SECTION 1 - H63-DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 

     1.1.  (SDE: Appropriation Transfer Prohibition)  The amounts appropriated herein for aid to subdivisions, allocations to school districts, or special line items shall not be transferred and must be expended in accordance with the intent of the appropriation, except that the department may transfer funds that are deducted and retained from a school district’s transportation allocation to reimburse the department for the cost of unauthorized mileage.  This transfer must be agreed upon by both the school district and the department.  Those funds may be transferred into the department’s school bus transportation operating account.

     1.2.  (SDE: DHEC - Comprehensive Health Assessment)  All school districts shall participate, to the fullest extent possible, in the Medicaid program by seeking appropriate reimbursement for services and administration of health and social services.Reimbursements to the school districts shall not be used to supplant funds currently being spent on health and social services.

     1.3.  (SDE: EFA Formula/Base Student Cost Inflation Factor)  To the extent possible within available funds, it is the intent of the General Assembly to provide for one hundred percent of full implementation of the Education Finance Act to include an inflation factor projected by the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office to match inflation wages of public school employees in the Southeast.  The base student cost for the current fiscal year has been determined to be $2,220.  For the current fiscal year, the total pupil count is projected to be714,394.  The average per pupil funding is projected to be$5,536 state,$1,185 federal, and$5,371 local.  This is an average total funding level of$12,092 excluding revenues of local bond issues.  For the current fiscal year the South Carolina Public Charter School District and any institution of higher education sponsoring a public charter school shall receive and distribute state EFA funds to the charter school as determined by one hundred percent of the current year’s base student cost, as funded by the General Assembly multiplied by the weighted students pupils enrolled in the charter school, which must be subject to adjustment for student attendance.

     TheRevenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, must post in a prominent place on their website for each school district projections, including the per pupil state, federal and local revenues, excluding revenues of local bond issues, for the current fiscal year.  Also, as soon as practicable, upon determining the exact numbers regarding pupil count and funding, theRevenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, shall also post on their website the one hundred thirty-five day average daily membership for each school district and per pupil state, federal and local revenues, excluding revenues of local bond issues, based on the most recent audited financial statement as reported annually pursuant to Section 59‑17-100.  The Department of Education and the Education Oversight Committee shall provide in a prominent place on their internet websites a link to the information posted by theRevenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, including the projected numbers and the exact numbers.

     For the current fiscal year, the pupil classification weightings are as follows:

          (1)    K-12 pupils or base students including homeboundstudents                    1.00

                   Students served in licensed residential treatment facilities (RTFs) for children and adolescents as defined under Section 44-7-130 of the 1976 Code shall receive a weighting of 2.10.

          (2)    Weights for students with disabilities as prescribed in Section 59-20-40(1)(c) Special Programs

          (3)    Precareer and Career Technology                                                                                         1.29

          (4)    Additional weights for personalized instruction:

                   (A)   Gifted and Talented                                                                                           0.15

                   (B)   Academic Assistance                                                                         0.15

                   (C)   Limited English Proficiency                                                                              0.20

                   (D)   Pupils in Poverty                                                                                                  0.20

     No local match is required for the additional weightings for personalized instruction in school year2015-16.  Charter school per pupil calculations for locally sponsored charters will continue to be calculated according to Section 59-40-140 of the 1976 Code.Students may receive multiple weights for personalized instruction; however, within each weight, students should only be counted once.  These weights are defined below:

     Gifted and talented students are students who are classified as academically or artistically gifted and talented or who are enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in high school.  Districts shall set-aside twelve percent of the funds for serving artistically gifted and talented students in grades three through twelve.

     Students in need of academic assistance are students who do not meet state standards in mathematics, English language arts, or both on state approved assessments in grades three through eight and high school assessments for grades nine through twelve. The additional weight generates funds needed to provide additional instructional services to these students.

     Students with limited English proficiency are students who require intensive English language instruction programs and whose families require specialized parental involvement intervention.

     For the2015-16 school year, students in poverty will continue to be defined as students eligible for free/reduced lunch and/or Medicaid.  The Department of Education will continue to use counts from the 2013-14 school year to determine poverty funding for the add-on weighting.  The department shall report on the effects USDA community certification have had on the ability for individual districts to report their poverty rate no later than October 1, 2015, and shall provide recommendations on using poverty data from the United States Census Bureau to calculate a district’s poverty allocation in lieu of direct certification to the Governor, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

     Further, the Department of Education may use school district student counts for personalized instruction as collected in the same manner as the prior fiscal year, PowerSchool or other available existing data sources as determined by the department to calculate the school district add on weightings for the personalized instruction classifications and the determination of the school districts monetary entitlement. End of year adjustments shall be based on the one hundred thirty-five day student average daily membership for all classifications. During the current fiscal year the department will update PowerSchool calculations, reports, screen development, documentation, and training to incorporate the new pupil classification weightings and to make final district allocation adjustments by June 30,2016. The department must provide districts with technical assistance with regard to student count changes in PowerSchool.

     1.4.  (SDE: EFA - Formula)  The amount appropriated in Part IA, Section 1 for “Education Finance Act” shall be the maximum paid under the provisions of Act 163 of 1977 (the South Carolina Education Finance Act of 1977) to the aggregate of all recipients.  The South Carolina Education Department shall develop formulas to determine the state and required local funding as stipulated in the South Carolina Education Finance Act of 1977.  Such formulas shall require the approval of the State Board of Education and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority.  After computing the EFA allocations for all districts, the department shall determine whether anydistricts’ minimum required local revenue exceeds the districts’ total EFA Foundation Program.  When such instance is found, the department shall adjust the index of taxpaying ability to reflect a local effort equal to the cost of the districts’ EFA Foundation Program.  The districts’ weighted pupil units are to be included in determination of the funds needed for implementation of the Education Finance Act statewide.

     In the event that the formulas as devised by the Department of Education and approved by the State Board of Education and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority should provide for distribution to the various school districts totaling more than the amount appropriated for such purposes, subject to the provisions of this proviso, the Department of Education shall reduce each school district entitlement by an equal amount per weighted pupil so as to bring the total disbursements into conformity with the total funds appropriated for this purpose.  If a reduction is required in the state’s contribution, the required local funding shall be reduced by the proportionate share of local funds per weighted pupil unit.  The Department of Education shall continually monitor the distribution of funds under the provisions of the Education Finance Act and shall make periodic adjustments to disbursements to ensure the aggregate of such disbursements do not exceed the appropriated funds.

     Local districts shall not be mandated or required to inflate the base number in their respective salary schedules by any percentage greater than the percentage by which the appropriated base student cost exceeds the appropriated base student cost of the prior fiscal year.

     1.5.  (SDE: Employer Contributions/Allocations)  It is the intent of the General Assembly that the appropriation contained herein for “Public School Employee Benefits” shall not be utilized to provide employer contributions for any portion of a school district employee’s salarythat is federally funded.

     State funds allocated for school district employer contributions must be allocated by the formula and must be used first by each district to cover the cost of fringe benefits for personnel required by the Defined Program, food service personnel and other personnel required by law.  Once a district has expended all state allocated funds for fringe benefits, the district may utilize food service revenues to fund a proportionate share of fringe benefits costs for food service personnel.

     The Department of Juvenile Justice and the Department of Corrections’ school districts must be allocated funds under the fringe benefits program in accordance with criteria established for all school districts.

     1.6.  (SDE: Employer Contributions/Obligations)  In order to finalize each school district’s allocations of Employer Contributions funds for retiree insurance from the prior fiscal year, the Department of Education is authorized to adjust a school district’s allocation in the current fiscal year accordingly to reflect actual payroll and payments to the Retirement System from the prior fiscal year.  In the event the Department of Education is notified that an educational subdivision has failed to remit proper payments to cover Employee Fringe Benefit obligations, the Department of Education is directed to withhold the educational subdivision’s state funds until such obligations are met.

     1.7.  (SDE: Governor’s School for Science & Math)  Any unexpended balance on June thirtieth of the prior fiscal year of funds appropriated to or generated by the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics may be carried forward and expended in the current fiscal year pursuant to the direction of the board of trustees of the school.

