H*4431(Rat #0516, Act #0429 of 1996)  General Bill, By Townsend, H. Brown, 
Cooper, P.B. Harris, T.E. Huff and Stille

Similar(S 1059)
 A Bill to amend Section 59-20-40, as amended, Code of Laws of South Carolina,
 1976, relating to the determination of allocations to school districts under
 the Education Finance Act and weightings to establish cost differences between
 programs, so as to add a weighting for pupils with Autism under the
 handicapped classification; to amend Section 59-21-510, relating to
 definitions in regard to the education of physically and mentally handicapped
 children, so as to define "pupils with autism"; to provide that the Department
 of Education shall convene a task force to review programs to serve students
 with autism and to recommend an appropriate weight for the Education Finance
 Act; and to add Section 59-65-47 so as to further provide for the manner in
 which and conditions under which parents or guardians may teach their children
 at home.-amended title

   01/11/96  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-4
   01/11/96  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-4
   04/18/96  House  Committee report: Favorable Education and Public
                     Works HJ-1
   04/23/96  House  Read second time HJ-64
   04/24/96  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-15
   04/24/96  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-42
   04/24/96  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-42
   05/16/96  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education SJ-20
   05/21/96  Senate Amended SJ-26
   05/21/96  Senate Read second time SJ-27
   05/21/96  Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day SJ-27
   05/21/96  Senate  Second reading and unanimous consent for third
                     reading reconsidered SJ-45
   05/21/96  Senate Amended SJ-45
   05/21/96  Senate Read second time SJ-45
   05/21/96  Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day SJ-47
   05/22/96  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-16
   05/23/96  House  Non-concurrence in Senate amendment HJ-83
   05/29/96  Senate Senate insists upon amendment and conference
                     committee appointed Sens. Short, Gregory, Fair SJ-8
   05/29/96  House  Conference committee appointed Littlejohn,
                     Allison & Townsend HJ-121
   05/30/96  House  Conference report received and adopted HJ-52
   05/30/96  Senate Conference report received and adopted SJ-40
   05/30/96  House  Ordered enrolled for ratification HJ-147
   06/13/96         Ratified R 516
   06/20/96         Became law without Governor's signature
   06/20/96         Effective date 06/20/96
   07/03/96         Copies available
   07/03/96         Act No. 429

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-20-40, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE DETERMINATION OF ALLOCATIONS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS UNDER THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT AND WEIGHTINGS TO ESTABLISH COST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PROGRAMS, SO AS TO ADD PUPILS WITH AUTISM UNDER THE HANDICAPPED CLASSIFICATION; TO AMEND SECTION 59-21-510, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN REGARD TO THE EDUCATION OF PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, SO AS TO DEFINE "PUPILS WITH AUTISM"; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW PROGRAMS TO SERVE STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND TO RECOMMEND AN APPROPRIATE WEIGHT FOR THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT; AND TO ADD SECTION 59-65-47 SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH PARENTS OR GUARDIANS MAY TEACH THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME.

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

Pupils with autism added

SECTION 1. Section 59-20-40(1)(c)(7) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 135 of 1993, is further amended to read:

"(7) Handicapped 2.57

a. Visually handicapped pupils

b. Hearing handicapped pupils

c. pupils with autism."

Definition of pupils with autism

SECTION 2. Section 59-21-510 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a new item to read:

"(11) `Pupils with autism' means pupils with a severe and chronic disorder that affects communication and behavior and which is manifested during early development by a characteristic pattern of social, communication, and learning behaviors. Autism is a behaviorally defined syndrome; the essential features of which include disturbances of: developmental rates or sequences; response to sensory stimuli; speech, language, and communication; and capacities to relate to people, objects, and events."

Task force established

SECTION 3. The Department of Education shall convene a task force of special education directors, district administrators, and parents of pupils with autism to review district reports on program costs to serve students with autism and to recommend an appropriate weight for the Education Finance Act. The findings of the task force shall be reported by the Department of Education to the Ways and Means Committee and Education and Public Works Committee of the House and the Finance Committee and Education Committee of the Senate no later than December 1, 1996.

Home schooling

SECTION 4. Chapter 65 of Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-65-47. In lieu of the requirements of Section 59-65-40 or Section 59-65-45, parents or guardians may teach their children at home if the instruction is conducted under the auspices of an association for home schools which has no fewer than fifty members and meets the requirements of this section. Bona fide membership and continuing compliance with the academic standards of the associations exempts the home school from the further requirements of Section 59-65-40 or Section 59-65-45.

The State Department of Education shall conduct annually a review of the association standards to ensure that requirements of the association, at a minimum, include:

(a) a parent must hold at least a high school diploma or the equivalent general educational development (GED) certificate;

(b) the instructional year is at least one hundred eighty days;

(c) the curriculum includes, but is not limited to, the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature; and

(d) educational records shall be maintained by the parent-teacher and include:

(1) a plan book, diary, or other record indicating subjects taught and activities in which the student and parent-teacher engage;

(2) a portfolio of samples of the student's academic work; and

(3) a semiannual progress report including attendance records and individualized documentation of the student's academic progress in each of the basic instructional areas specified in item (c) above.

By January thirtieth of each year, all associations shall report the number and grade level of children home schooled through the association to the children's respective school districts."

Time effective

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Became law without the signature of the Governor -- 6/20/96.