Home Care In Fort Mill, SC

Scott Couchenour has owned several businesses in Fort Mill over the years, including a small retail center he runs on U.S. 21 Bypass near Riverview Elementary. So Couchenour knows how South Carolina’s tax rules put the heaviest costs for school operations on businesses like his.

It’s a cost he’s willing to pay — as long as those taxes educate students who live here. “I am not in favor of property taxes on homeowners and small businesses going up to support where students from outside of our district can attend,” Couchenour said.

Business and home owners may not have a choice, once a new state law takes effect in the 2027-28 school year.

Gov. Henry McMaster signed a law last May that could lead to districts statewide accepting students who live outside their boundaries. New guidelines to meet the law haven’t been set yet, but they’re expected to provide state funding for in-state transfers.

It’s unknown how, if at all, changes might impact out-of-state transfers.

But the changes could impact schools across York County, where academic and athletic rankings often are higher than in neighboring counties, including in North Carolina. The Fort Mill and Clover school districts, in particular, have seen an influx of enrollment for more than a decade as they’ve routinely ranked atop state lists of test scores.

That growth has come from people moving into those districts, creating a larger tax burden on businesses to keep pace.

“The schools are expensive enough and important to our community,” said Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce President Susan Bromfield, “without bringing in kids from other districts.”

Lake Wylie has been the highest-growth area in the Clover district for many years. Bromfield reached out to the school district last week for details on the transfer issue. But, for years businesses have stomached their share of taxes for schools because of the education it provides local students.

“You’ve got a community here with all the growth that is already paying, and the businesses are paying dearly,” Bromfield said.

Mayor Guynn Savage in Fort Mill shares that concern, as it’s taken generations to create public schools that are the envy of the state. “We pay higher taxes than other school districts,” Savage said. “I think it’s unfortunate that someone else thinks that it’s ok to give that away.”

Last week, Fort Mill Town Council unanimously voted to notify McMaster, state legislators and the Fort Mill School District of the town’s “strong opposition” to the state law, or any coming ones that would erode its ability to decide which students should attend.

Officials are hopeful that McMaster will reconsider the law, or at least factor local concerns into the policy being developed.

“It’s not that I don’t want other kids to have education,” Savage said. “But I do think it’s important that we value our taxpayers.”

SC rule changes for schools

Part of Act 11, or the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Act, requires the state Education Department to create model guidelines for how districts should accept students from outside their boundaries. School districts are required to form their own guidelines.

The state rule and funding that goes with it only relates to in-state students. Local district rules could include policies for out-of-state students, particularly in districts that border Charlotte and other North Carolina communities.

The idea is school districts would accept outside students if there is capacity for them. The state would provide funding to the districts for those students, similar to how districts get per-pupil funding now.

Fort Mill, Clover schools respond to SC changes

The new rules could impact Rock Hill area districts in different ways.

This month, Fort Mill schools approved a policy allowing full-time employees to enroll their students who live outside the school zone, for a fee. Board members labeled the move as a perk for teacher recruitment, but also said the pending state changes played a role.

“We can take care of our teachers and our staff by allowing them and their students to attend,” board member Michele Branning said prior to the decision, “or we can take neighboring district students.”

Clover schools have a similar policy, along with one that allows students from outside district boundaries if families own property in the district under the student’s name. It’s rarely been used in the past decade, according to a statement the Clover School District provided to The Herald.

Clover schools expect vouchers or other state funds under the coming rules to cover tuition or potentially travel expenses, making it easier for students to travel for school.

“The district expects changes in the new policy will raise the profile of interdistrict transfers with the increased publicity each district will be required to implement,” the statement said.

Rock Hill schools and enrollment

Not all schools have seen enrollment gains in recent years.

Rock Hill schools have had declining enrollment for about a decade. At least part of that is due to the growing number of charter schools in Rock Hill.

The new state rule presents opportunities and challenges, Superintendent Deborah Elder said in a statement to The Herald. “We ... welcome new students when our programs are the right fit,” Elder said, “while remaining focused on the students and families who are already here.”

York schools declined to comment on the state law changes.

Rock Hill area school bonds

New schools have come with buy-in from the community, through taxes and bonds that property owners elsewhere didn’t pay.

Fort Mill district voters approved seven school bonds since 2004, totaling more than $900 million in school construction. Many area homeowners have paid impact fees to build in Fort Mill, which are now at nearly $30,000 per home.