     1.8.  (SDE: Educational Responsibility/Foster Care)  The responsibility for providing a free and appropriate public education program for all children including disabled students is vested in the public school district wherein a child of lawful school age resides in a foster home, group home, orphanage, or a state operated health care facility including a facility for treatment of mental illness or chemical dependence and habilitation centers forpersons with intellectual disabilities or persons with related conditions located within the jurisdiction of the school district or alternative residences.  The districts concerned may agree upon acceptable local cost reimbursement.  If no agreement is reached, districts providing education shall receive from the district where the child last resided before placement in a facility an additional amount equivalent to the statewide average of the local base student cost multiplied by the appropriate pupil weighting as set forth in Section 59-20-40 of the Education Finance Act.  If a child from out of state is residing in a facility owned and/or operated by a for profit entity, the district providing educational services shall be reimbursed by the for profit entity the local district’s local support per weighted pupil above the statewide average base student cost multiplied by the appropriate pupil weighting as set forth in Section 59-20-40 of the Education Finance Act.  This also applies to John de la Howe School who also has the authority to seek reimbursement in any situation that the school district has participation in the placement of the student.  John de la Howe School shall be reimbursed the local district’s local support per weighted pupil above the statewide average base student cost multiplied by the appropriate pupil weighting as set forth in Section 59-20-40 of the Education Finance Act.  Participation will be evidenced by a written agreement from the IEP team or 504 team, written referral, or the school district initiating the placement process.  School districts providing the education shall notify the nonresident district in writing within forty-five calendar days that a student from the nonresident district is receiving education services pursuant to the provisions of the proviso.  The notice shall also contain the student’s name, date of birth, and disabling condition if available.  If appropriate financial arrangements cannot be effected between institutions of the state, including independent school districts under the authority of the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, and school districts, institutions receiving educational appropriations shall pay the local base student cost multiplied by the appropriate pupil weighting.  Children residing in institutions of state agencies shall be educated with nondisabled children in the public school districts if appropriate to their educational needs.  Such institutions shall determine, on an individual basis, which children residing in the institution might be eligible to receive appropriate educational services in a public school setting.  Once these children are identified, the institution shall convene an IEP meeting with officials of the public school district in which the institution is located.  If it is determined by the committee that the least restrictive environment in which to implement the child’s IEP is a public school setting, then the school district in which the institution is located must provide the educational services.  However, that school district may enter into contractual agreements with any other school district having schools located within a forty-five mile radius of the institution.  The cost for educating such children shall be allocated in the following manner:  the school district where the child last resided before being placed in an institution shall pay to the school district providing the educational services an amount equivalent to the statewide average of the local base student cost multiplied by the appropriate pupil weighting as set forth in Section 59-20-40 of the Education Finance Act; the school district providing the educational services shall be able to count the child for all funding sources, both state and federal.  The institution and school district, through contractual agreements, will address the special education and related services to be provided to students.  Should the school district wherein the institution is located determine that the child cannot be appropriately served in a public school setting, then the institution may request a due process hearing pursuant to the procedures provided for in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

     The agreed upon acceptable local cost reimbursement or the additional amount equivalent to the statewide average of the local base student cost multiplied by the appropriate pupil weighting set forth in Section 59-20-40, for instructional services provided to out-of-district students, shall be paid within sixty days of billing, provided the billing district has provided a copy of the invoice to both the Superintendent and the finance office of the district being invoiced.  Should the district not pay within sixty days, the billing district can seek relief from the Department of Education.  The department shall withhold EFA funding equal to the billing from the district refusing to pay and submit the funding (equal to the invoice) to the billing school district.

     The agency placing a child in any situation that requires changing school districts, must work with the schools to assure that all required school records, including confidential records, are transferred from the sending to the receiving school within three working days.  School records to be transferred should include grade transcripts, state birth certificate, certificate of immunization, social security card, attendance records, discipline records, IEP’s, psychological reports (or notation in the school records that a psychological report on the child is available at the school district office) and any other records necessary for the appropriate placement of the child in the new school.  School districts must release all records upon presentation of a court order or appropriate permission for confidential release.  If evaluation or placement is pending, the receiving school district is responsible to secure information and to complete the placement.  The receiving school will maintain appropriate confidentiality of all records received on a child.

     1.9.  (SDE: Instruction in Juvenile Detention Centers)  It shall be the responsibility of the school district where a local juvenile detention center is located to provide adequate teaching staff and to ensure compliance with the educational requirements of this State.  Students housed in local juvenile detention centers are to be included in the average daily membership count of students for that district and reimbursement by the Department of Education made accordingly.

     1.10.     (SDE: Revenue Authorization)  The State Department of Education is hereby authorized to collect, expend, and carry forward revenues in the following areas to offset the cost of providing such services:  the sale of publications, manuals and forms, the sale of Apple Tags, royalties, contributions, donations, foundation funds, special grants and contracts, brochures, photo copies, listings and labels, Directory of South Carolina Schools, student health record cards, items to be recycled, and high school diplomas and certificates; the collection of out-of-state and in-state investigation fees, registration fees for non‑SDE employees, recurring facility inspection fees, teacher certification fees; the handling of audio-visual film; the provision of contract computer services to school districts and other state agencies, joint broadcast service to school districts, and education-related statistics through agreement with the National Center for Education Statistics; the lease or sale of programs of television, audio or microcomputer software; the lease or sale of virtual courses to other states; the collection of damage fees for instructional materials and the sale of unusable instructional materials; sale of fuel; use and repair of transportation equipment; fees for Medicaid reimbursable transportation; the receipt of insurance and warranty payments on Department of Education equipment and the sale of used school buses and support equipment.  The Department of Education is authorized to collect revenue for deposit into the State General Fund for testing material purchases and test rescoring fees.  The Department of Education is authorized to expend revenue collected for lost and damaged instructional materials and the sale of unusable instructional materials for the purpose of contracting for the purchase and maintenance of a statewide textbook inventory management system, provided that schools’ newly-adopted instructional materials needs are met first.

     1.11.     (SDE: School District Bank Accounts)  Each school district in this State, upon the approval of the district’s governing body, may maintain its own bank account for the purpose of making disbursement of school district funds as necessary to conduct school district business and each county treasurer is hereby authorized to transfer such amount as needed, upon receipt of a written order certified by the district governing body or their designee.  Such order shall contain a statement that such amount is for immediate disbursement for the payment of correct and legal obligation of the school district.

     1.12.     (SDE: School Lunch Program Aid)  The amount appropriated herein for School Lunch Program Aid shall be divided among the District and/or County Boards of Education of the State upon the basis of the number of schools participating in the School Lunch Program in each district during the prior school year.  The travel expenses of the District and/or County School Lunch Supervisor shall be paid from this appropriation at the prevailing rate of mileage allowed by the State.  These funds may be used as an aid in improving the School Lunch Program.  These funds may not be used to supplement the salaries of school lunch supervisors.  In the absence of a County Board of Education in multi-district counties, the funds will be divided among the school districts of the county on the basis of the number of schools participating in the School Lunch Program in each district during the prior school year.

     1.13.     (SDE: Travel/Outside of Continental U.S.)  School District allocations from General Funds, lottery, and EIA funds shall not be used for travel outside of the continental United States.  The International Baccalaureate Program shall be exempt from this restriction.

     1.14.     (SDE: Year End Closeout)  The State Department of Education is authorized to expend federal and earmarked funds (not including state or EIA funds) in the current fiscal year for expenditures incurred in the prior year; however, state funds appropriated in Part IA, Section 1, XIV, Aid to School Districts, for the Children’s Case Resolution System or private placements for services provided to children with disabilities may be used for those expenditures in prior fiscal years.  The department is also authorized to use appropriated funds to pay for textbooks shipped in the fourth quarter of the prior fiscal year.

     1.15.     (SDE: Transportation Collaboration)  The Department of Education School Bus Maintenance Shops shall be permitted, on a cost reimbursable-plus basis, to deliver transportation maintenance and services to vehicles owned or operated by public agencies in South Carolina.

     School buses operated by school districts, other governmental agencies or head start agencies for the purpose of transporting students for school or school related activities shall not be subject to state motor fuel taxes.  Further, that school districts, other governmental agencies or head start agencies may purchase this fuel, on a cost reimbursable‑plus basis, from the Department of Education School Bus Maintenance Shops.

     1.16.     (SDE: School Bus Insurance)  The Department of Education shall maintain comprehensive and collision insurance or self-insure state-owned buses.  In no event shall the department charge local school districts for damages to the buses which are commonly covered by insurance.

     1.17.     (SDE: Teacher Data Collection)  Of the non-program funds appropriated to the Department of Education,it and the Commission on Higher Education shall share data about the teaching profession in South Carolina.  The data sharing should ensure (1) a systematic report on teacher supply and demand information and (2) data to determine classes being taught by public school teachers out of field of their preparation.  The data collection should include but not be limited to:  classes/subjects taught, number of students taught, percentage of teacher education graduates from South Carolina colleges/universities who go into teaching, percentage of teacher education graduates who teach in public schools in South Carolina, percentage of new teachers who leave the South Carolina teaching profession in the first three years of public school teaching due to unsuccessful evaluations, percentage of new teachers who leave the profession in the first three years of public school teaching in South Carolina who have successful evaluations, turnover rate of teachers and certification areas with highest vacancies.  All database items should be set up so that it can be disaggregated by ethnicity, gender, geographic location, etc.

     1.18.     (SDE: School Building Aid)  Of the funds appropriated in Part IA for School Building Aid, $500,000 shall be allocated on a K-12 per pupil basis to Multi-District Area Vocational Schools.

     1.19.     (SDE: School Bus Driver CDL)  From funds provided in Part IA, Section 1, X.B., local school districts shall request a criminal record history from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for past conviction of any crimebefore the initial employment of a school bus driver or school bus aide.  The Department of Education and the school districts shall be treated as a charitable organization for purposes of the fee charged for the criminal records search.

