H 4779 General Bill, By Allison, Collins, Erickson, Crosby, Stringer, Taylor, 
Govan, Rivers, Bradley, Duckworth, Clary, Neal, George, Anthony, Willis, Felder, 
Bannister, Bingham, R.L. Brown, Gagnon, Hayes, Henderson, Hicks, Hixon, Long, 
Lucas, Murphy, Pope, Simrill, Tallon, Wells and Kennedy
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 59-3-110 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE DUTIES, FUNCTIONS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
 THE OFFICE OF TRANSFORMATION WITHIN THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
 EDUCATION.

   01/28/16  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 11)
   01/28/16  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 11)
   02/09/16  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Kennedy

H. 4779

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-3-110 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE DUTIES, FUNCTIONS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OFFICE OF TRANSFORMATION WITHIN THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Chapter 3, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-3-110.    (A)    The Office of Transformation, within the Department of Education, shall provide service and support to districts and schools across this State. This office shall focus on building the capacity of all staff serving in the lowest performing districts and schools across the state to support the improvement of student academic achievement, high school graduation rates, and college and career readiness for all students. Under this section, school transformation is considered to occur when all the staff in a school system work in concert to improve policies, processes, and practices that sustain a continuous improvement culture. The office shall provide both leadership and curriculum coaches to work within schools and districts at their locations with teachers, principals, superintendents, local school boards, families and communities, and other educational partners to support them in improvement planning and implementation. Direct coaching and support also shall be provided through the analysis of data and the development of targeted interventions within the context of district strategic plans and school renewal plans. Schools shall receive a diagnostic review of its plans and practices using an external review team comprised of both instate and out of state education leaders every two years. The Diagnostic Review shall include a leadership capacity report, a self and external review of five systems consisting of mission/vision, governance, teaching and learning, resource allocation, and continuous improvement practices, an analysis of student achievement data, and an analysis of culture and climate including stakeholder surveys. The coaches working in the district shall help leaders implement the plan of action to address identified issues in the diagnostic review. In performing its duties and functions under this section, the office and the South Carolina Department of Education shall utilize criteria developed by using a state and federal accountability model for identification of priority schools, which are schools in need of comprehensive support and intervention, and focus schools, which are schools in need of targeted support and intervention, as well as criteria for exiting these categories. Schools must demonstrate three years of sustained improvement before they exit priority or focus status.

(B)    The Office of Transformation also shall identify best practices used and implemented in other states to provide intensive and innovative interventions that produce improvements in the academic growth and achievement of students in low performing schools and school districts. The Office of Transformation shall further evaluate the impact of the interventions.

(C)    The provisions of this section do not supersede or negate in any manner the provisions of Section 59-18-1520 relating to a declaration of an emergency in a school."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.