“We buy more expensive homes to be able to be in this district,” said Councilwoman Lisa Cook, referencing the state law change. “And to be able to live in a different community and then just pay $500 or $800 or whatever it may be to go to school here, it’s not fair and equitable.”

Building for Fort Mill students

Many districts, most recently in Lancaster and Chester counties, have voted down school bonds to meet capacity needs while Fort Mill voters continue to pass them. As the fastest-growing town in the Charlotte region, Fort Mill builds schools to keep pace with a population surge that’s now lasted decades.

A handful of current and former public officials The Herald spoke with see two major concerns with the new rule, in how it would impact future bond campaigns.

First, it could be harder to convince Fort Mill voters to pay more if they know that students are coming from other areas.

Second, bonds that build schools with growth in mind create capacity. So it could become difficult to build for people moving into Fort Mill, without students from other areas taking those seats the moment they become available.

Couchenour, the business owner and longtime resident, sees students coming from other areas as a business expense. He wonders if changes to impact fees or other funding sources would be needed.

“I know what my commercial property taxes are,” he said. “I spoke with a current school board member and a past school board member, and they both kind of think that our tax rates will be going up on small businesses. So I am completely against that.“

Like Couchenhour, Savage draws a hard line between paying for schools and paying for outside students to attend them. “We have an amazing school district,” she said. “And they work hard to keep it where it is. I’m proud of them and I don’t complain about paying those taxes, because I see the product.”

State funding makes up 33.4% of the revenue pie for districts statewide, according to the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office. Another 13.2% comes from federal sources, with the rest a mix of local funds from property taxes, license, fees and charges.

The Fort Mill district gets 32.1% of its funding from the state, nearly $900 less per student than the state average. The argument for not allowing transfers from outside the Fort Mill district is financial, but so is the reason why local schools have become so desirable.

“It’s not that we’re totally financing the schools,” Savage said of local taxpayers. “But we are totally financing the difference in this school district.”

Reality Check reflects the Rock Hill Herald’s commitment to holding those in power to account, shining a light on public issues that affect our local readers and illuminating the stories that set the Rock Hill region apart. Email [email protected]

FORT MILL, S.C. — Fort Mill Mayor Guynn Savage spoke out against South Carolina’s new school choice law today, which requires school districts statewide to accept interdistrict student transfers.

The recent law has prompted concerns from local leaders about its impact on Fort Mill schools and the taxpayers who have invested in them.

The school choice law allows students to transfer into districts with open seats, a policy that Mayor Savage believes undermines local efforts to improve educational conditions in Fort Mill.

The Fort Mill City Council expressed its discontent by sending a letter to state leaders, urging modifications to the law and citing the need for local control over school funding.

Mayor Guynn Savage emphasized the law’s potential impact on the growth planning of Fort Mill schools, stating, “Breaking what’s working doesn’t seem to fix the problem.”

She highlighted that the local taxpayers’ financial contributions toward school improvements may be compromised by the influx of students from other districts.

Savage also pointed out that allowing interdistrict transfers without proper planning can lead to overcrowded schools, remarking, “We don’t know if the decision or ruling will say fill all the seats you have...we have to build ahead of those students...or you end up with trailers or mobile units to put students in.”

In contrast, some residents see benefits in the new law. Makenzie Jackson, a student from Lancaster, shared her positive experience with school choice after attending high school in Kershaw County.

She stated, “I think it’s great for kids who may live in an area where they can’t get the education they deserve.”

Her mother, Beth Jackson, added that the smaller school environment provided her daughter with more one-on-one attention, saying, “Mostly for the more one-on-one she would get...let’s just face it, there’s less violence, less everything when you have a smaller school and more one-on-one focus on the student.”

Currently, S.C. education officials are working out the details of the new law.

Local school districts, including Fort Mill, were given a chance to provide feedback last month, and leaders are hoping that state authorities will take their concerns into account during this process.

As of now, there are no established timelines for potential revisions to the school choice law from state education leaders.

Fort Mill officials are advocating for further discussions to address their concerns effectively.

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FORT MILL — Hundreds of onlookers lined the entryway to the Anne Springs Close Greenway, huddled together in a cold drizzle as a group of 17 Buddhist monks on a “Walk for Peace” made their final stop in South Carolina.

Some held posters with encouraging messages, while others held flowers. Even more had umbrellas in hand.

The monks, dressed in orange robes, walked through a sea of people on either side, stopping occasionally to greet and accept gifts and well-wishes from the crowd.