     1.20.     (SDE: School Bus Purchase)  Any procurement of school buses with funds appropriated in this act or any other appropriation bill must meet specifications developed by the School Bus Specification Committee as established by the State Superintendent of Education.  The School Bus Specifications Committee shall allow for input from all school bus chassis and body manufacturers.  However, if it is safe, more economical, and in the public interest, the department may use the school bus specifications ofanother state in the procurement of school buses.  If the department uses the specifications ofanother state, the department must submit a report to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee detailing the methodology by which the alternative specifications were determined to be safe, more economical, and in the public interest, when compared to the specifications set forth by the School Bus Specifications Committee.

     1.21.     (SDE: Buses, Parts, and/or Fuel)  Funds appropriated for other operating in program X.B. - Bus Shops and funds appropriated in X.C. - Buses may be used to purchase buses, fuel, parts, or other school bus related items.  All funds appropriated for bus fuel, parts/supplies, maintenance, and bus purchases may be carried forward from the prior fiscal year and expended in the current fiscal year to support bus transportation services.

     1.22.     (SDE: Mitford Transportation Costs)  Transportation costs for the transporting of students from the Mitford area of Fairfield County to schools in the Great Falls area of Chester County is not the responsibility of and shall not be borne by the Chester County School District.  These transportation costs shall continue to be the responsibility of the State Department of Education.

     1.23.     (SDE: Status Offenders/John de la Howe)  The funds appropriated for the Status Offender Program shall be distributed to John de la Howe School to expand residential programs to include court ordered status offenders.  Components of such a program shall include collaboration between the home school district and the residential school and treatment or related services to the families of students in placement.

     1.24.     (SDE: Governor’s School Leave Policy)  The South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics are authorized to promulgate administrative policy governing annual and sick leave relative to faculty and staff with the approval of their respective board of directors.  This policy shall address their respective school calendars in order to comply with the instructional needs of students attending both special schools.

     1.25.     (SDE: School Facilities Management System)  School Districts may use capital improvement bond funds, lapsed funds or any other unexpended appropriated funds or revenues to access the Department of Education’s School Facilities Management System database.

     1.26.     (SDE: School Board Meetings)  Of the funds appropriated through the Department of Education for technology related expenses, school districts that have a website shall place a notice of a regularly scheduled school board meeting twenty-four hours in advance of such meeting.  The notice shall include the date, time, and agenda for the board meeting.  The school district shall place the minutes of the board meeting on their website within ten days of the next regularly scheduled board meeting.

     1.27.     (SDE: Proviso Allocations)In the event an official General Fund revenue shortfall is declared by the Board of Economic Advisors, the Department of Education may reduce any allocation in Section 1 specifically designated by proviso in accordance with the lower Board of Economic Advisors revenue estimate as directed by the Executive Budget Office, except the additional EFA allocation to the South Carolina Public Charter School District.  The reduction may not be greater than the total percentage of reduction of the Section 1 appropriation.  Should the department hold back funds in excess of the total percentage reduction those funds must be allocated per the proviso.  No allocation for teacher salaries shall be reduced as a result of this proviso.

     1.28.     (SDE: School Districts and Special Schools Flexibility)  All school districts and special schools of this State may transfer and expend funds among appropriated state general fund revenues, Education Improvement Act funds, Education Lottery Act funds, and funds received from the Children’s Education Endowment Fund for school facilities and fixed equipment assistance, to ensure the delivery of academic and arts instruction to students.  However, a school district may not transfer funds allocated specifically for state level maintenance of effort requirements under IDEA, funds allocated specifically for state level maintenance of effort requirement for federal program, funds provided for the Education and Economic Development Act, funds provided for Career and Technology Education, nor required for debt service or bonded indebtedness.  All school districts and special schools of this State may suspend professional staffing ratios and expenditure regulations and guidelines at the sub-function and service area level, except for four-year old programs and programs serving students withdisabilities who have Individualized Education Programs.

     In order for a school district to take advantage of the flexibility provisions, at leastseventy-five percent of the school district’s per pupil expenditures must be utilized within the In$ite categories of instruction, instructional support, and non-instruction pupil services.  No portion of theseventy-five percent may be used for business services, debt service, capital outlay, program management, and leadership services, as defined by In$ite.  The school district shall report to the Department of Education the actual percentage of its per pupil expenditures used for classroom instruction, instructional support, and non-instruction pupil services for the current school year ending June thirtieth.  Salaries of on-site principals must be included in the calculation of the district’s per pupil expenditures.

     “In$ite” means the financial analysis model for education programs utilized by the Department of Education.

     School districts are encouraged to reduce expenditures by means, including, but not limited to, limiting the number of low enrollment courses, reducing travel for the staff and the school district’s board, reducing and limiting activities requiring dues and memberships, reducing transportation costs for extracurricular and academic competitions, restructuring administrative staffing, and expanding virtual instruction.

     School districts and special schools may carry forward unexpended funds from the prior fiscal year into the current fiscal year. 

     Prior to implementing the flexibility authorized herein, school districts must provide to Public Charter Schools the per pupil allocation due to them for each categorical program.

     Quarterly throughout the current fiscal year, the chairman of each school district’s board and the superintendent of each school district must certify where non-instructional or nonessential programs have been suspended and the specific flexibility actions taken.  The certification must be in writing, signed by the chairman and the superintendent, delivered electronically to the State Superintendent of Education, and an electronic copy forwarded to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee.Additionally, the certification must be presented publicly at a regularly called school board meeting, and the certification must be conspicuously posted on the internet website maintained by the school district.

     For the current fiscal year, Section 59-21-1030 is suspended. Formative assessments for grades one, two, and nine, the foreign language program assessment,and the physical education assessment must be suspended.School districts and the Department of Education are granted permission to purchase the most economical type of bus fuel.

     For the current fiscal year, savings generated from the suspension of theassessmentsenumerated above must be allocated to school districts based onweighted pupil units.

     School districts must maintain a transaction register that includes a complete record of all funds expended over one hundred dollars, from whatever source, for whatever purpose.  The register must be prominently posted on the district’s internet website and made available for public viewing and downloading.  The register must include for each expenditure:

          (i)          the transaction amount;

          (ii)    the name of the payee; and

          (iii)   a statement providing a detailed description of the expenditure.

     The register must not include an entry for salary, wages, or other compensation paid to individual employees.  The register must not include any information that can be used to identify an individual employee.  The register must be accompanied by a complete explanation of any codes or acronyms used to identify a payee or an expenditure.  The register must be searchable and updated at least once a month.

     Each school district must also maintain on its internet website a copy of each monthly statement for all of the credit cards maintained by the entity, including credit cards issued to its officers or employees for official use.  The credit card number on each statement must be redacted prior to posting on the internet website.  Each credit card statement must be posted not later than the thirtieth day after the first date that any portion of the balance due as shown on the statement is paid.

     The Comptroller General must establish and maintain a website to contain the information required by this section from a school district that does not maintain its own internet website.  The internet website must be organized so that the public can differentiate between the school districts and search for the information they are seeking.

     School districts that do not maintain an internet website must transmit all information required by this provision to the Comptroller General in a manner and at a time determined by the Comptroller General to be included on the internet website.

     The provisions contained herein do not amend, suspend, supersede, replace, revoke, restrict, or otherwise affect Chapter 4, Title 30, the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act.  Nothing in this proviso shall be interpreted as prohibiting the State Board of Education to exercise its authority to grant waivers under Regulation 43-261.

     1.29.     (SDE: Medical Examination and Security Reimbursement/Expenditures)  From funds authorized in Part IA, Section 1, X.B. Other Operating Expenses, the Department of Education may directly pay, or reimburse employees, for the cost of a medical examination as required in Part 391, Subpart E of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, for employees that are required to operate a state vehicle transporting hazardous materials and that are required to undergo a national security background check because of the required Hazmat endorsement to their CDL.

     1.30.     (SDE: Budget Reduction)  In compensating for any reduction in funding, local districts must give priority to preserving classroom teachers and operations.  Funding reductions should first be applied to administrative and non-classroom expenses before classroom expenses are affected.

     1.31.     (SDE: Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities Carry Forward)  Any unexpended balance on June thirtieth of the prior fiscal year of funds appropriated to or generated by the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities may be carried forward and expended in the current fiscal year pursuant to the discretion of the Board of Trustees of the School.

     1.32.     (SDE: Governor’s Schools’ Fees)  The South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics are authorized to charge, collect, expend, and carry forward student fees as approved by their respective Board of Directors.  The purpose and amount of any such fees will be to maintain program quality in both academics and residential support.  No student will be denied admittance or participation due to financial inability to pay.  The respective Board of Directors shall promulgate administrative policy governing the collection of all student fees.  Both schools shall conspicuously publish a fee schedule on their respective websites.

