South Carolina General Assembly
115th Session, 2003-2004

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Bill 3361

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


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

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

FREE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT ADOPTED -- NOT PRINTED

June 5, 2003

H. 3361

Introduced by Rep. Cato

S. Printed 4/23/03--S.

Read the first time February 12, 2003.

            

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 59-1-430, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO SCHOOL MAKE-UP DAYS, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE UP DAYS LOST BECAUSE OF WEATHER OR OTHER DISRUPTIONS.

Amend Title To Conform

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

SECTION    1.    Section 59-1-430 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A)     Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, all school days missed because of snow, or extreme weather conditions, or other disruptions requiring schools to close must be made up. All school districts shall designate annually at least three days within their school calendars to be used as make-up days in the event of these occurrences. If those designated days have been used or are no longer available, the local school board of trustees may lengthen the hours of school operation by no less than one hour per day for the total number of hours missed or operate schools on Saturday. Schools operating on a four-by-four block schedule shall make every effort to make up the time during the semester in which the days are missed. A plan to make up days by lengthening the school day must be approved by the State Department of Education before implementation. In meeting the requirements of Act 436 of 1982, no makeup days for students may be scheduled on Saturdays. Provided, However, That remedial Tutorial instruction for grades 7 through 12 may be taught on Saturday at the direction of the local school board. If a local school board authorizes make-up days on Saturdays, tutorial instruction normally offered on Saturday for seventh through twelfth graders must be scheduled at an alternative time.

(B)    The General Assembly may introduce legislation to waive the requirements of making up missed days or may, through legislation, authorize the school board of trustees to forgive up to three days missed because of snow, extreme weather conditions, or other disruptions requiring schools to close. A waiver granted by the local board of trustees of the requirement for making up missed days also must be authorized through a majority vote of the local school board."

SECTION    2.    Section 59-1-420(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 393 of 2000, is further amended to read:

"(A)     Beginning with school year 2000-2001, the statutory school term is one hundred ninety days annually and at least one hundred eighty days must be used for student instruction, except as provided in Section 59-1-430 (B). Of the remaining ten days, no more than two days may be used for preparation of opening of schools. Three days must be used for collegial professional development based upon the educational standards as required by Section 59-18-300 of the Education Accountability Act. The professional development shall address, at a minimum, academic achievement standards including strengthening teachers' knowledge in their content area, teaching techniques, and assessment. The remaining five days may be used for teacher planning, academic plans, and parent conferences."

SECTION    3.    Section 59-19-90 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 458 of 1996, is further amended by adding an appropriately numbered subsection to read:

"( )    Establish the annual calendar. Have the authority to establish an annual school calendar for students, faculty, and staff to include starting dates, ending dates, holidays, make-up days, in-service days, and professional development days."

SECTION    4.    Chapter 18, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-18-1310.    The strategic plans and improvement reports required of the public schools and districts in Sections 59-18-1300, 59-18-1500, and 59-20-60 are consolidated and reported as follows: district and school five-year plans and annual updates and district programmatic reports, and school reports developed in conjunction with the school improvement council to parents and constituents to include recommendations of any Education Accountability Act external review teams as approved by the State Board of Education and the steps being taken to address the recommendations, and the advertisement of this report are due on a date established by the Department of Education, but no later than April 30 annually; schools reviewed by external review teams shall prepare a report to the parents and constituents of the school, to be developed in conjunction with the School Improvement Council, and this report shall be provided and advertised no later than April 30 annually. The school report card narrative in Section 59-18-900 continues on its prescribed date."

SECTION    5.    Section 59-18-360 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 400 of 1998, is further amended to read:

"Section 59-18-360.    The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Education Oversight Committee, shall provide for a cyclical review by academic area of the state standards and assessments to ensure that the standards and assessments are maintaining high expectations for learning and teaching. All academic areas must be initially reviewed by the year 2005. At a minimum, each academic area should be reviewed and updated every four seven years. After each academic area is reviewed, a report on the recommended revisions must be presented to the Education Oversight Committee for its consideration. After approval by the Education Oversight Committee, the recommendations may be implemented. As a part of the review, a task force of parents, business and industry persons, community leaders, and educators, to include special education teachers, must examine the standards and assessment system to determine rigor and relevancy."

SECTION    6.    Chapter 63, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-63-333.    The State Department of Education shall conform the requirements of Sections 59-63-310 through 59-63-340 on school crime so as to fulfill the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Section 7912) which includes reports on persistently dangerous schools and on the frequency, seriousness, and incidence of violence and drug-related offenses resulting in suspensions and expulsions in elementary and secondary schools. A summary of the provisions of Article 4, Chapter 63 of Title 59 and Section 16-3-612 required to be included in the school's student handbook each year must be revised to conform with the requirements of this section."

SECTION    7.    Section 59-5-71 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 356 of 2002, is repealed.

SECTION    8.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

/s/Larry A. Martin    /s/Ronald P. Townsend

/s/Robert W. Hayes, Jr.    /s/Vida O. Miller

Luke Rankin    /s/Robert E. Walker

On Part of the Senate.        On Part of the House.

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