Welcome to Horse Creek Academy!
We are so glad you're here!
Join the Village for the 2025-2026 School Year!
Start your journey with HCA today through our easy, streamlined application process from Lotterease! Fair, transparent, and just a click away—everything you need is here to join the HCA Village!
IMPORTANT: Make sure you select Horse Creek Academy on the drop-down after you create your Lotterease account, do not select Horse Creek Academy Kershaw (unless that's the campus you want to attend!)
The 25-26 Lottery will be held on February 6th at 6pm to fill any available spots in 4K-12th grade. Any student not selected at that time will automatically be waitlisted.
Key Enrollment Dates:
Mark Your Calendar!
Open Enrollment Period: January 1 – January 31, 2025
Lottery Date: February 6, 2025 at 6pm
Important Info:
To be eligible for 5K in the 2025-2026 school year, students must be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2025.
To be eligible for first grade in the 2025-2026 school year, students must be six years old on or before Sept. 1, 2025.
There are NO attendance boundaries to be eligible to enroll at HCA; however, parents must provide transportation.
The HCA Lottery
At Horse Creek Academy, we are proud to be a tuition-free public charter school open to all students in South Carolina. However, due to high demand and limited space, we are required to use a lottery system to ensure a fair and equitable admissions process. This approach gives every applicant an equal chance of securing a spot when the number of applications exceeds available seats. The lottery is conducted using a fully transparent and randomized system, aligning with the South Carolina Charter Schools Act, so every family can trust the integrity of the process. More information about lottery specifics can be found below!
What happens during the Lottery?
HCA uses Lotterease for a fair and transparent lottery process.
Fully Digital & Randomized: Results are sent instantly via email and text.
Priority Applicants: Includes siblings of current students and children of staff.
Important Notes
Acceptance emails must be responded to within 7 days. Make sure you tie your Lotterease account to an email you check regularly and a current cell phon number (for text messages)!
Missed deadlines will automatically result in forfeiture of the spot.
Waitlist Information:
Not admitted in the lottery? Don't worry!
Your waitlist position is visible in real time via Lotterease. Login to your Lotterease account anytime to see where your child is at!
Automatic notifications keep you updated on movement via email and text messages.
Waitlist positions do NOT roll over from year to year. You must reapply each year via Lotterease.
Priority Status
Per SC regulations, the follow classes of applicants are mandated to receive priority status in the HCA Lottery:
Applicants of Current HCA Students
Children of Current HCA Staff/Board Members
4K at HCA
While HCA is a free public school serving students in 5K through 12th grade, please note that our 4K program operates as a fee-based program due to the lack of state funding allocated for this grade level.
While we welcome applications from all students without discrimination, it's important to recognize that in our 4K program, students may not have their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and associated services carried over. This policy applies exclusively to the 4K grade level. For more information about 4K, email Paula Scott-Murray at pmurray@hcacs.net
Helpful Links
Enrollment Questions? Give us a call at 803-226-0160!
Horse Creek Academy is authorized by the Limestone Charter Association. We will not discriminate against any student based on ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability, intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, race, creed, religion or ancestry, or any other grounds that would be unlawful if done by a school. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Dr. Ann Marie Taylor, Chief Vision Officer