     1.33.     (SDE: School District Furlough)  Should there be a midyear reduction in state funding to the districts, school districts may institute employee furlough programs for district-level and school-level professional staff.  Before any of these employees may be furloughed, the chairman of the governing body of the school district must certify that all fund flexibility provided by the General Assembly has been utilized by the district and that the furlough is necessary to avoid a year-end deficit and a reduction in force.  The certification must include a detailed report by the superintendent of the specific action taken by the district to avoid a year-end deficit.  The certification and report must be in writing and delivered to the State Superintendent of Education and a copy must be forwarded to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

     The local school district board of trustees may implement a furlough of personnel once certification to the State Superintendent documents all funding flexibility has been exhausted and continued year-end deficits exist.  Local school boards of trustees shall have the authority to authorize furloughs of these employees in the manner in which it sees fit.  However, instructional personnel may be furloughed for up to five non-instructional days if not prohibited by an applicable employment contract with the district and provided district administrators are furloughed for twice the number of days.  District administrators may only be furloughed on non-instructional days and may not be furloughed for a period exceeding ten days.District administrators shall be defined by the Department of Education using the Professional Certified Staff (PCS) System.  For individuals not coded in PCS, the determination shall be made based upon whether the individual performs the functions outlined in position codes identified by the department as administration.  Educators who would have received a year’s experience credit had a furlough not been implemented, shall not have their experience credit negatively impacted because of a furlough implementation.

     During any furlough, affected employees shall be entitled to participate in the same benefits as otherwise available to them except for receiving their salaries.  As to those benefits that require employer and employee contributions, including, but not limited to, contributions to the South Carolina Retirement System or the optional retirement program, the district will be responsible for making both employer and employee contributions if coverage would otherwise be interrupted; and as to those benefits which require only employee contributions, the employee remains solely responsible for making those contributions.  Placement of an employee on furlough under this provision does not constitute a grievance or appeal under any employee grievance procedure.  The district may allocate the employee’s reduction in pay over the balance of the fiscal year for payroll purposes regardless of the pay period within which the furlough occurs.

     Each local school district must prominently post on the district’s internet website and make available for public viewing and downloading the most recent version of the school district’s policy manual and administrative rule manual.

     This proviso shall not abrogate the terms of any contract between any school district and its employees.

     1.34.     (SDE: School Lunch/Attendance Supervisors)  For those counties in which an entity other than the school district administers the school lunch supervisor and/or attendance supervisor programs, the school districts in that county shall transfer to the entity the amount available in the previous fiscal year for administration of the school lunch supervisor and/or attendance supervisor programs.  Each district shall transfer a prorata share of the total cost based upon the percentage of state EFA funds distributed to the districts within the county.

     *1.35.  (SDE: Replacement Facilities)  The Department of Education is directed to proceed with the development of a joint-use school transportation maintenance and operations facility in Greenville County.  Prior to the availability of this new facility the department shall continue to operate state school bus maintenance services from the existing Greenville School Bus Maintenance Facility located on Halton Road.  All proceeds from the sale of the Halton Road Facility and Property shall become pupil transportation operating revenue of the department.  The cost of the State share of the new joint-use facility, the cost of preparing the old Halton Road Facility and Property for disposal, interim relocation/construction financing, all associated relocation expenses, and all other related costs shall be funded from the proceeds received from the sale of the existing Halton Road Facility and Property.  The State Treasurer shall make available all necessary interim financing to accomplish the proviso directives.

     1.36.     (SDE: SCGSAH Certified Teacher Designation)  Because of the unique nature of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, the Charleston School of the Arts, and the Greenville County Fine Arts Center, the schools are authorized to employ at its discretion noncertified classroom teachers teaching in the literary, visual and performing arts subject areas who are otherwise considered to be appropriately qualified in a ratio of up to one hundred percent of the entire teacher staff.

     1.37.     (SDE: No Discrimination Requirement)  State funds must not be appropriated to a school that discriminates against or participates with or is a member of an association with policies that discriminate or afford different treatment of students based on race or national origin.

     1.38.     (SDE: Medicaid Cash Match Accounting)  The department is granted authority to transfer funds between budget lines and object codes to identify, reconcile, reimburse, and remit funds required for Medicaid cash match to the Department of Health and Human Services.

     1.39.     (SDE: Student Report Card-GPA)  For each high school student, school districts shall be required to print the student’s individual cumulative grade point average for grades nine through twelve on the student’s report card.

     1.40.     (SDE: Lost & Damaged Textbook Fees)  Fees for lost and damaged textbooks for the prior school year are due no later than December first of the current school year when invoiced by the Department of Education.  The department may withhold textbook funding from schools that have not paid their fees by the payment deadline.

     1.41.     (SDE: Education Finance Act Reserve Fund) There is created in the State Treasury a fund separate and distinct from the General Fund of the State and all other funds entitled the Education Finance Act Reserve Fund.  All unexpended general funds appropriated to the Department of Education for the Education Finance Act in the current fiscal year shall be transferred to the Education Finance Act Reserve Fund.  In the event that the amount appropriated for the Education Finance Act is insufficient to fully fund the base student cost as established by this act, revenues from the Education Finance Act Reserve Fund may be used to supplement the funds appropriated.  The General Assembly may make direct appropriations to this fund.  All unexpended funds in the Education Finance Act Reserve Fund and any interest accrued by the fund must remain in the fund and may be carried forward into the current fiscal year.

     1.42.     (SDE: Prohibit Advertising on School Buses)  The Department of Education and local school districts are prohibited from selling space for or the placement of advertisements on the outside or inside of state-owned school buses.

     1.43.     (SDE:Residential Treatment Facilities Student Enrollment and Funding)  Each South Carolina resident of lawful school age residing in licensed residential treatment facilities (RTFs) for children and adolescents as defined under Section 44-7-130 of the 1976 Code, (“students”) shall be entitled to receive educational services from the school district in which the RTF is located (“facility school district”).  The responsibility for providing appropriate educational programs and services for these students, both with and without disabilities, who are referred, authorized, or placed by the State is vested in the facility school districts.  For purposes of this proviso, an authorization must be pursuant to a physician’s determination of medical necessity.  If clinically appropriate, the facility school district, the RTF, and the parent or guardian of a student referred or placed in a RTF may consider the appropriateness of providing the student’s education program virtually through enrollment in either the facility district’s virtual program, the South Carolinavirtual school program provided through the Department of Education (Virtual SC), or a virtual charter school authorized by the South Carolina Public Charter School District, or a virtual charter school authorized by an approved institute of higher education.  This decision should be made jointly with the best interest of the student and what is clinically indicated being considered.

     A facility school district must provide the necessary educational programs and services directly to the student at the RTF’s facility, provided that the RTF facility provides and maintains comparable adequate space for the educational programs and services consistent with all federal and state least restrictive environment requirements.  Adequate space shall include appropriate electrical support and Internet accessibility.  Unless the parent or legal guardian of the student seeks to continue the student’s enrollment in the resident school district under a medical homebound instruction program and the district approves, if appropriate, then, under these circumstances, the facility school district shall enroll the student and assume full legal and financial responsibility for the educational services including enrolling the student, approving the student’s entry into a medical homebound instructional program, if appropriate, and receiving and expending funds, unless the resident school district undertakes to carry out its educational responsibilities for the student directly.  Alternatively, a facility school district may choose to provide the necessary educational programs and services by contracting with the RTF provided that the RTF agrees to provide educational services to the student at the RTF’s facility.  Under these circumstances, the facility school district must enroll the student and pay the RTF for the educational services provided.  If the facility school district determines the educational program being offered by the RTF does not meet the educational standards outlines in the contract, the facility district shall be justified in terminating the contract.

     The facility school districts are entitled to receive the base student cost multiplied by the Education Finance Act pupil weighting for Homebound pupils of 2.10, as set forth in Section 59-20-40 of the 1976 Code and any eligible categorical and federal funds.  These funds may be retained by the facility school districts for the purpose of providing the educational programs and services directly to students referred or placed by the State or the facility school districts may use these funds to reimburse RTFs for the educational programs and services provided directly by the RTFs.  A facility school district is entitled to reimbursement from a resident school district for the difference between (1) the reasonable costs expended for the educational services provided directly by the facility school district or the amount paid to the RTF and (2) the aggregate amount of federal and state funding received by the facility school district for that student.  However, the reimbursement rate may not exceed $45 per student per day.  Facility school districts providing the educational services shall notify the resident district in writing within forty-five calendar days that a student from the resident district is receiving educational services pursuant to the provisions of the proviso.  Reimbursements shall be paid within sixty days of billing, provided the facility district has provided a copy of the invoice to both the District Superintendent and the finance office of the resident district being invoiced.  Should the facility school district be unable to reach agreement with the resident school district regarding reasonable costs differences, the facility school district shall notify the Department of Education’s Office of General Counsel.  The Department of Education shall facilitate a resolution of the dispute between the facility school district and the resident school district within forty-five days of the notice of dispute.  If the issue of reasonable cost differences should remain unresolved,a facility school district shall have the right to file a complaint in a Circuit Court.  Should a resident school district fail to distribute the entitled funding to the facility school district by the one hundred thirty-five day count, the Department of Education is authorized to withhold the equivalent amount of EFA funds and transfer those funds to the facility school district.

