H 3143 General Bill, By D.M. Beasley, R.A. Barber, S.R. Foster, H.H. Keyserling and 
L.S. Whipper
 A Bill to amend Section 59-20-50, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to the requirements that must be met regarding the level of state
 contribution to each school district under the provisions of the Education
 Improvement Act of 1984, so as to require the Department of Education to
 develop a minimum salary schedule which must include minimum salaries for
 teachers with zero to thirty years' experience and provide that this schedule
 be phased in based on a determination made each year in the annual General
 Appropriations Act.

   12/27/90  House  Prefiled
   12/27/90  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/08/91  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-78
   01/08/91  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-78

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 59-20-50, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET REGARDING THE LEVEL OF STATE CONTRIBUTION TO EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1984, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP A MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE WHICH MUST INCLUDE MINIMUM SALARIES FOR TEACHERS WITH ZERO TO THIRTY YEARS' EXPERIENCE AND PROVIDE THAT THIS SCHEDULE BE PHASED IN BASED ON A DETERMINATION MADE EACH YEAR IN THE ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT.

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

SECTION 1. Section 59-20-50(4)(b) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(b) The state minimum salary schedule must be based on the state minimum salary schedule index in effect as of July 1, 1984. However, the department shall develop a minimum salary schedule which must include minimum salaries for teachers with zero to thirty years' experience. The thirty-year experience scale must be phased in based on a determination made each year in the Annual General Appropriations Act. During the phase-in period the additional experience increments must not have the effect of reducing any existing pay increments. In Fiscal Year 1985, the 1.000 figure in the index is $14,172. (This figure is based on a 10.27% increase pursuant to the South Carolina Education Improvement Act of 1984.) Beginning with Fiscal Year 1986, the 1.000 figure in the index must be adjusted on a schedule to stay at the southeastern average as projected by the Division of Research and Statistical Services and provided to the Budget and Control Board and General Assembly during their deliberations on the annual appropriations bill. In projecting the southeastern average, the division shall include in the South Carolina base teacher salary all local teacher supplements and all incentive pay. Under this schedule, school districts are required to maintain local salary supplements per for each teacher no less than their 1983-84 level. In Fiscal Year 1986 and thereafter teacher pay raises through adjustments in the state's minimum salary schedule may be provided only to teachers who demonstrate minimum knowledge proficiency by meeting one of the following criteria:

(1) holding a valid professional certificate;

(2) having a score of 425 or greater on the Commons Examination of the National Teachers Examinations;

(3) meeting the minimum qualifying score on the appropriate area teaching examination; or

(4) meeting the minimum standards on the basic skills examination as prescribed by the State Board of Education provided in Section 59-26-20. Any fees applicable to the required examinations must be paid by the examinee. The criteria listed in subitems (1) through (4) do not have to be demonstrated by teachers having twenty-five years or more of teaching service as of the effective date of the South Carolina Education Improvement Act of 1984 in order for their pay raises to be provided."

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