H 3055 General Bill, By Davenport and Battle
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY DESIGNATING
 SECTION 59-26-10 THROUGH 59-26-100 AS ARTICLE 1, CHAPTER 26, TITLE 59,
 ENTITLED "GENERAL PROVISIONS"; AND BY ADDING ARTICLE 3, ENTITLED "TEACHER
 PREPARATION PROGRAM EVALUATION", TO CHAPTER 26, TITLE 59 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR
 AN EVALUATION OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT HAVE TEACHER
 PREPARATION PROGRAMS BY THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE STATE
 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, PROVIDE A RATING SYSTEM, PROVIDE FOR THE PROMULGATION
 OF REGULATIONS, PROVIDE FOR THE REPORTING OF THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION TO
 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND PROVIDE FOR A TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM ADVISORY
 COUNCIL.

   12/13/06  House  Prefiled
   12/13/06  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
   01/09/07  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-37
   01/09/07  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-38

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY DESIGNATING SECTION 59-26-10 THROUGH 59-26-100 AS ARTICLE 1, CHAPTER 26, TITLE 59, ENTITLED "GENERAL PROVISIONS"; AND BY ADDING ARTICLE 3, ENTITLED "TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM EVALUATION", TO CHAPTER 26, TITLE 59 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR AN EVALUATION OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION THAT HAVE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS BY THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, PROVIDE A RATING SYSTEM, PROVIDE FOR THE PROMULGATION OF REGULATIONS, PROVIDE FOR THE REPORTING OF THE RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND PROVIDE FOR A TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM ADVISORY COUNCIL.

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

SECTION    1.    Sections 59-26-10 through 59-26-100 are designated as Article 1, Chapter 26, Title 59 of the 1976 Code, entitled "General Provisions".

SECTION    2.    Chapter 26, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Article 3

Section 59-26-310.    (A)    Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, the Commission on Higher Education and the Education Oversight Committee shall evaluate the overall effectiveness of institutions of higher education that have teacher preparation programs. The evaluation must be based on the:

(1)    passing rate on the Praxis;

(2)    institution and school partnerships beyond student teaching and practicum opportunities;

(3)    percent of teacher candidates completing the institution's teacher preparation program within six years;

(4)    results of teacher candidate surveys, administered after one year of employment as a classroom teacher, of perceived readiness in the candidate's area of certification;

(5)    institution's response to the need for teachers in academic critical need areas as defined by the State Board of Education and the need of recruiting and graduating students of ethnic minorities as defined by the United States Census to teach in classrooms of the State; and

(6)    teaching success rate of first-year teachers.

(B)    The Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the Department of Education shall establish four effectiveness ratings of exemplary teacher preparation, satisfactory teacher preparation, at-risk teacher preparation, and low-performing teacher preparation. An institution that is identified as having an effectiveness rating of low performing will have two years to improve the rating with an opportunity for state assistance. If the institution with an effectiveness rating of low performing does not improve within the two years, the institution shall lose its approval status for its teacher preparation program. Institutions that remain in the at-risk category for two consecutive years will be moved to the low-performing category.

(C)    An institution may appeal its performance rating to the Commission on Higher Education.

(D)    The Commission on Higher Education, with input from the Department of Education, shall promulgate regulations relating to the evaluation criteria and the appeals process and to aid in the implementation of this article.

(E)    By January first of each year, the results of the evaluation and the effectiveness ratings of each institution of higher education's teacher preparation program must be presented to the General Assembly and posted on the following websites:

(1)    the institution of higher learning;

(2)    Commission on Higher Education;

(3)    State Department of Education; and

(4)    Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement.

(F)(1)    The Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the Department of Education shall convene a teacher preparation program advisory council to serve in an advisory capacity in the development and oversight of the evaluation and reporting process. The teacher preparation program advisory council must include, but not be limited to:

(a)    teachers representing early childhood, elementary, middle school, and high school education;

(b)    professors at institutions of higher learning representing early childhood, elementary, middle school, and high school education;

(c)    deans of teacher preparation institutions; and

(d)    appropriate personnel representing the Commission on Higher Education and the State Department of Education.

(2)    The advisory council also must include the following legislative members to serve ex officio: President Pro Tempore of the Senate or his designee, Speaker of the House of Representatives or his designee, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee or his designee, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives or his designee, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee or his designee, and Chairman of the Education and Public Works Committee of the House of Representatives or his designee."

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