     If a child from out of state is placed in a RTF by an out-of-state school district or agency, the child’s home state remains responsible for the educational services.  The facility school district may choose to provide the educational program to the child and, upon choosing to do so, shall contract with the appropriate entity for payment of educational serviced provided to the child.  Out-of-state students provided educational services by a facility school district shall not be eligible for funding through the Education Finance Act.

     If a child is placed in a RTF by the child’s parent or guardian and is not referred, authorized, or placed by the State, the facility school district may choose to provide the educational program to the child, and upon doing so, must negotiate with the resident school district for services through medical homebound procedures.  A facility school district is responsible for compliance with all child find requirements under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2004 (IDEA).

     All students enrolled in the facility school districts shall have access to the facility school districts’ general education curriculum, which will be tied to the South Carolina academic standards in the core content areas.  All students with disabilities who are eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with IDEA, as amended, and the State Board of Education (SBE) regulations, as amended, shall receive special education and related services in the least restrictive environment by appropriately certified personnel.  Students in an RTF will at all times be eligible to receive the educational credits (e.g., Carnegie Units) earned through their educational efforts.

     With respect to students enrolled in the facility school districts, for accountability purposes, the assessment and accountability measures for students residing in RTFs shall be attributed to a specific school only if the child physically attends the school.The performance of students residing in a RTF who receive their educational program on site at the RTF must be reflected on a separate line on the facility school district’s report card and must not be included in the overall performance ratings of the facility school district.  The Department of Education shall examine the feasibility of issuing report cards for RTFs.  For thecurrent fiscal year, a facility school district shall not have the district’s state accreditation rating negatively impacted by deficiencies related to the delivery of an educational program at a RTF.

     RTFs shall notify the facility school district as soon as practical, and before admission to the RTF if practical, of a student’s admission to the RTF.  RTFs, the facility school districts and the Department of Education shall use their best efforts to secure and/or exchange information, including documents and records necessary to provide appropriate educational services and/or related services as necessary to assist the facility school district in determining the resident school district.  The Department of Education, in collaboration with state placing agencies, RTFs, facility school districts, and resident school districts, shall implement a system to follow the release of students from a RTF and re-enrollment in public, private, or special schools to ensure these students, when appropriate, are not recorded as dropouts.

     1.44.     (SDE: Special Schools Flexibility)  For the current fiscal year, the special schools are authorized to transfer funds among funding categories, including capital funds.

     1.45.     (SDE: High School Driver Education)  For the current fiscal year, the requirement for high schools to provide a course in driver education is suspended however, high schools may continue to offer driver education courses if they choose to do so. 

     1.46.     (SDE: Carry Forward Authorization)  For the current fiscal year, the Department of Education is authorized to carry forward and expend any General Fund balances for school bus transportation.

     1.47.     (SDE: Administrative Costs Report Posting)  School districts must report the amount of funds spent on administrative costs, as defined by In$ight in the prior fiscal year and post the report on the districts website.  School districts shall provide an electronic copy of this report to the Department of Education in conjunction with the financial audit report required by Section 59-17-100, of the 1976 Code.  If a district fails to meet these requirements they must be notified in writing by the department that the district hassixty days to comply with the reporting requirement.  If the district does not report within sixty days, thedepartment is authorized to reduce the district’s base student cost by one percent until such time as the requirement is met.  Once in compliance, any funds withheld will be returned to the district.

     1.48.     DELETED

     1.49.     (SDE: Governor’s Schools Residency Requirement)  Of the funds appropriated, the Governor’s School for the Arts and the Humanities and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics are to ensure that a parent(s) or guardian(s) of a student attending either the Governor’s School for the Arts and the Humanities or the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics must prove that they are a legal resident of the state of South Carolina at the time of application and must remain so throughout time of attendance.  The Governor’s School for the Arts and the Humanities and Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics may not admit students whose parent(s) or guardian(s) are not legal residents of South Carolina.

     1.50.     (SDE: Holocaust Funds)  Funds appropriated to the Department of Education for the SC Council on Holocaust shall not be used for any other purpose nor transferred to any other program.  In addition, in the event the department is required to implement a budget reduction, SC Council on Holocaust funds may not be reduced.

     1.51.     (SDE: Governor’s Schools Capacity)  Forthe current fiscal year, funds appropriated to the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics must be used to bring the schools up to full capacity, to the extent possible. Each school must report electronically to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee by December first how the funds have been utilized and how many additional students have been served.

     1.52.     (SDE: Student Health and Fitness)  Funds appropriated for Student Health and Fitness shall be allocated to school districts to increase the number of physical education teachers to the extent possible and to provide licensed nurses for elementary public schools. Twenty-seven percent of the funds shall be allocated to the districts based on average daily membership of grades K-5 from the preceding year for physical education teachers. The remaining funds will be made available through a grant program for school nurses and shall be distributed to the school districts on a per school basis.  Schools that provide instruction in grades K-5 are eligible to apply for the school nurse grant program.

     1.53.     (SDE:Impute Index Value)  Forthe current fiscal year and for the purposes of calculating the index of taxpaying ability the Department of Revenue shall impute an index value for owner-occupied residential property qualifying for the special four percent assessment ratio by adding the second preceding taxable year total school district reimbursements for Tier 1, 2, and Tier 3(A) and not to include the supplement distribution.  The Department of Revenue shall not include sales ratio data in its calculation of the index of taxpaying ability.  The methodology for the calculations for the remaining classes of property shall remain as required pursuant to the EFA and other applicable provisions of law.

     1.54.     (SDE: EFA State Share)  A school district that does not recognize a State share of the EFA financial requirement shall be supplemented with an amount equal to seventy percent of the school district with the least State financial requirement.

     1.55.     (SDE: Health Education)  Each school district is required to ensure that all comprehensive health education, reproductive health education, and family life education conducted within the district, whether by school district employees or a private entity, must utilize curriculum that complies with the provisions contained in Chapter 32, Title 59.  Any person may complain in a signed, notarized writing to the chairman of the governing board of a school district that matter not in compliance with the requirements of Chapter 32, Title 59 is being taught in the district.  Upon receiving a notarized complaint, the chairman of the governing board must ensure that the complaint is immediately investigated and, if the complaint is determined to be founded, that immediate action is taken to correct the violation.  If corrective action is not taken, then the district must have its base student cost reduced by one percent.

     1.56.     (SDE: Bus Lease/Purchase)  The Department of Education is permitted to purchase or lease school buses in order to continue replacement of the state’s school bus fleet.

     1.57.     (SDE: Felton Lab Allocation)  Of the funds distributed pursuant to the Education Finance Act, the Felton-Laboratory School at South Carolina State University shall receive each year, seventy percent of the funds it would have received for that year under the Education Finance Act and under aid to school districts-fringe benefits, as if it were a special school district.  The calculation of the amount of funds which the Felton-Laboratory School is entitled to receive each year shall be made by the Department of Education.

     **1.58.    (SDE: Lee County Bus Shop)  From the funds appropriated in program XB, Bus Shops, in the current fiscal year, the department must fund the Lee County School District Bus Shop and the Kershaw County School District Bus Shop at the same level as they were funded in the previous fiscal year.

     1.59.     (SDE: School Enrollment Policy)  Forthe current fiscal year, any school district with an open enrollment policy for all schools or certain schools which had previously accepted certain students residing outside of the district to an academic magnet school in the district must continue to accept these students and their siblings for enrollment at the academic magnet school under the same terms and conditions these students were previously permitted to attend the school.

     1.60.     (SDE: District Funding Flexibility)  Forthe current fiscal year, districts must utilize funding flexibility provided herein to ensure that district approved safety precautions are in place at every school.

     1.61.     (SDE: Transportation Maintenance Facilities)  For the current fiscal year, a school district wishing to include school bus maintenance in a contract with a private vendor may enter into an agreement with the Department of Education whereby the department releases the school district to include school bus maintenance in the private vendor contract.

     1.62.     DELETED

     1.63.     (SDE: School District Activity Bus Advertisements)  School Districts may sell commercial advertising space on the outside or inside of district owned activity buses.  However, as defined and determined by the local school board, a school district may not sell such commercial advertising if the advertisement promotes a political candidate, ideology, or cause, a product that could be harmful to children, or a product that appeals to the prurient interest.  Revenue generated from the sale of commercial advertising space shall be retained by the school district.

     1.64.     (SDE: School District Property)  The requirements of Section 59-19-250 of the 1976 Code, as amended, which requires the consent of a governing board of a county in order for school trustees to sell or lease school property whenever they deem it expedient to do so are suspended for the current fiscal year.

