SC governor requests investigation into Rock Hill charter school board
The South Carolina governor has requested the state investigate the school board at a York County charter school after allegations surfaced about money being taken out of the school’s accounts.
In a letter to the S.C. Office of Inspector General on Monday, Gov. Henry McMaster said state lawmakers complained to his office about possible “financial irregularities and institutional mismanagement” at Ascent Classical Academy of Fort Mill. S.C. House of Representatives members David Martin and Shannon Erickson asked for the investigation last week after all but one board member quit and complaints were lodged alleging the draining of the school’s accounts.
Governor’s office spokesperson Michelle LeClair provided a copy of the letter to The Herald on Tuesday.
The school’s charter sponsor, The Charter Institute at Erskine, told The Herald it took over running the school, which has around 150 students, last week. The school dropped its service provider agreement and management and operation of the school April 6 after “a member of the governing board subsequently removed all funds from the school’s bank accounts without board approval” on April 2, according to a school statement last week.
McMaster told the inspector general to “investigate any other fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, misconduct, violations of state or federal law, and wrongdoing,” by any members of the governing board of the school, according to the letter.
Martin, a Fort Mill Republican, told The Herald Tuesday he is thankful McMaster responded so quickly to the legislators’ request. Charter schools receive public money to operate, Martin said. The school’s budget this year was $2.7 million, according to Martin and documents.
“We owe it to our taxpayers,” Martin said about the requested investigation.
Although it has “Fort Mill” in its title, the school is located in Rock Hill. Its opening was announced in 2023, and the plan was to eventually find a location in Fort Mill for a permanent campus. Students returned to school Monday after spring break.
Some parents and students walked out in October after a dispute over staffing and programs. The status of the school after this school year ends remains unclear.
The Charter Institute at Erskine, which is known as a charter school authorizer or sponsor, told The Herald last week by email it would temporarily assist with operations until a board is fully in place to manage the school and the school is autonomously operational. Last week, the academy by email referenced the statement made earlier in the week about the school on its website.
The Herald reached out Tuesday by email and phone to both the Charter Institute at Erskine and the school about the state investigation.
Institute spokesperson Ashley Epperson said in an email to The Herald on Tuesday that the institute is “glad that the Inspector General will be reviewing the actions of Ascent Classical Academy’s former management company and governing authorities.”
The school held meetings with parents Monday at the school, Epperson said.
The school did not return calls or an email seeking comment on the state investigation.
This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 12:57 PM.
