H 3479 General Bill, By Neilson, Bailey, J. Brown, Cave, Gamble, Govan, 
P.B. Harris, J. Hines, Lloyd, McCraw, Moody-Lawrence, Phillips, Riser, Seithel, 
J.S. Shissias, Whipper, J.M. White and D. Williams
 A Bill to amend Section 59-20-50, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina,
 1976, relating to school teachers' and administrators' minimum salary
 schedules under the Education Finance Act, 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.

   02/02/95  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-9
   02/02/95  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-9

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 59-20-50, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SCHOOL TEACHERS' AND ADMINISTRATORS' MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULES UNDER THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT, 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, as last amended by Section 15, Part II, Act 497 of 1994, is further 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% percent 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. The southeastern average teacher salary is the average of the average teachers' salaries of the southeastern states. 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 teacher no less than their prior fiscal 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 examinations as prescribed by the State Board of Education provided in Section 59-26-20."

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