     1.65.     DELETED

     1.66.     (SDE: Full-Day 4K)  For the current school year, eligible students residing in a school district with a poverty index of 70 percent or greater may participate in the South Carolina Early Reading Development and Education Program.  Public and private providers will be reimbursed for instructional costs at a rate of $4,218 per student enrolled.  Eligible students enrolling during the school year or withdrawing during the school year shall be funded on a pro rata basis determined by the length of their enrollment.  Private providers transporting eligible children to and from school shall also be eligible for a reimbursement of $550 per eligible child transported.  All providers who are reimbursed are required to retain records as required by their fiscal agent.  New providers participating for the first time in the current fiscal year and enrolling between one and six eligible children shall be eligible to receive up to $1,000 per child in materials and equipment funding, with providers enrolling seven or more such children eligible for funding not to exceed $10,000.  Providers receiving equipment funding are expected to participate in the program and provide high-quality, center-based programs as defined herein for a minimum of three years.  Failure to participate for three years will require the provider to return a portion of the equipment allocation at a level determined by the Department of Education and the Office of First Steps to School Readiness.  Funding to providers is contingent upon receipt of data as requested by the Department of Education and the Office of First Steps.

     Of the funds appropriated, $300,000 shall be allocated to the Education Oversight Committee to conduct an annual evaluation of the South Carolina Child Development Education Pilot Program and to issue findings in a report to the General Assembly by January fifteenth of each year.  To aid in this evaluation, the Education Oversight Committee shall determine the data necessary and both public and private providers are required to submit the necessary data as a condition of continued participation in and funding of the program.  This data shall include developmentally appropriate measures of student progress.  Additionally, the Department of Education shall issue a unique student identifier for each child receiving services from a private provider.  The Department of Education shall be responsible for the collection and maintenance of data on the public state funded full day and half-day four-year-old kindergarten programs.  The Office of First Steps to School Readiness shall be responsible for the collection and maintenance of data on the state funded programs provided through private providers.  The Education Oversight Committee shall use this data and all other collected and maintained data necessary to conduct a research based review of the program’s implementation and assessment of student success in the early elementary grades.

     1.67.     (SDE: Summer Reading Camps)  For the current fiscal year, funds appropriated for summer reading camps must be allocated as follows:  (1)up to twenty percent to the Department of Education to provide bus transportation for students attending the camps;(2) $700,000 allocated to the department to provide grants to support community partnerships whereby community organizations would collaborate with local school districts to provide after school programs or summer reading camps that utilize volunteers, mentors or tutors to provide instructional support to struggling readers in elementary schools that have a poverty index of fifty percent or greater.  The Education Oversight Committee will document and evaluate the partnerships and the impact of the partnerships on student academic success and make recommendations on the characteristics of effective partnerships and on methods of duplicating effective partnerships throughout the state; and (3) the remainder on a per pupil allocation to each school district based on the number of students who substantially failed to demonstrate third-grade reading proficiency as indicated on the prior year’s state assessment as defined by Section 59-155-120 (10) of the 1976 Code.  Summer reading camps must be at least six weeks in duration with a minimum of four days of instruction per week and four hours of instruction per day, or the equivalent minimum hours of instruction in the summer.  School transportation shall be provided. The camps must be taught by compensated teachers who have at least an add-on literacy endorsement or who have documented and demonstrated substantial success in helping students comprehend grade-level texts.  The Department of Education shall assist districts that cannot find qualified teachers to work in the summer camps.  Districts may also choose to contract for the services of qualified instructors or collaborate with one or more districts to provide a summer reading camp.  Schools and school districtsare encouraged to partner with county or school libraries, institutions of higher learning, community organizations, faith-based institutions, businesses, pediatric and family practice medical personnel,and other groups to provide volunteers, mentors, tutors, space, or other support to assist with the provision of the summer reading camps.  In the current school year, any student in third grade who substantially fails to demonstrate third-grade reading proficiency by the end of the school year must be offered the opportunity to attend a summer reading camp at no cost to the parent or guardian.  The purpose of the reading camp is to provide students who are significantly below third-grade reading proficiency with the opportunity to receive quality, intensive instructional services and support.A district mayalso include in the summer reading campsstudents who are not exhibiting reading proficiencyat any grade and may charge fees for these students to attend the summer reading camps based on a sliding scale pursuant to Section 59-19-90,except where a child is found to be reading below grade level in the first, second or third grade.  A parent or guardian of a student who does not substantially demonstrate proficiency in comprehending texts appropriate for his grade level must make the final decision regarding the student’s participation in the summer reading camp.

     1.68.     DELETED

     1.69.     (SDE: Interscholastic Athletic Association Dues)  A public school district supported by state funds shall not use any funds or permit any school within the district to use any funds to join, affiliate with, pay dues or fees to, or in any way financially support any interscholastic athletic association, body, or entity unless the constitution, rules, or policies of the association, body, or entity contain the following:

          (1)    a range of sanctions that may be applied to a student, coach, team, or program and that takes into account factors such as the seriousness, frequency, and other relevant factors when there is a violation of the constitution, bylaws, rules, or other governing provisions of the association, body, or entity;

          (2)    (a)    guarantees that private or charter schools are afforded the same rights and privileges that are enjoyed by all other members of the association, body, or entity.  A private or charter school may not be expelled from or have its membership unreasonably withheld by the association, body, or entity or restricted in its ability to participate in interscholastic athletics including, but not limited to, state playoffs or championships based solely on its status as a private school or charter school.  The association, body, or entity shall set reasonable standards for private or charter school admission.  A private or charter school denied membership must be provided, in writing within five business days, the reason or reasons for rejection of its application for membership;

                   (b)   guarantees that a South Carolina home school athletic team that is a member of a home school athletic association may not be denied access to preseason and regular season interscholastic athletics including, but not limited to, jamborees and invitational tournaments, based solely on its status as a home school athletic team; other rules or policies of the association, body, or entity would apply;

          (3)    (a)    an appeals process in which appeals of the association, body, or entity are made to a disinterested third-body appellate panel which consists of seven members who serve four year terms, with one person appointed by the delegation of each congressional district;

                   (b)   a member of the panel serves until his successor is appointed and qualifies.  A vacancy on the panel is filled in the manner of the original appointment;

                   (c)    members of the appellate panel do not concurrently serve as officers of the association, body, or entity and may not have served as a member of the executive committee within the last three years.  Principals and superintendents are able to appeal a ruling of the association, body, or entity to the panel.  The appellate panel also must provide the final ruling in any appeal brought against a decision of the association, body, or entity;

          (4)    a procedure in place for emergency appeals to be held and decided upon in an expedited manner if the normal appellate process would prohibit the participation of a student, team, program, or school in an athletic event, to include practices;

          (5)    provisions, implemented within one year after the effective date of this section, that require the composition of the executive committee of the association, body, or entity be geographically representative of this State.

     In the event an association, body, or entity fails to include one of the items listed in this proviso, public school districts and schools must end their affiliation with the association, body, or entity prior to the beginning of the upcoming school year and are prohibited from paying dues or fees to the association, body, or entity.

     1.70.     DELETED

     1.71.     DELETED

     1.72.     (SDE: Governor’s Schools Informational Access to Students)  For the current fiscal year, school districts must permit both the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics to collaborate with individual schools and their staff to share information with students and families about the educational opportunities offered at the respective Governor’s Schools, through avenues including school visits, informational presentations, and posters.  By June 30, 2015, the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics must report to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee the results of these Informational Access efforts.  Further, the two Governor’s Schools will work with districts, the Department of Education and School Report Card administrators, to ensure that SAT scores of current Governor’s Schools’ students are included in the School Report Card of those students’ resident schools and districts.

     *1.73.  (SDE: Alternative Fuel Transportation)  For the current fiscal year, of the funds appropriated for School Bus Lease/Purchase, the Department of Education is directed to use at least ten percent to lease or purchase school buses that are designed to use alternative fuel or dual fuel as long as at least one school district desires to participate in this pilot project.  The department shall select up to three school districts wishing to participate in a pilot project to use alternative fuel or dual fuel buses.  Districts selected and agreeing to participate in the pilot project are required to submit quarterly reports to the department as directed by the agency.  The department shall be responsible for the alternative fuel or dual fuel buses it purchases and shall pay for their maintenance costs and fuel.  By June 1, 2016, the department must report to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee how many alternative fuel or dual fuel buses were purchased, the cost of each bus, the type of alternative fuel used and the cost of the alternative fuel.

     1.74.     (SDE: Reading Coaches)  (A)  Funds appropriated for Reading Coaches must be allocated to school districts by the Department of Education as follows:

              (1)    for each elementary school in which twenty percent or more of the students scored Not Met on the reading and research test in the most recent year for which such data are available, the school district shall be eligible to receive the lesser of either up to $62,730 or the actual cost of salary and benefits for a full-time reading coach; and

              (2)    for each elementary school in which fewer than twenty percent of the students scored Not Met on the reading and research test during the same period, the school district shall be eligible to receive the lesser of either up to $31,365 or fifty percent of the actual cost of salary and benefits for a full-time reading coach.  A school district must provide local support for state funds provided under this paragraph.  School districts may use existing local funds currently used for reading assistance as the local support.

