South Carolina General Assembly
111th Session, 1995-1996

Bill 3544


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       3544
Type of Legislation:               General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                  House
Introduced Date:                   19950208
Primary Sponsor:                   McTeer 
All Sponsors:                      McTeer 
Drafted Document Number:           gjk\21343sd.95
Residing Body:                     Senate
Date of Last Amendment:            19960328
Subject:                           High school diplomas



History


Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

Senate  19960328  Amended
Senate  19960213  Amended, read second time, 
                  ordered to third reading 
                  with notice of general amendments
Senate  19960208  Committee report: Favorable with         04 SED
                  amendment
Senate  19950531  Introduced, read first time,             04 SED
                  referred to Committee
House   19950531  Objection withdrawn by Representative            Anderson
House   19950531  Read third time, sent to Senate
House   19950530  Read second time
House   19950530  Objection by Representative                      Anderson
House   19950530  Amended
House   19950525  Committee report: Favorable with         21 HEPW
                  amendment
House   19950208  Introduced, read first time,             21 HEPW
                  referred to Committee

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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

AMENDED

March 28, 1996

H. 3544

Introduced by REP. McTeer

S. Printed 3/28/96--S.

Read the first time May 31, 1995.

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 59-39-100, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO STATE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS AND THE UNITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 1998-99 SCHOOL YEAR, A MINIMUM OF FOUR UNITS IN MATHEMATICS RATHER THAN THREE AND A MINIMUM OF THREE UNITS IN SCIENCE RATHER THAN TWO, MUST BE EARNED.

Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION 1. Section 59-39-100 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 59-39-100. Diplomas issued to graduates of accredited high schools within this State must be uniform in every respect and particularly as to color, size, lettering, and marking. The number of units required for a state high school diploma is twenty units as prescribed by the State Board of Education. Beginning in the 1986-87 academic school year, a minimum of 3 three units must be earned in mathematics, and a minimum of 2 two units must be earned in science., and beginning with the 1998-99 school year, a minimum of four units in mathematics and a minimum of three units in science must be earned.

One unit in computer science, if approved by the State Department of Education for this purpose, may be counted toward the mathematics requirement.

Students who earn two units in science and six or more units in a specific occupational service area meet the science requirements for a state high school diploma. Vocational programs operating on a 3-2-1 structure may count prevocational education as one of the six required units."

SECTION 2. Section 59-65-45 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 59-65-45. In lieu of the requirements of Section 59-65-40, parents or guardians may teach their children at home if the instruction is conducted under the auspices of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools an association for homeschools 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 South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools the associations meeting the requirements of this section exempts the home school from the further requirements of Section 59-65-40.

The State Department of Education shall conduct annually a review of the association standards and membership reporting procedures to insure 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; and

(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.;

(d) evidence that a student is receiving regular instruction, to include the following records which shall be maintained by the parent-teacher:

(1) a plan book, diary, or other written 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;

(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; and

(e) students must have access to library facilities.

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

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

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