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Current Status Bill Number:View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.932 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:20000111 Primary Sponsor:Rankin All Sponsors:Rankin, Elliott, Reese, Hayes, Branton Drafted Document Number:l:\s-res\lar\002canc.fc.doc Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Education Committee 04 SED Subject:School districts, attendance; absences missed due to emergency or weather may be excused by Education Department History Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ ______________________________________ _______ ____________ Senate 20000119 Co-Sponsor added by Senator Hayes Branton Senate 20000111 Introduced, read first time, 04 SED referred to Committee Senate 19990921 Prefiled, referred to Committee 04 SED Versions of This Bill
TO AMEND SECTION 59-1-440, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO EXEMPT SCHOOL DAYS CANCELLED DUE TO EMERGENCY CONDITIONS RELATED TO WEATHER OR OTHER EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES AFFECTING THE HEALTH, WELFARE, AND SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS FROM MAKE-UP REQUIREMENTS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 59-1-440 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 59-1-440. The instructional day for secondary students must be at least six hours a day, or its equivalent weekly, excluding lunch. The school day for elementary students must be at least six hours a day, or its equivalent weekly, including lunch. Before varying the length of the school day, the administration must consult with the affected parents of students and school faculty, and obtain authorization to vary the length of the school day from the school district board of trustees.
Elementary and secondary schools may reduce the length of the instructional day to not less than three hours on not more than three days each school year for staff development or for the purpose of administering end-of-semester and end-of-year examinations.
The early dismissal of students from daily instruction or the complete cancellation of daily instruction schools necessitated by emergency conditions related to weather or other extreme circumstances affecting the health, safety, and welfare of students must be reported in writing to the Director of the Office of Organizational Development of the Department of Education within ten days of the conclusion of the emergency for approval. The report must include a justification for the early dismissal or cancellation. If approved, the day or days missed are not required to be made up. During the first three school years of implementation of this approval provision, the schools dismissing early and number of days approved to not be made up must be reported by the State Superintendent of Education to the Senate Education Committee and the House Education and Public Works Committee.
Priority during the instructional day must be given to teaching and learning tasks. Class interruptions must be limited only to emergencies. Volunteer blood drives as determined by the principal may be conducted at times which would not interfere with classroom instruction such as study period, lunch period, and before and after school."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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