     (B)    By accepting these funds, a school district warrants that they will not be used to supplant existing school district expenditures, except for districts that either are currently, or in the prior fiscal year, were paying for reading coaches with local funds.  A district may, however, assign a reading coach to a primary school rather than to the elementary school to improve the early literacy skills of young children.

     (C)    Funds appropriated for Reading Coaches are intended to be used to provide elementary schools with reading coaches, who shall serve as job-embedded, stable resources for professional development throughout schools in order to generate improvement in reading and literacy instruction and student achievement.  Reading coaches shall support and provide initial and ongoing professional development to teachers based on an analysis of student assessment and the provision of differentiated instruction and intensive intervention.  The reading coach shall:

              (1)    model effective instructional strategies for teachers by working weekly with students in whole, and small groups, or individually;

              (2)    facilitate study groups;

              (3)    train teachers in data analysis and using data to differentiated instruction;

              (4)    coaching and mentoring colleagues;

              (5)    work with teachers to ensure that research-based reading programs are implemented with fidelity;

              (6)    work with all teachers (including content area and elective areas) at the school they serve, and help prioritize time for those teachers, activities, and roles that will have the greatest impact on student achievement, namely coaching and mentoring in the classrooms;

              (7)    help lead and support reading leadership teams; and

              (8)    The reading coach must not be assigned a regular classroom teaching assignment, must not serve an as administrator,

must not perform administrative functions that deter from the flow of improving reading instruction and reading performance of students and must not devote a significant portion of his or her time to administering or coordinating assessments. 

     (D)   No later than February 1, 2016, the Department of Education must publish guidelines that define the minimum qualifications for a reading coach for Fiscal Year 2015-16.  These guidelines must deem any licensed/certified teacher qualified if, at a minimum, he or she:

              (1)    holds a bachelor’s degree or higher and an add-on endorsement for literacy coach or literacy specialist,

              (2)    holds a bachelor’s degree or higher and is actively pursuing the literacy coach or literacy specialist endorsement; or

              (3)    holds a master’s degree or higher in reading or a closely‑related field.

     Within these guidelines, the Department of Education must also establish a process for Fiscal Year 2015-16 through which an elementary school may be permitted to use some or all of the allocation granted under subsection (A) in order to obtain in-school reading coaching services from a department-approved consultant or vendor, in the event that the school is not successful in identifying and directly employing a qualified candidate.  The provisions of subsection (A), including the local support requirements, shall also apply to any allocations made pursuant to this paragraph.

     (E)    The Department of Education must develop procedures for monitoring the use of funds appropriated for Reading Coaches to ensure they are applied to their intended uses and are not redirected for other purposes.  The Department of Education may receive up to $100,000 of the funds appropriated for Reading Coaches in order to implement this program, provided that this allocation does not exceed the department’s actual costs.

     (F)    Prior to the close of the current fiscal year, any remaining funds for Reading Coaches, but no more than $5,000,000, shall be distributed by the Department of Education among the school districts containing elementary or primary schools that were eligible for and which elected to receive funding under subsection (A)(1) of this proviso; these funds shall be distributed in proportion to these districts’ relative shares of students who scored Not Met on the research and reading test in the most recent year for which such data are available.  Funds distributed under this subsection must be used exclusively to support reading‑related professional development opportunities for teachers that lead to the literacy add-on endorsement.

     (G)   The Department of Education shall require:

              (1)    any school district receiving funding under subsection (A) to identify the name and qualifications of the supported reading coach; as well as the school in which the coach is assigned along with the rationale for how the school selection was made; and

              (2)    any school district receiving funding under subsection (F) to account for the specific amounts and uses of such funds.

     (H)   With the data reported by the school districts, the department shall report by January fifteenth of the current fiscal year on the hiring of and assignment of reading coaches by school and on the expenditure of professional development funds for opportunities for teachers to earn the literacy endorsement.  The department shall also report the amount of funds that will be carried forward.

     (I)     Funds appropriated for Reading Coaches shall be retained and carried forward to be used for the same purpose but may not be flexed.

     (J)     For Fiscal Year 2015-16, if increased funding for reading coaches is not sufficient to provide additional reading coaches at each elementary school then the funding must be targeted to the areas of greatest need based on the number of students substantially failing to demonstrate reading proficiency as indicated on the prior year’s state assessment.

     1.75.     (SDE: Charter School Transition Funds)  For Fiscal Year 2015-16, charter schools sponsored by a local school district  must receive transition funds from the local district or statewide transition funds available in an amount equal to any reduction in funds received by the school due to the changes in the Education Finance Act formula.  In order to receive funds from the statewide transition funds, the charter school must report the amount of funds required to the department through the authorizing district.  The department shall allocate the transition funds to the district which then shall allocate the funds to the school.  If the amount of transition funds for the charter schools exceeds transition funds available, then funds will be reduced pro rata for all parties.

     1.76.     (SDE: Sports Participation)Any school receiving state funds shall be required to allow a military dependent student who has transferred from their resident school district to another school district to participate in a sport that was not offered in the resident school district.  Should a school fail to comply with this provision, the Department of Education shall withhold one percent of their total state allocation.

     1.77.     (SDE: Graduation Rates)  For the current fiscal year, if a high school has a graduation rate below sixty percent, using appropriated funds a local school district board of trustees must provide a report detailing a plan to increase the graduation rate in accordance with the provisions of the Education Accountability Act to the State Board of Education.

     1.78.     (sde: South Carolina Community Block Grants for Education Pilot Program)  There is created the South Carolina Community Block Grants for Education Pilot Program.  The purpose of this matching grants program is to encourage and sustain partnerships between a community and its local public school district or school for the implementation of innovative, state-of-the-art education initiatives and models to improve student learning.  The initiatives and models funded by the grant must be well designed, based on strong evidence of effectiveness, and have a history of improved student performance.

     The General Assembly finds that the success offered by these initiatives and programs is assured best when vigorous community support is integral to their development and implementation.  It is the intent of this proviso to encourage public school and district communities and their entrepreneurial public educators to undertake state-of-the-art initiatives to improve student learning and to share the results of these efforts with the state’s public education community.

     As used in this proviso:

          (1)    “Community” is defined as a group of parents, educators, and individuals from business, faith groups, elected officials, nonprofit organizations and others who support the public school district or school in its efforts to provide an outstanding education for each child.  As applied to the schools impacted within a district or an individual school, “community” includes the school faculty and the School Improvement Council as established in Section 59-20-60 of the 1976 Code;

          (2)    “Poverty” is defined as the percent of students eligible in the prior year for the free and reduced price lunch program and or Medicaid; and

          (3)    “Achievement” is as established by the Education Oversight Committee for the report card ratings developed pursuant to Section 59-18-900 of the 1976 Code.

     The executive director of the Education Oversight Committee is directed to appoint an independent grants committee to develop the process for awarding the grants including the application procedure, selection process, and matching grant formula.  The grants committee will be comprised of seven members, three members selected from the education community and four members from the business community.  The chairman of the committee will be selected by the committee members at the first meeting of the grants committee.  The grants committee will review and select the recipients of the Community Block Grants for Education.

     The criteria for awarding the grants must include, but are not limited to:

          (1)    the establishment and continuation of a robust community advisory committee to leverage funding, expertise, and other resources to assist the district or school throughout the implementation of the initiatives funded through the Block Grant Program;

          (2)    a demonstrated ability to meet the match throughout the granting period;

          (3)    a demonstrated ability to implement the initiative or model as set forth in the application; and

          (4)    an explanation of the manner in which the initiative supports the district’s or school’s strategic plan required by Section 59-18-1310 of the 1976 Code.

     In addition, the district or school, with input from the community advisory committee, must include:

          (1)    a comprehensive plan to examine delivery implementation and measure impact of the model;

          (2)    a report on implementation problems and successes and impact of the innovation or model; and

          (3)    evidence of support for the project from the school district administration when an individual school applies for a grant.

     The match required from a grant recipient is based on the poverty of the district or school.  No matching amount will exceed more than seventy percent of the grant request or be less than ten percent of the request. The required match may be met by funds or by in-kind donations, such as technology, to be further defined by the grants committee. Public school districts and schools that have high poverty and low achievement will receive priority for grants when their applications are judged to meet the criteria established for the grant program.

     However, no grant may exceed $250,000 annually unless the grants committee finds that exceptional circumstances warrant exceeding this amount.

     The Education Oversight Committee will review the grantee reports and examine the implementation of the initiatives and models to understand the delivery of services and any contextual factors.  The Oversight Committee will then highlight the accomplishments and common challenges of the initiatives and models funded by the Community Block Grant for Education Pilot Program to share the lessons learned with the state’s public education community.

