H 3944 General Bill, By Seithel, Campsen, Mack and Whatley
 A BILL TO ABOLISH THE EIGHT CONSTITUENT AREA BOARDS OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES IN
 CHARLESTON COUNTY AND TO DEVOLVE THEIR POWERS, DUTIES, ASSETS, AND LIABILITIES
 UPON THE CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES; TO AUTHORIZE THE
 DISTRICT BOARD TO APPOINT UP TO EIGHT ADVISORY BOARDS TO THE DISTRICT BOARD;
 AND TO DIRECT THE DISTRICT BOARD TO FURTHER DELINEATE THE ROLES AND
 RESPONSIBILITIES OF VARIOUS SCHOOL COUNCILS AND BOARDS; AND TO AMEND ACT 340
 OF 1967, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND
 VARIOUS DUTIES OF THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD SO AS TO PROVIDE
 THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION OF CHARLESTON COUNTY IS THE CHIEF
 EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE DISTRICT, WHO SHALL HIRE ALL DISTRICT PERSONNEL,
 INCLUDING TEACHERS, AND WHO SHALL HIRE AREA SUPERINTENDENTS TO CONSULT WITH
 SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND TO ACT AS INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE PRINCIPALS AND THE
 DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE DISTRICT BUDGET MUST BE
 SUBMITTED TO CHARLESTON COUNTY COUNCIL, RATHER THAN TO THE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE
 DELEGATION.

   04/20/99  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-6
   04/20/99  House  Referred to Charleston Delegation HJ-7

TO ABOLISH THE EIGHT CONSTITUENT AREA BOARDS OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES IN CHARLESTON COUNTY AND TO DEVOLVE THEIR POWERS, DUTIES, ASSETS, AND LIABILITIES UPON THE CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES; TO AUTHORIZE THE DISTRICT BOARD TO APPOINT UP TO EIGHT ADVISORY BOARDS TO THE DISTRICT BOARD; AND TO DIRECT THE DISTRICT BOARD TO FURTHER DELINEATE THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF VARIOUS SCHOOL COUNCILS AND BOARDS; AND TO AMEND ACT 340 OF 1967, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND VARIOUS DUTIES OF THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION OF CHARLESTON COUNTY IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE DISTRICT, WHO SHALL HIRE ALL DISTRICT PERSONNEL, INCLUDING TEACHERS, AND WHO SHALL HIRE AREA SUPERINTENDENTS TO CONSULT WITH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND TO ACT AS INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE PRINCIPALS AND THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT; AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE DISTRICT BUDGET MUST BE SUBMITTED TO CHARLESTON COUNTY COUNCIL, RATHER THAN TO THE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.

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

SECTION 1. (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the eight constituent area boards of school trustees in Charleston County are abolished and their powers, duties, assets, and liabilities are devolved upon the Charleston County School District Board of Trustees.

(B) The Charleston County School District Board of Trustees may appoint up to eight boards to act as advisory boards to district boards. These advisory boards shall carry out all duties and responsibilities that the district board may delegate to the respective boards.

(C) The board of trustees also shall further delineate the roles and responsibilities of school governance councils, school improvement councils, and other school-based advisory councils as they relate to the district advisory boards and to avoid duplicating responsibilities and to maximize the contributions of all advisory boards.

SECTION 2. Section 4 of Act 340 of 1967, as last amended by Act 471 of 1971, is further amended to read:

"Section 4. The Superintendent of Education of Charleston County shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Charleston County School District to serve under such terms and conditions as the board may prescribe. He shall be selected on the basis of professional qualifications as an administrator and shall have had experience in the administration of the affairs of schools. The Superintendent of Education of the Charleston County School District, in addition to the duties imposed upon county superintendents of education by the general laws of the State shall serve as the chief executive officer of the district and shall implement the policies established by the board for the district. He shall hire all personnel necessary to conduct the business of the district, including teachers, and shall perform such other duties as shall be prescribed by the Board of Trustees of the Charleston County School District. The superintendent also shall hire area superintendents to consult with principals in specific geographic areas on matters relating to curriculum, facilities, and overall school management and to serve as intermediaries between the principals and the superintendent."

SECTION 3. Section 10 of Act 340 of 1967, as last amended by Act 1602 of 1972, is further amended to read:

"Section 10. The Board of Trustees of the Charleston School District shall prepare and submit to the Charleston County Legislative Delegations Council, as information, on or before the fifteenth day of August of each year beginning in 1968 2000 a proposed budget for the ensuing school year. In order to obtain funds for school purposes the board is authorized to impose an annual tax levy, commencing in 1968, not to exceed ninety mills, exclusive of any mileage imposed for bond debt service. In the event the board determines that the annual tax levy should exceed ninety mills, the board shall hold a public hearing on the question at least two weeks prior to submitting such request to the legislative delegation county council. Notice of such public hearing shall be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, and shall state the date, time, and place of the hearing as well as a clearly worded statement of the requested annual tax levy. Upon certification by the board to the county auditor of the tax levy to be imposed the auditor shall levy and the county treasurer shall collect the mileage so certified upon all taxable property in the district."

SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.