Bill 416

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    416
Ratification Number:            62
Act Number:                     50
Type of Legislation:            General Bill GB
Introducing Body:               Senate
Introduced Date:                19970226
Primary Sponsor:                Education Committee SED 04
All Sponsors:                   Education Committee
Drafted Document Number:        gjk\20167sd.97
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19970425
Governor's Action:              S
Date of Governor's Action:      19970521
Subject:                        Principals, evaluation,
                                performance standards, developmental
                                training; Schools and School
                                Districts

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

------  19970604  Act No. A50
------  19970521  Signed by Governor
------  19970515  Ratified R62
House   19970425  Read third time, enrolled for
                  ratification
House   19970424  Read second time, unanimous consent
                  for third reading on the next
                  Legislative day
House   19970416  Committee report: Favorable              21 HEPW
House   19970311  Introduced, read first time,             21 HEPW
                  referred to Committee
Senate  19970306  Read third time, sent to House
Senate  19970305  Read second time
Senate  19970226  Introduced, read first time,
                  placed on Calendar without reference

(A50, R62, S416)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-24-40, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO EVALUATION OF AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ARE EVALUATED AND PROVIDED DEVELOPMENTAL TRAINING.

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

Evaluation and training of principals

SECTION 1. Section 59-24-40 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 59-24-40. For the purposes of assisting, developing, and evaluating principals, the State Board of Education, through the State Department of Education, shall adopt criteria and statewide performance standards which shall serve as a foundation for all processes used for assisting, developing, and evaluating principals employed in the school districts of this State. The State Department of Education shall select or cause to be developed and the State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations for the evaluation of the performance of all principals based on those criteria and standards. School districts shall use the standards and procedures adopted by the State Board of Education for the purpose of evaluating all principals at least once every three years. The State Department of Education shall ensure that the criteria and standards are valid and reliable and are appropriately administered. Evaluation results must be provided in writing and a professional development plan established based on the principal's strengths and weaknesses and taking into consideration the school's strategic plan for improvement for the purpose of improving the principal's performance. Any principal whose performance on an evaluation is rated unsatisfactory must be evaluated again within one year. Nothing in this section limits or prohibits school districts from setting additional and more stringent standards for the evaluation of principals. A satisfactory rating on the evaluation is one of several criteria for overall performance evaluation and is not sufficient for reemployment as a principal by a school district.

The State Department of Education shall review the implementation of the principal evaluation in the school districts for the purpose of providing technical assistance and ensuring the evaluations are appropriately administered.

The provisions of this section must be implemented according to the following schedule:

1997-98 school year: Identification of criteria and standards;

1998-99 school year: Development and testing of criteria, standards, and procedures in selected districts;

1999-2000 school year: Statewide implementation."

Criteria for evaluation

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during the 1997-98 school year and the 1998-99 school year, the performance evaluation of principals, at a minimum, must be performed using the State Board of Education adopted criteria; however, districts may use an evaluation instrument other than the instrument adopted by the State Board of Education.

Time effective

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

Approved the 21st day of May, 1997.