South Carolina is preparing to open the nation’s first public charter school authorized by a historically Black college or university.
C.R. Neal Academy is scheduled to open in Columbia in August 2027. The tuition-free school will connect middle and high school students with STEM education and career training.
Students will have opportunities in health sciences, advanced manufacturing, and information technology. The academy also plans to offer industry-recognized credentials and work-based learning.
Applications for the 2027-28 school year are scheduled to open October 28.
C.R. Neal Academy will connect students to STEM and careers
C.R. Neal Academy plans to combine college-preparatory education with career-focused training. The goal is to expose students to career options before they finish high school.
Students will be able to explore health sciences, advanced manufacturing, and information technology. They will also have opportunities to earn credentials recognized by industries.
The program is designed to create pathways toward both higher education and employment. Work-based learning will give students another way to gain experience before graduation.
Voorhees University will oversee the HBCU charter school
Voorhees University authorized C.R. Neal Academy through its Charter Institute of Learning. The HBCU is based in Denmark, South Carolina.
The university will oversee several important parts of the school. Those responsibilities include academic performance, financial management, and community commitments.
That connection gives the academy a direct relationship with an HBCU from the beginning. It also extends the university’s educational role beyond its traditional college campus.
South Carolina charter school plans to welcome 260 students
C.R. Neal Academy expects to enroll 260 students during its first year.
The opening class will include 130 sixth graders and 130 ninth graders. The school plans to add grades as enrollment grows.
Eventually, the academy is expected to serve more than 900 students across grades six through 12. This expansion would create a larger pipeline for its college and career programs.
C.R. Neal Academy will build a 41,000-square-foot campus
Plans call for a roughly 41,000-square-foot school facility.
The campus will sit on approximately 7.83 acres along Atlas Road in Columbia. The project received approval from the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals on September 3.
That approval allowed the academy to establish its campus at the planned location. The development is expected to replace an existing community center and grass field, according to local reporting cited by Black Enterprise.
Career training will focus on growing workforce needs
The academy’s workforce focus comes as employers continue seeking workers with technical skills.
Some of these careers do not always require a traditional four-year college degree. Therefore, the school plans to introduce students to career pathways before they graduate.
Students can gain exposure to technical fields while continuing their academic education. The model could also help them understand different routes into higher education and employment.
Rooted School Foundation is supporting the academy
The Rooted School Foundation is also involved in developing C.R. Neal Academy.
The foundation will provide operational infrastructure before the planned opening. This support is intended to help prepare the school for its first students.
As of September, the academy had identified 266 prospective-family leads for its enrollment pipeline. Applications for the inaugural school year are scheduled to open October 28.
HBCU connection begins before college
C.R. Neal Academy represents a different way for an HBCU to connect with younger students.
Rather than beginning that relationship when students enter college, the academy creates a connection during middle and high school. Students can therefore encounter an HBCU-linked educational environment earlier in their academic journey.
The planned school also places career preparation alongside college preparation. Its model brings academics, technical training, industry credentials, and work-based learning into the same educational pathway.
Applications for the 2027-28 school year open October 28
Families interested in C.R. Neal Academy will have to wait until October 28 to submit applications for the inaugural school year.
The school is scheduled to welcome its first students in August 2027. Its initial enrollment will focus on sixth and ninth grades.
As the academy expands, it plans to add more grades and eventually serve more than 900 students. The launch will also establish a direct link between Voorhees University and students years before they reach college age.
