Current Status Bill Number:115 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19950110 Primary Sponsor:Rose All Sponsors:Rose, Leventis Drafted Document Number:GJK\21083SD.95 Residing Body:House Current Committee:Education and Public Works Committee 21 HEPW Subject:Textbooks
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________
House 19950221 Introduced, read first time, 21 HEPW
referred to Committee
Senate 19950216 Read third time, sent to House
Senate 19950215 Read second time
Senate 19950214 Committee report: Favorable 04 SED
Senate 19950110 Introduced, read first time, 04 SED
referred to Committee
Senate 19941003 Prefiled, referred to Committee 04 SED
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COMMITTEE REPORT
February 14, 1995
S. 115
S. Printed 2/14/95--S.
Read the first time January 10, 1995.
To whom was referred a Bill (S. 115), to amend Section 59-31-40, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to adoption of new textbooks, etc., respectfully
That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:
NIKKI G. SETZLER, for Committee.
TO AMEND SECTION 59-31-40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO ADOPTION OF NEW TEXTBOOKS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOT TO ADOPT A TEXTBOOK WHICH CONTAINS CLEAR SUBSTANTIVE ERRORS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-31-510, RELATING TO CONTRACTS WITH PUBLISHERS FOR RENTAL OR PURCHASE OF BOOKS, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT THE CONTRACT CONTAIN A PROVISION REQUIRING BOOKS OR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS TO BE FREE OF CERTAIN SUBSTANTIVE ERRORS AND THAT THE CONTRACT MUST ALLOW THE STATE BOARD TO REQUIRE REASONABLE REMEDIES IF AN ERROR IS FOUND; TO AMEND SECTION 59-31-600, RELATING TO STANDARDS FOR ADOPTION OF TEXTBOOKS, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF TEXTBOOK EVALUATION AND RATING COMMITTEES AND TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CRITERIA TO RATE TEXTBOOKS; AND TO AMEND THE 1976 CODE BY ADDING SECTION 59-31-700 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND HEARINGS BEFORE TEXTBOOKS ARE ADOPTED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Textbook Excellence Act".
SECTION 2. Section 59-31-40 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 59-31-40. The meetings of the State Board of Education in any year at which an adoption is made shall must be public. New textbooks adopted by the State Board of Education in any year shall must not be used in the free public schools of this State until the next school session begins. The State Board of Education may not approve for adoption a textbook or other instructional material which contains any clear substantive error."
SECTION 3. Section 59-31-510 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 59-31-510. The State Board of Education may negotiate and execute contracts with the publishers of schoolbooks whereby publishers and vendors of school textbooks that allow the State will to rent from the publishers or buy outright the books to be used in the public schools, with discretion in the State Board of Education to make rental contracts or purchase contracts as it may be to the best advantage of the State. Any A contract made with a publisher of textbooks may be made so as to divide the payment to the publisher for rental or purchase over a period of three years, but nothing herein shall it must not be construed to prevent the State Board of Education from purchasing or renting additional books as the necessity shall or may arise necessary. If the State Board of Education should decide decides to purchase outright the books to be used in the schools of this State, they shall must be purchased at the lowest possible prices and, so far as existing contracts for State-adopted state-adopted books will permit, pursuant to competitive bidding.
Each contract between the State Board of Education and a publisher or vendor of any school textbook or other instructional material must require that all textbooks or other instructional material rented or purchased by the State be free of any clear, substantive factual or grammatical error. The contract also must allow the State Board of Education to require reasonable remedies if an error is found."
SECTION 4. Section 59-31-600 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 59-31-600. When the State Board of Education determines that a textbook or instructional material adoptions are adoption is needed in a specific field, the board shall direct evaluating and rating committees to assess the textbooks textbook or instructional material for the presentation of instructional materials which develop development of higher-order thinking skills and problem solving. Each evaluation and rating committee must have at least one layperson and the board is encouraged to have as many laypeople on the committee as is appropriate. A majority of the membership of the committee must have expertise in the areas under consideration. In addition to monitoring the accuracy of facts and grammar, the committee shall include in its rating and evaluating criteria, where applicable, satisfaction of state mandates for graduation criteria, and support for the benefits of the American economic and political system. The results of each evaluating and rating committee's assessment must be included in its written report to the State Board of Education. Where otherwise satisfactory, the evaluating and rating committee shall recommend and the State Board of Education shall adopt textbooks and other instructional materials which develop higher-order thinking skills."
SECTION 5. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-31-700. Before final adoption, the state board shall make all textbook and instructional material available for public inspection for not less than thirty days at display centers geographically dispersed throughout the State as designated by the State Superintendent of Education.
The state board shall hold a public hearing before adopting any textbook or instructional material for use in the schools of this State."
SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.