Alongside those gathered at the greenway in Fort Mill, thousands more stood on the shoulder of Highway 21 to cheer on the monks on Day 81 of a journey that began on Oct. 26 in Fort Worth, Texas, and will end in Washington, D.C.

Damarys Cuevas and her daughter, Adelina Freire, traveled from Union County to see the monks. They had kept up with the walk on social media and enjoyed seeing how the monks connected with people. Seeing that they would stop in Fort Mill on Jan. 14, they made the drive.

“I wanted to support the monks on their journey,” Freire said.

Cuevas said seeing the way the monks unite people of all backgrounds spoke to her.

“It was just nice to see them in person,” she said. “Just to see that even through the rain, all of the miles, without sneakers, they’re still going through with it. They’re still going forward and they’re just smiling and talking to people even after all of that. It’s a powerful message.”

The monks entered York County on the evening of Jan. 13 and stopped to speak with visitors and spend the night at Catawba Baptist Church in Rock Hill.

Early on Jan. 14, they resumed their walk, making a brief stop at the Peach Stand, the combination bakery, butcher and convenience store along the U.S. 21 Bypass at Highway 160. According to their Facebook page, the owners said the unexpected visit was an honor.

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From there, they headed to a mid-day stop at the Anne Springs Close Greenway before making their way out of York County.

Amy Hayes and her son, Jude, of Rock Hill had joined the monks that morning as they passed the Aldi grocery store on Anderson Road. They walked behind them, along with dozens of others, to the Fort Mill stop.

“We waited until they passed, and we weren’t sure if we were going to follow them but it just sort of felt right so we stepped in right behind one of the monks,” Hayes said. “After we started, more and more people started coming.”

Hayes said she believes the monks’ simple message of peace is giving people hope. She saw some spectators weeping along the route as the monks passed by.

“I really like the idea that peace is something you do with your feet,” Hayes said. “It’s the motion aspect of it, and that coming at this particular time in history is astounding. And if peace is something we can make with our feet, then I’m willing to put in the sweat equity for that.”

After lunch at the Greenway Gateway visitor center, the monks’ trip leader Bhikkhu Pannakara addressed the crowd gathered outside.

He thanked the people of York County for their love and hospitality and encouraged those in the crowd to live a life of kindness, compassion and mindfulness.

“We alone cannot finish this task,” he said. “We have to walk together to make this world a better place for our future generations, for ourselves as well. So now we’re going to walk together.”

The monks were without their four-legged companion, Aloka, as they walked through York County.

The rescue dog, a celebrity in its own right, underwent surgery for a leg injury on Jan. 12, shortly after passing through Columbia.

“Aloka was supposed to come back with us last night,” Pannakara told the crowd, though his return was delayed due to physical therapy required to recover.

“They requested two weeks. And I negotiated,” Pannakara said, laughing. “I said, ‘No.’ So I gave them a week.”

The monks gave peace bracelets to attendees before setting out for their next stop in Charlotte, having felt the support of thousands in York County and many thousands more in South Carolina over the last nine days.

The Walk for Peace came to the Rock Hill region on Tuesday, as crowds greeted a group of Buddhist monks that have become an internet sensation.

Monks from Fort Worth, Texas, began a 2,300-mile walk in October that aims to promote peace. They will pass through nine state capitals before reaching Washington, D.C., next month. The walk has drawn huge crowds as it passed through cities, most recently in Columbia this past weekend.

Facebook and Instagram pages for the walk have more than 1 million followers each.

The monks had gone through Chester County before heading into York County and Rock Hill Tuesday by way of U.S. 21.

The monks and their equally viral companion Aloka the Peace Dog set out at daybreak Tuesday from the War Memorial Building in Great Falls. They’ll travel north to Fort Mill Wednesday, ahead of going to Charlotte Thursday.

They plan to spend the night at Catawba Baptist Church, at 1450 S. Anderson Road in Rock Hill. Visitors can find them there from 6 to 9 p.m.

“We warmly welcome everyone to visit us during the evening visiting hours!” the monks posted on the Walk for Peace Facebook page.

Buddhist monks walk through the Carolinas

Daily plans are updated in the evening, but based on travel patterns it’s likely the monks will continue on Wednesday through Rock Hill and Fort Mill. They’ve stated plans to be in Charlotte on Thursday.

