Bill 572

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       572
Type of Legislation:               General Bill GB
Introducing Body:                  Senate
Introduced Date:                   19970326
Primary Sponsor:                   Setzler 
All Sponsors:                      Setzler 
Drafted Document Number:           gjk\20387sd.97
Residing Body:                     Senate
Current Committee:                 Education Committee 04
                                   SED
Date of Last Amendment:            19970424
Subject:                           Uniform high school diplomas,
                                   twenty-four units required to
                                   graduate; Schools and school
                                   districts, Curriculum

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

Senate  19980127  Recommitted to Committee                 04 SED
Senate  19970424  Read second time, ordered to
                  third reading with notice of
                  general amendments
Senate  19970424  Committee amendment adopted
Senate  19970417  Committee report: Favorable with         04 SED
                  amendment
Senate  19970326  Introduced, read first time,             04 SED
                  referred to Committee

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED

April 24, 1997

S. 572

S. Printed 4/24/97--S.

Read the first time March 26, 1997.

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 59-39-100, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF UNIFORM HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS AND THE NUMBER OF UNITS REQUIRED TO RECEIVE A DIPLOMA, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT, BEGINNING WITH THE GRADUATING CLASS OF SCHOOL YEAR 2000-2001, THE NUMBER OF UNITS REQUIRED FOR A DIPLOMA IS TWENTY-FOUR, RATHER THAN TWENTY, AND TO SPECIFY WHAT UNITS 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 year, a minimum of 3 units must be earned in mathematics and a minimum of 2 units must be earned in science.

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 one unit in science and six or more units in a specific occupational service area will 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.

Beginning with the graduating class of school year 2000-2001, the minimum number of units required for a high school diploma is twenty-four units as prescribed by the State Board of Education, with one additional unit required in mathematics, science, and computer science. Students who earn two units of science and six or more units in a specific occupational service area will meet the science requirements for a state high school diploma."

SECTION 2. Section 59-29-160 of the 1976 Code is repealed.

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