South Carolina General Assembly
112th Session, 1997-1998

Bill 4584


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       4584
Type of Legislation:               General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                  House
Introduced Date:                   19980204
Primary Sponsor:                   J. Smith
All Sponsors:                      J. Smith, M. Hines, Gourdine,
                                   Whipper, McLeod, Cobb-Hunter, Lloyd,
                                   Inabinett, Govan, Cave, J. Hines,
                                   T. Brown, Battle, Moody-Lawrence,
                                   Howard and Jennings 
Drafted Document Number:           pt\1436sd.98
Residing Body:                     House
Current Committee:                 Education and Public Works
                                   Committee 21 HEPW
Subject:                           Pupil-teacher ratios,
                                   requirements for; Schools and school
                                   districts, Attendance,
                                   Students



History


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

House   19980204  Introduced, read first time,             21 HEPW
                  referred to Committee

View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


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

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-63-65 SO AS TO REQUIRE PUPIL-TEACHER RATIOS IN GRADES K-6 OF 27:1 BEGINNING WITH SCHOOL YEAR 1999 AND FULLY PHASED-IN AT 25:1 BY SCHOOL YEAR 2000, TO PROVIDE THAT LOWER PUPIL-TEACHER RATIOS NOW REQUIRED BY LAW IN READING AND MATHEMATICS IN GRADES 1-3 of 21:1 ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE ABOVE PROVISIONS, TO PROVIDE FOR A WAIVER OF THESE RATIOS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR A REDUCTION OF STATE AID FOR ANY DISTRICT WHICH DOES NOT MEET THESE REQUIRED RATIOS.

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

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-63-65. (A) By school year 2000, the board of trustees of each school district must attain an average pupil-teacher ratio in kindergarten through grade six of each school in the district of twenty-five to one based on average daily membership in the particular grades. The ratio must be attained as follows:

(1) by school year 1999 - 27:1;

(2) by school year 2000 - 25:1.

(B) The provisions of this section do not affect the required pupil-teacher ratios of 21:1 in basic skills of reading and mathematics in grades one through three as required by Section 59-20-40(5). These lower pupil-teacher ratios shall not be considered in determining whether or not there has been compliance with the provisions of subsection (A).

(C) The State Board of Education is authorized to waive the provisions of subsection (A) upon finding that a good faith effort is being made by the school district to comply with the pupil-teacher ratio provisions in each school but that the lack of classroom space which was beyond its control makes it physically impossible for the district to comply by the school years required and the cost of temporary classroom space cannot be justified.

(D) Beginning with school year 2001, a school district violating the pupil-teacher ratio provisions of subsection (A) shall have its state aid for the ensuing school year reduced by the percentage variance that the actual pupil-teacher ratios in the various schools having grades K-6 of the district in the aggregate has to the required pupil-teacher ratios mandated in this subsection (A)."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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