports that severe mismanagement, very possibly rising to the level of criminal activity, has recently, and may still be ongoing, at Ascent Classical Academy of Fort Mill,” the representatives wrote in their letter to the governor.
The lawmakers cited the school’s own financial records in making their case. They noted that the school received $2,795,781 in governmental revenue in fiscal year 2025 and that its approved budget for fiscal year 2026 projected total general fund revenue of $3,301,978 including more than $2.8 million in anticipated state funding.
They said they were especially alarmed by the allegation in ACA’s public statement that a board member removed all funds from the school’s bank accounts without board approval on April 2, calling it extraordinary and saying it demands immediate attention.
“A unilateral removal of all operating funds from a publicly funded school account, without board approval, raises obvious questions regarding authority, internal controls, fiduciary obligations, compliance with applicable law, and whether any public funds were improperly diverted, withheld, or otherwise placed at risk,” the letter states.
The representatives also described the governance collapse as reflecting a broader institutional failure, noting that the resulting board resignations did not occur in a vacuum and raised serious questions about board governance, financial controls, oversight responsibilities, and the role of the Charter Institute at Erskine in supervising and responding to an escalating crisis.
In a separate statement dated April 8, the two representatives addressed the public directly, saying the Charter Institute at Erskine was stepping in to ensure personnel are on site and that students are welcomed back to school as scheduled after spring break. The Institute is communicating directly with families and plans to offer further updates in the coming days.
The representatives voiced support for the Charter School Accountability Act, which they said would strengthen oversight and establish clearer controls around management organization contracts, and said charter school boards must retain meaningful authority over funds, staffing and facilities.
“The notion that anyone would effectively hold students’ education hostage cannot and will not be tolerated,” the statement reads.
Martin represents District 26, which includes portions of York County where the school is located. Erickson chairs the House committee with direct oversight responsibility for education policy in South Carolina.
The South Carolina Department of Education has been in contact with officials and is aware of the situation, according to the lawmakers’ letter.
Sources: Letter from Representatives Shannon S. Erickson and David W. Martin to Governor Henry McMaster, April 7, 2026; Statement from Representatives Erickson and Martin regarding Ascent Classical Academy, April 8, 2026
Sign up for our Sunday Spectator. Delivered to your inbox every Sunday, with all the news from the week.
