Construction Begins on South Carolina Charter School

Construction recently began on a new 43,000-square-foot charter school near Charleston, S.C., according to a news release. Real estate solutions provider Ryan Companies broke ground on Summerville Preparatory Academy in partnership with Red Apple Development and Charter Schools USA. The project is Ryan’s third charter school with the Charter Education Board of South Carolina and is scheduled for completion in summer 2024.

The campus will serve students in grades K–8 and is intended to relieve overcrowding in the area. Amenities will include interactive spaces for creative arts classes, collaborative classrooms, a multi-purpose space, an outdoor turf area, and retention pond, according to the news release.

“Ryan is now a prominent player in K–12 construction, and we are proud to play a role in providing diverse schooling options for Charleston’s rapidly growing population," said Ryan Companies’ Vice President of Real Estate Development, Max Bosso. “Summerville Preparatory Academy furthers Ryan’s commitment to delivering charter schools efficiently and effectively, as we work alongside education leaders in the Southeast to create outstanding learning environments.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Architectural Power for the Modern Campus Landscape

    For generations, an outdoor classroom only required a textbook and a patch of grass. Today, not only has the laptop replaced the printed pages, the rise of agile learning has turned campuses into study halls with students listening to lectures and researching topics from quads, gardens, and plazas. The challenge for architects and facility managers is to provide connectivity without cluttering the landscape with visual eyesores or creating safety hazards with extension cords.

  • Compton High School

    Compton High School

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Compton High School has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • A digital silhouette works at a computer, immersed in a glowing, interconnected world

    How Will AI Transform Learning Space Design?

    For years, higher education has designed learning spaces around technology as a tool for display, capture, collaboration, and connectivity. AI changes that equation.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.