     For the current fiscal year, funds allocated to the Community Block Grant for Education Pilot Program must be used to provide or expand high-quality early childhood programs for a targeted population of at-risk four-year-olds.  High-quality is defined as meeting the minimum program requirements of the Child Early Reading Development and Education Program and providing measurable high-quality child-teacher interactions, curricula and instruction.  Priority will be given to applications that involve public-private partnerships between school districts, schools, Head Start, and private child care providers who collaborate to:  (1) provide high-quality programs to four-year-olds to maximize the return on investment; (2) assist in making the transition to kindergarten; (3) improve the early literacy and numeracy readiness of children; and (4) engage families in improving their children’s readiness.

     1.79.     DELETED

     1.80.     (SDE: Board of Education Funds)  For the current fiscal year, the Department of Education is authorized to carry forward funds appropriated in Part IA, Section 1, II. Board of Education.  The State Board of Education is permitted to utilize these funds for innovative educational opportunities and projects.  The Board of Education shall develop guidelines and publish them on the board’s website.

     1.81.     (SDE: Proceeds from Sale of Bus Shop & Boat)  For the current fiscal year the Department of Education is authorized to retain any funds received from the sale of any bus shop and the sale of the state owned boat and expend those funds for transportation purposes.

     1.82.     (SDE: Transition Funds to Districts)  Fund appropriated in Part IA, Section 1, XIV. Aid to School Districts, A. Aid to School Districts, EFA Transition Payments, are to be distributed to school districts eligible to receive transition funds.  The funds will be disbursed in an amount equal to the net aggregate decrease in funding realized by a district as a result of changes to the EFA funding formula.

     (A)   Districts eligible for transition payments in the prior fiscal year are eligible to receive one-half of the transition payment received in Fiscal Year 2014-15, subject to the limitations of item (B) of this section.

     (B)    School districts are not eligible to receive transition funds for the portion of a net funding decrease resulting from a decrease in district ADM from the prior to the current fiscal year.

     (C)    If the amount of transition payments for all school districts exceeds the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, each entity receiving funds shall have their allocation reduced pro rata.

     1.83.     DELETED

     1.84.     (SDE: First Steps 4K Technology)  During the current fiscal year, South Carolina Office of First Steps to School Readiness is authorized to expend up to $75,000 from the four-year-old kindergarten carry forward funds to purchase electronic devices for the administration of early literacy and language development assessments to children enrolled in the full-day 4K program in private centers in the current fiscal year.  The State Office of First Steps may purchase one device, which would be the property of the Office of First Steps, for every ten centers serving children in the program.  The regional coordinators who provide support to the centers shall coordinate the usage of the devices among the centers.  First Steps shall provide a report documenting its technology and materials expenditures to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee no later than January 15, 2016.

     1.85.     (SDE: Teacher Salary Schedule Structure)  The Department of Education shall convene stakeholders to include:  Palmetto State Teachers Association, South Carolina School Business Officials, South Carolina Association of School Administrators, South Carolina School Boards Association, South Carolina Education Association, and the Education Oversight Committee to examine and make recommendations regarding changes to the statewide minimum state teacher salary schedule to include extending the steps on the state teacher salary schedule; an examination of the beginning teacher salary; and an examination of each district’s salary schedule structure.  Recommendations shall be provided to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee by November 15, 2015.

     1.86.     DELETED

     1.87.     DELETED

     1.88.     (SDE: Teacher Certification Exemption)  For the current fiscal year, a teacher certified at the secondary level may teach such courses in grades seven through twelve without having the add on certification for middle-level education.  Districts must report to the Department of Education and the Center for Educator Recruitment Retention and Advancement on the teachers and courses that utilize this exemption.

     1.89.     (SDE: Digital Instructional Materials)  The Department of Education shall create an instructional materials list composed of those items (print and/or digital) that have received State Board of Education approval through the normal adoption process.  The department shall continue to work with the publishers of instructional materials to ensure that districts who wish to receive both the digital version and class sets of textbooks may be awarded that option.  Funds appropriated for the purchase of textbooks and other instructional materials may be used for reimbursing school districts to offset the costs of refurbishing science kits on the state-adopted textbook inventory, purchasing new kits from the central textbook depository, or a combination of refurbishment and purchase.  The refurbishing cost of kits may not exceed the cost of the state-adopted refurbishing kits plus a reasonable amount for shipping and handling.  Costs for staff development, personnel costs, equipment, or other costs associated with refurbishing kits on state inventory are not allowable costs.  Funds provided for Instructional Materials may be carried forward from the prior fiscal year into the current fiscal year to be expended for the same purposes by the department, school districts, and special schools.  These funds are not subject to flexibility.  Digital Instructional Materials shall include the digital equivalent of materials and devices.

     1.90.     DELETED

     1.91.     (SDE: Transition Funds to Districts)  For the current fiscal year, the department must transfer any unexpended funds appropriated for EFA Transition to the EFA for disbursement to districts per the formula.

     1.92.     (SDE: CDEPP Unexpended Funds)  For Fiscal Year 2015-16, the Office of First Steps to School Readiness is directed to retain the first $2,000,000 of any unexpended CDEPP funds from the prior fiscal year and expend these funds to enhance the quality of the full-day 4K program in private centers and provide professional development opportunities.  No later than April 1, 2016, the Office of First Steps must report to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee on the expenditure of these funds to include the following information:  the amount of money used and specific steps and measures taken to enhance the quality of the 4K program and the amount of money used for professional development as well as the types of professional development offered and the number of participants.

     By August 1, the Office of First Steps is directed to allocate any unexpended CDEPP funds from the prior fiscal year and any CDEPP funds carried forwardfrom prior fiscal years that were transferred to the restricted account for the purposes:

          1. Department of Education - $4,250,000 for full-day 4K; and

          2. Education Oversight Committee - $2,000,000 for the South Carolina Community Block Grants for Education Pilot Program.

     If carry forward funds are less than the amounts appropriated, funding for the items listed herein shall be reduced on a pro rata basis.

     If any funds are remaining, they shall be transferred to the Department of Education to be expended only on full day 4K.

     1.93.     (SDE: Literacy Initiatives)  In the current fiscal year, the Department of Education shall evaluate the several state literacy initiatives to ensure that each are working together to ensure that students are best served.  The evaluation shall include initiatives in early childhood through high school as well as professional development.

     1.94.     (SDE: Technology Technical Assistance)  Of the funds appropriated for the K-12 Technology Initiative, the department is authorized to withhold up to $350,000 in order to provide technology technical assistance to school districts.

     *1.95.  (SDE: First Steps Study Committee)  The Office of First Steps Study Committee created to review the structure, responsibilities, governance, and administration of the Office of First Steps shall complete its review and present its recommendation to the General Assembly by January 1, 2016.

     1.96.     (SDE: First Steps Accountability)  Based on the need for stated intervention by the US Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSEP) in implementing Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Office of First Steps to School Readiness must meet federal compliance for the Part C program.  Additionally, the Office of First Steps to School Readiness shall report to the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and the Governor the specific steps, timeline and progress made in improving meeting compliance standards its performance for those indicators with which the office was scored as being low performing.  The report must include a statement regarding whether the additional employees authorized by this act are sufficient for compliance.  The report shall also include any correspondence from the US Department of Education concerning the progress made on federal compliance with OSEP state standards.  The report must be submitted no later than December 31, 2015.  From the funds appropriated for BabyNet, the Office of First Steps to School Readiness may expend the funds necessary to meet the requirements of this proviso.

     1.97.     (SDE: Health Education Materials)  From the funds allocated to each school district, each district shall publish on its website the title and publisher of all health education materials it has approved, adopted, and used in the classroom.  If the Department of Education determines that a school district is noncompliant with mandated health education, the department shall withhold one percent of the district's funds allocated in Part 1A, Section 1, XIV - Student Health and Fitness Act until the department determines the district is in compliance.

     1.98.     (SDE: Data Maintenance and Collection)  For the current fiscal year and from the funds appropriated to the department for the collection and maintenance of data, personally identifiable information of teacher candidates and teachers collected and maintained by the Department of Education shall be treated as personnel records and shall not be subject to public disclosure.

     1.99.     (SDE: Teacher Employment)  Of the funds appropriated in the current fiscal year, a local school district superintendent or his designee shall provide a teacher with notice of dismissal and an opportunity for a hearing before the local board or its designee.  Further, a local board may authorize a South Carolina licensed, practicing attorney to serve as hearing officer to conduct a hearing on the matter and make a report of its recommendations to the board within forty-five days after receipt of notice of appeal.  A hearing officer may not be a member of the board or an employee of the district.  If the board designates a hearing officer, the report and recommendations of the hearing officer must be presented to the board in the form of a written order.  In considering the report and recommendations, the board must have available to it the exhibits presented at the hearing and shall permit limited oral argument on behalf of the district and the teacher, allowing each party thirty minutes to present its respective argument.  The board shall uphold the decision of the hearing officer if the evidence shows good and just cause for dismissal.  The board shall issue a decision affirming or withdrawing the notice of suspension or dismissal within thirty days.  The decision of the board may be appealed to the circuit court.