H 4152  General Bill, By Allison
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 59-26-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM PROVIDERS MAY IMPLEMENT
 PLANS TO ENSURE UNDERGRADUATE TEACHER CANDIDATES MEET CERTAIN BASIC ACADEMIC
 SKILL PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS BEFORE BEING FULLY ADMITTED AS TEACHER
 CANDIDATES, TO PROVIDE PLANS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION,
 AND TO PROVIDE RELATED PROCEDURAL AND SUBSTANTIVE REQUIREMENTS.

   04/06/21  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 118)
   04/06/21  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works (House Journal-page 118)

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-26-35 SO AS TO PROVIDE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM PROVIDERS MAY IMPLEMENT PLANS TO ENSURE UNDERGRADUATE TEACHER CANDIDATES MEET CERTAIN BASIC ACADEMIC SKILL PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS BEFORE BEING FULLY ADMITTED AS TEACHER CANDIDATES, TO PROVIDE PLANS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED PROCEDURAL AND SUBSTANTIVE REQUIREMENTS.

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

SECTION    1.    Chapter 26, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 59-26-35.    (A)    To comply with the provisions of Section 59-26-30, a college or university teacher preparation program provider may implement a plan to ensure a teacher candidate meets required basic reading, writing, and mathematics skill proficiency levels required for full admission to an undergraduate teacher preparation program offered by the provider. The provider may not implement the plan, or revise an approved plan, until it submits a proposal for the plan or revised plan to the State Board of Education and the board approves the proposal. The board shall establish criteria for the content of a proposal and the process for the board to receive, review, and render a decision on a submitted proposal. The same process must be used to submit, review, and render a decision on a proposed change to an approved plan.

    (B)    A proposed plan:

        (1)    may include an option for teacher candidates to demonstrate basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills proficiency through multiple measures, which may include scores on approved basic skills assessments, grade point averages, grades in benchmark courses, scores on existing college or university assessments for determining undergraduate course placement, or other factors; and

        (2)    must provide that if an applicant does not demonstrate the required basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills proficiency to qualify for full admission to the program, the program provider shall offer the applicant appropriate academic assistance and support before he may reapply for program assistance in the future."

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