H 4569 General Bill, By Altman and Whatley
 A BILL TO PROVIDE THAT THE PALMETTO ACHIEVEMENT CHALLENGE TEST (PACT) SHALL BE
 ADMINISTERED ANNUALLY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF CHARLESTON COUNTY, ON THE DAY
 FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE DISTRICT'S ONE HUNDRED SIXTIETH DAY OF STUDENT
 INSTRUCTION WITH THE MAKE-UP TEST TO BE TWO WEEKS LATER, TO PROVIDE FOR
 ALTERNATIVE DATES UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH
 SCHOOL YEAR 2002-2003, THE ANNUAL SCHOOL TERM FOR THE SCHOOLS IN THE
 CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BEGIN ON THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY.

   01/23/02  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-22
   01/23/02  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-22

TO PROVIDE THAT THE PALMETTO ACHIEVEMENT CHALLENGE TEST (PACT) SHALL BE ADMINISTERED ANNUALLY IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF CHARLESTON COUNTY, ON THE DAY FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE DISTRICT'S ONE HUNDRED SIXTIETH DAY OF STUDENT INSTRUCTION WITH THE MAKE-UP TEST TO BE TWO WEEKS LATER, TO PROVIDE FOR ALTERNATIVE DATES UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH SCHOOL YEAR 2002-2003, THE ANNUAL SCHOOL TERM FOR THE SCHOOLS IN THE CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BEGIN ON THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY.

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

SECTION    1.    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT) shall be administered annually in the School District of Charleston County beginning on the day following completion of the district's one hundred sixtieth day of student instruction if sufficient time remains during that week to complete the test. If sufficient time does not remain during that week to complete the test, it shall be administered at the beginning of the following week. The make-up test shall begin two weeks later.

    However, if the dates required by this section in any year are earlier than the dates set by the State Board of Education through the Department of Education for the administration of the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test in other school districts of this state for that year, the governing board of the school district shall reschedule the administration of the PACT Test in the county to the earliest dates that will be after the statewide administration of the test and that will allow completion of the test during the same week.

SECTION    2.    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning with school year 2002-2003, the annual school term for the schools in the Charleston County School District shall begin on the day after Labor Day.

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.