H 3606 General Bill, By Jennings, Quinn, Bales, Battle, Breeland, R. Brown, 
Davenport, Frye, Gourdine, Govan, Harvin, Hayes, J. Hines, M. Hines, Howard, 
Keegan, Lloyd, Lourie, Lucas, Miller, Moody-Lawrence, Phillips, Riser, Rivers, 
Rutherford, Scott, Sheheen, Simrill, J.E. Smith, Snow, Taylor, Weeks, Whipper, 
Emory and J.M. Neal

Similar(S 358)
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-20-50, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO STATE AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT
 AND THE MINIMUM REQUIRED TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE, SO AS TO INCREASE THE
 MINIMUM REQUIRED TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE BEGINNING WITH FISCAL YEAR 2001-2002
 IN SPECIFIED INCREMENTAL AMOUNTS SO THAT BY FISCAL YEAR 2006-2007 THE MINIMUM
 REQUIRED TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE SHALL BE AT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

   02/21/01  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-4
   02/21/01  House  Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-5

TO AMEND SECTION 59-20-50, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO STATE AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT AND THE MINIMUM REQUIRED TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE, SO AS TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM REQUIRED TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE BEGINNING WITH FISCAL YEAR 2001-2002 IN SPECIFIED INCREMENTAL AMOUNTS SO THAT BY FISCAL YEAR 2006-2007 THE MINIMUM REQUIRED TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE SHALL BE AT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

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

SECTION    1.    Section 59-20-50(4) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 497 of 1994, is further amended to read:

    "(4)(a)    Each school district shall pay each certified teacher or administrator an annual salary compensation at least equal to the salary stated in the statewide minimum salary schedule for the person's experience and class. No teacher or administrator employed in the same position, over the same time period, shall receive less total salary compensation, including any normal incremental increase, than that teacher or administrator received for the fiscal year before the implementation of this article.

    (b)    The state minimum salary schedule must be based on the state minimum salary schedule index in effect as of July 1, 1984. 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. For fiscal year 2000-2001, the 1.000 index figure is $24,255. For fiscal year 2001-2002, the 1.000 index figure must be adjusted to provide an average salary not less than one thousand dollars above the southeastern average. Beginning with fiscal year 2002-2003, the 1.000 index figure must be adjusted on a schedule to be not less than four thousand dollars below the national average and then increasing in one thousand dollar increments or portions thereof in each subsequent fiscal year thereafter until by fiscal year 2006-2007, the 1.000 index figure has been adjusted on a schedule to be at the national average. The southeastern average teacher salary is the average of the average teachers' salaries of the southeastern states. The national average teacher salary is the average of the average teachers' salaries of the fifty states. In projecting the southeastern or national average, the division shall include in the South Carolina base teacher salary all local teacher supplements and all incentive pay as well as compensation associated with expanding the normal contract year from one hundred ninety days to one hundred ninety-five days, at a rate of one additional day per year beginning with the school year 2001-2002, but shall not include compensation for teaching summer school or for incidental awards such as reimbursement for equipment or school supplies. 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.