Reps. WHITMIRE and ALLISON propose the following Amendment No. to H.5150 as Passed By The House

(Doc Name h:\legwork\house\amend\h-wm\001\h2-teacher taskforce.docx):

EXPLANATION: Establishes a task force to examine and revise teacher recruitment, retention, and advancement.

Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 1, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, page 308, after line 18, by adding an appropriately numbered proviso to read:

/(SDE: Teacher Recruitment and Retention) (A) The Department of Education shall convene a task force to examine and propose necessary revisions for improving teacher recruitment, retention, and advancement.

(B)The task force shall be comprised of the following individuals who each should have background and expertise in education:

(1) one member appointed by the Governor; who shall serve as Chair of the task force;

(2) the State Superintendent of Education or his designee,

(3)one member of the South Carolina House of Representatives appointed by the Chair of the House of Representatives Education and Public Works Committee;

(4)one member of the South Carolina Senate appointed by the Chair of the Senate Education Committee;

(5) one member appointed by the Chair of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee;

(6) one member appointed by the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee;

(7) one member appointed by the Chair of the Board of the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office;

(8) one member appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators;

(9)one member appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the South Carolina School Boards Association;

(10)two members appointed by the Commission of Higher Education. Both appointments shall be employed as a Dean or Interim Dean of a College of Education at an institution of higher learning. One appointee shall be from a public institution, and one shall be from a private institution;

(11)the current South Carolina State Teacher of the Year;

(12)three current classroom teachers, with at least one representative from each of the groups listed below, with direct instructional responsibilities, and at least one of which is employed at a Title I school, to be appointed by the Superintendent of Education upon the recommendation of the:

(a)Palmetto State Teachers Association;

(b) South Carolina Education Association; and

(c) South Carolina Alliance of Black School Educators;

(13)a current participant in the Teaching Fellows program appointed by the Center for Educator Recruitment and Retention; and

(14)a representative from SC TEACHER appointed by the Dean of the College of Education of the University of South Carolina.

(C)Members of the task force shall receive no compensation but may receive per diem and mileage from the South Carolina Department of Education as provided for boards and commissions.

(D)In examining necessary revisions and improvements to the education profession, the task force must consider factors including:

(1)public input gathered through meaningful consultation with teachers, principals, district officials, education preparation programs including both alternative and traditional higher education providers, and members of the public, including conducting hearings to gather public input;

(2)research on how teacher salary structures can:

(a)improve teacher recruitment and retention;

(b)incentivize methods used within the teaching profession which have an evidence-based impact on student achievement; and

(c)address staffing shortages in critical needs geographic and content areas;

(3)assistance from the Southern Region Education Board, Education Commission of the States, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Center on Education and the Economy regarding educator recruitment, retention, and advancement from high performing jurisdictions; and

(4)information provided from the Working Conditions Survey administered by SC TEACHER.

(E)The task force must submit recommendations for potential reforms to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate by no later than May 31, 2023. Recommendations shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas:

(1)increasing recruitment to the teaching profession;

(2)improving teacher preparation;

(3)transforming compensation for teachers;

(4)enhancing the effectiveness of teacher evaluation;

(5)improving working conditions for all teachers; and

(6)identifying best practices from other jurisdictions and designing them for South Carolina. /

Amend totals and titles to conform.