S 0992 General Bill, By Rankin
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 59-5-71 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL ESTABLISH A
 TASK FORCE TO RECOMMEND A UNIFORM BEGINNING DATE FOR THE ANNUAL SCHOOL TERM,
 TO PROVIDE THE DATES WHEN THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE TASK FORCE IS DUE, AND TO
 PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD SHALL ADOPT AND THE SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF
 THIS STATE SHALL IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A BEGINNING DATE EFFECTIVE
 WITH THE 2003-2004 SCHOOL YEAR TO THE EXTENT THAT NO ANNUAL SCHOOL TERM IN ANY
 SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY BEGIN BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED STARTING DATE FOR SCHOOLS.

   02/06/02  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-20
   02/06/02  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-20
   03/28/02  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education SJ-4
   04/03/02  Senate Amended SJ-20
   04/03/02  Senate Read second time SJ-20
   04/03/02  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-20
   04/04/02  Senate  Adoption of committee amendment reconsidered and
                     withdrawn SJ-27
   04/23/02  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-13
   04/24/02  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-15
   04/24/02  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-16
   05/16/02  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education and Public Works HJ-7
   05/22/02  House  Objection by Rep. Keegan, Witherspoon, Edge,
                     Loftis and Davenport HJ-44
   05/22/02  House  Requests for debate-Rep(s). Vaughn, Merrill,
                     Perry, Miller, Kirsh, Townsend, Walker, Clyburn,
                     J. Hines and Martin HJ-44
   05/29/02  House  Debate adjourned until Friday, June 7, 2002 HJ-192

May 16, 2002

    S. 992

S. Printed 5/16/02--H.

Read the first time April 24, 2002.

    To whom was referred a Bill (S. 992) to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section 59-5-71 so as to provide that the State Board of Education shall establish, etc., respectfully

    That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

    Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:

    / SECTION    1.    The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 59-5-71.    The State Board of Education is directed to establish a task force comprised of superintendents, principals, teachers, parents, school board members, and representatives of business and industry, including tourism-related industries, no later than July 1, 2002. This task force, to the extent possible, must be divided equally among proponents of existing or earlier starting dates for schools, proponents of later starting dates for schools, including proponents for dates after Labor Day, and persons who legitimately have no preferences. The task force shall make recommendations to the board including, but not limited to, a suggested uniform beginning date for the annual school term. Minimum necessary expenses, if any, associated with the work of this task force must be paid to the members. The task force shall report its findings to the State Board of Education no later than January 1, 2003."

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

    Renumber sections to conform.

    Amend title to conform.

RONALD P. TOWNSEND for Committee.

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-5-71 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE TO RECOMMEND A UNIFORM BEGINNING DATE FOR THE ANNUAL SCHOOL TERM, TO PROVIDE THE DATES WHEN THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE TASK FORCE IS DUE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD SHALL ADOPT AND THE SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THIS STATE SHALL IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A BEGINNING DATE EFFECTIVE WITH THE 2003-2004 SCHOOL YEAR TO THE EXTENT THAT NO ANNUAL SCHOOL TERM IN ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY BEGIN BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED STARTING DATE FOR SCHOOLS.

    Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION    1.    The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 59-5-71.    (A)    The General Assembly finds that:

        (1)    The length of the annual school term is set by Section 59-1-420 and presently is set at one hundred ninety-three days with at least one hundred eighty days required for student instruction.

        (2)    Each local school board of trustees has the authority to set the beginning and ending date of a school term in its district provided it meets the requirements of Section 59-1-420.

        (3)    The beginning date of the school term, therefore, varies from district to district based on a number of factors, including enrollment, quality of facilities, and other local concerns.

        (4)    It was traditional for many years to begin the annual school term after Labor Day to take into account the needs of an agricultural-based economy, for tourism-related reasons, and for families to finish the summer before starting school.

        (5)    Although a starting date after Labor Day may be the ideal, the recent trend has been for districts to begin the annual school term earlier and earlier in the month of August which in many cases has detrimental effects on tourism-related industries and other industries dependent on a school-age labor supply.

        (6)    Tourism is one of this state's largest generators of revenue, and it is incumbent upon our State to balance the needs of industries such as tourism against the legitimate educational needs of South Carolina.

        (7)    In this time of economic recession and falling state revenues, it is incumbent upon the State of South Carolina to be innovative in every way possible to increase state revenues to the benefit of all areas of our State.

        (8)    In 1999 a task force was created by law to develop, recommend, and implement a uniform grading scale throughout the State of South Carolina for grades K-12, and this model can again be used to solve this very difficult but important problem.

    (B)    The General Assembly declares that, based on the findings in subsection (A), it is in the best interest of the students of South Carolina for a uniform beginning date for the annual school term to be developed and adopted by the State Board of Education to be implemented in all public schools of the State. Therefore, the State Board of Education is directed to establish a task force comprised of superintendents, principals, teachers, parents, school board members, and representatives of business and industry, including tourism-related industries no later than June 1, 2002. This task force to the extent possible shall be equally divided among proponents of existing or earlier starting dates for schools, proponents of later starting dates for schools, including proponents for dates after Labor Day, and persons who legitimately have no preferences. The task force shall make recommendations to the board including, but not limited to, a suggested uniform beginning date for the annual school term. The task force shall report its findings to the State Board of Education no later than September 15, 2002. The State Board of Education shall then adopt and the school districts of the State shall begin using this recommendation for a beginning date for the annual school term no later than the 2003-2004 school year to the extent that no annual school term in any school district may begin before the recommended starting date for schools."

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