The monks are expected to use Anderson and Cherry roads along their U.S. 21 path toward Fort Mill on Wednesday, York County Sheriff Tony Breeden posted Tuesday on his Facebook page. Breeden told drivers on those corridors to expect delays, but also asked residents to show hospitality to the monks regardless of any religious differences.

“I would simply ask, let the last county they visit in South Carolina be remembered for the incredible people we have,” Breeden said.

If post stops in populated areas are any indication, the Walk for Peace will see plenty of support and hospitality.

A short video posted by Walk for Peace on Tuesday morning shows the monks preparing for their walk, with visitors bundled behind them in the early dawn cold. The temperature in Great Falls was below 40 degrees.

Fans online marvel not just at the distance traveled by the monks, but at how they’re walking — at times barefoot.

“Can we donate shoes?? My feet are aching for Them!” Chelle Mangum commented on Monday night’s Walk for Peace update on Facebook.

The monks make what has to be a painful walk for peace look effortless, Racheal Harrison commented on the post. “What amazing group of men! Religious or not this has to touch your soul!” Harrison said.

For more information on the monks’ route, use their online tracking map or visit Walk for Peace on Facebook.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said the monks were in Fort Mill Tuesday. They were in Rock Hill.

Buddhist monks who have captivated online and roadside followers since setting out last fall on a 2,300-mile Walk for Peace are about to set foot in Rock Hill.

Nearly two dozen monks left Fort Worth, Texas, in October with plans to stop in nine state capitols on their way to Washington, D.C. The group reached Columbia on Saturday, and spent most of Monday walking north along U.S. 21 from Ridgeway to Great Falls.

After an overnight stay in Great Falls, the group plans to follow U.S. 21 through Rock Hill and Fort Mill before arriving in Charlotte on Thursday. Overnight and lunch stops in the Rock Hill region weren’t listed on the group’s online tracking map as of Monday morning, but live updates are available on the Walk for Peace Facebook page.

If the monks walk the same distance on Tuesday that they did on Monday, it would have them crossing into York County just south of Rock Hill by Tuesday evening.

A million Buddhist monk followers and Aloka the Peace Dog

On Monday morning, the Facebook page that began posting route updates 12 days into the walk reached 1 million followers.

“Together, we are proving that peace is not just a dream — it is alive, it is real, and it is growing stronger every single day,” Walk for Peace organizers posted Monday.

The page posts details each night on the next day’s route. It also has photos with throngs of people gathered by roads to see the monks, along with etiquette suggestions for anyone who comes out to be part of the Walk for Peace.

The page shows when the monks will be available at lunch or during evenings for visitors.

On Monday, the page offered an update on the viral companion making the Walk for Peace with the monks — Aloka the Peace Dog. The 4-year-old Indian Pariah dog has nearly 600,000 of his own followers on Facebook. Aloka underwent surgery Monday on his leg and will be limited in how much he can walk in the coming weeks.

“We are deeply grateful for the excellent veterinary care Aloka is receiving, and we are confident that with proper rest and treatment, he will recover well,” the Walk for Peace page posted. “Aloka has walked alongside the venerable monks, bringing joy and inspiration to so many hearts. Now it is time for him to rest, heal, and regain his strength. We will take great care of him every step of the way.”

Half an hour after that post, more than 3,000 comments wished Aloka well in recovery.

“How many dogs will be named Aloka after him?” Alex Garcia said in the comments. “I bet some people will start naming their kids Aloka after him.”

How to greet Walk for Peace monks

The Walk for Peace has drawn large crowds as it entered major cities.

Some online commenters say they’ve come from neighboring states to see the walk. The monks opted not to hold their traditional lunch visit on Monday due to a lack of parking at their rest stop.

The State newspaper in Columbia offered several tips on visiting the Walk for Peace, having just seen the event pass through that area. Greeting monks with hands in a prayer position, with a slight bow, is recommended. Visitors should avoid touching monks or bringing dogs.

Visitors should check the Walk for Peace Facebook page the evening before heading out, as it will give updates on lunch or evening visitation options.

The monks intend to keep walking through mid-February. For a group on so long a journey and with so far left to go, they welcome visitors at any opportunity they can.

Monks walking by itself doesn’t create peace, the monks wrote in a “Why We Walk” post on their homepage dhammacetiya.com. The goal is to take a small step that creates a memorable moment with a stranger, who in turn will live in a more mindful way.

“And it continues,” the post said. “Ripple by ripple, heart by heart, moment by moment — spreading outward in ways none of us will ever fully witness, creating more peace in the world than we could possibly measure.”