H 4488 General Bill, By Harrell, J.E. Smith, Rice, Umphlett, Leach, Brady, 
Vaughn, Coates, Hagood, Haley, Stewart, Toole, Duncan, Clemmons, Clark, Bailey, 
Hinson, Merrill, G.R. Smith, J.R. Smith, Townsend, Walker, Witherspoon, 
Dantzler, Bingham, Frye, Edge, Weeks, G.M. Smith, Ballentine, Hodges, Clyburn, 
Funderburk, R. Brown, Phillips, Davenport, D.C. Smith, Owens, Loftis, Bales, 
Huggins, Hardwick and Mitchell
 A BILL TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION AND
 REALIGNMENT ACT OF 2006" BY ADDING SECTION 59-6-25 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE
 EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SHALL STUDY ALL MATTERS RELATING TO OPTIMUM
 SCHOOL DISTRICT SIZE, ORGANIZATION, AND OPERATION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE
 REPORTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE MANNER
 IN WHICH THEY SHALL TAKE EFFECT.

   01/24/06  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-9
   01/24/06  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-9
   01/25/06  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor:
                     Dantzler, Bingham, Frye, Edge, Weeks, G.M.Smith,
                     Ballentine, Hodges, Clyburn, Funderburk
   01/26/06  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: R.Brown
   01/31/06  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor:
                     Phillips, Davenport, D.C.Smith, Owens, Loftis,
                     Rhoad, Bales, Huggins
   01/31/06  House  Member(s) request name removed as sponsor: Talley
   02/01/06  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Hardwick
   02/08/06  House  Member(s) request name removed as sponsor:
                     Sinclair, Rhoad
   02/14/06  House  Member(s) request name removed as sponsor: Mahaffey
   03/21/06  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Mitchell

TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION AND REALIGNMENT ACT OF 2006" BY ADDING SECTION 59-6-25 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SHALL STUDY ALL MATTERS RELATING TO OPTIMUM SCHOOL DISTRICT SIZE, ORGANIZATION, AND OPERATION, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPORTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY SHALL TAKE EFFECT.

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

SECTION    1.    This act is known and may be cited as the "South Carolina School District Reorganization and Realignment Act of 2006".

SECTION    2.    Chapter 6, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-6-25.    (A)    The Education Oversight Committee shall study and examine the following matters:

(1)    the optimum size, including both geographic area and student population, and organization of a school district considering, among other factors, the size of:

(a)    a student body necessary to provide, with particular emphasis on the secondary grades, instruction in not only core subject areas but also electives, foreign languages, and advance placement courses necessary to produce students capable of succeeding at the post secondary level and in the work force;

(b)    a district necessary to realize economics of scale sufficient to provide more direct local spending on teacher salaries and instructional support and to provide competitive teacher and administrative salaries from a sufficient tax base;

(c)    a district necessary to meet and reduce, if possible, student-teacher ratios as required by law with particular emphasis on grades K-5; and

(d)    a district necessary to produce modern, up-to-date educational facilities at all grade levels without duplication and without creating any unnecessary tax burdens on the taxpayers of the district and the State;

(2)    revisions of law necessary to implement school district consolidation or organizational recommendations made by the Education Oversight Committee pursuant to item (1) above;

(3)    local school funding recommendations for a school district that is made up of more than one county; and

(4)    other matters as the Education Oversight Committee considers appropriate.

(B)    The criteria for the study shall include, but not be limited to, the following: expenditure of sixty-five percent of all revenues on classroom instruction; support of human resource functions to include recruitment, induction, retention, reward, and professional development of all personnel; fiscal operations and management; procurement; district and instructional leadership and support; food services and nutrition; safety and security; health services; provision and maintenance of school facilities and technology resources; transportation costs; extracurricular activities; and community representation on advisory and governing bodies.

(C)(1)    The Education Oversight Committee shall render its report and recommendations not later than December 15, 2006. The Education Oversight Committee's report and recommendations must be provided to the General Assembly, the Governor's Office, the State Superintendent of Education, and to each school district of this State.

(2)    The report must include and the committee is directed to draft and recommend conforming changes to local statutory laws to implement its recommendations. If the recommendations and conforming changes in local statutory laws are approved by the General Assembly by joint resolution, the recommendations and conforming changes in local statutory laws take effect as specified in the recommendations and conforming changes. If the General Assembly enacts a joint resolution to approve the recommendations and conforming changes in local statutory laws, the recommendations and conforming changes in local statutory laws are deemed to be incorporated into the joint resolution by reference and are considered to be enacted by the General Assembly as part of the joint resolution. If the recommendations and conforming changes in local statutory laws are disapproved by the General Assembly by joint resolution, the recommendations and conforming changes in local statutory laws shall not take effect. If the General Assembly, by joint resolution, fails to approve or disapprove the recommendations and conforming changes to local statutory laws by July 1, 2007, the recommendations and conforming changes in local statutory laws take effect as specified in the recommendations and conforming changes. Amendments to the recommendations and proposed conforming changes in local statutory laws may not be made by the General Assembly while under consideration for approval or disapproval; provided however, that the General Assembly by concurrent resolution may request the committee to withdraw its recommendations and conforming changes in local statutory laws and resubmit them with revisions. The decision to take this action, however, rests solely with the committee."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.