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S. 1399

STATUS INFORMATION

Joint Resolution
Sponsors: Senator Rose
Document Path: l:\s-res\mtr\060efa..ebd.mtr.docx

Introduced in the Senate on April 28, 2010
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Finance

Summary: Local Education Funding and Finance Study Committee

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   4/28/2010  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-14
   4/28/2010  Senate  Referred to Committee on Finance SJ-14

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

4/28/2010

TO ESTABLISH THE LOCAL EDUCATION FUNDING AND FINANCE STUDY COMMITTEE TO REVIEW, STUDY, AND DETERMINE HOW BEST TO PROVIDE FOR THE STATE'S PORTION OF EDUCATIONAL FUNDING TO FLOW DOWN TO THE SCHOOLS IN A WEIGHTED PUPIL FORMULA OR OTHER FORMULA THE COMMITTEE FINDS APPROPRIATE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE STUDY COMMITTEE, AND TO PROVIDE THAT IT SHALL RENDER ITS REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS NO LATER THAN JANUARY 15, 2011, AT WHICH TIME IT SHALL BE DISSOLVED.

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

SECTION    1.    (A)    There is created the Local Education Funding and Finance Study Committee to determine how best to provide for the state's portion of educational funding to flow down to the schools and to examine all state and local sources of funding for K-12 education. The study committee shall study a weighted pupil formula or any other formula the committee finds appropriate. The committee's study shall not include how to increase educational funding or the formulas which determine this.

(B)    The study committee shall consist of six members, one appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, one appointed by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Education and Public Works Committee, one appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, one appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and one appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. Members shall serve a term to expire when the study committee is dissolved pursuant to this resolution. Vacancies on the study committee must be filled in the manner of original appointment. Members shall elect as officers from their number a chairman and vice chairman. Committee membership does not constitute an office for purposes of the prohibition on dual office holding provided in Section 3, Article VI of the Constitution of this State. Notwithstanding Section 8-13-770 of the 1976 Code, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate may be appointed to serve on this study committee.

(C)    The study committee shall meet as soon as practicable after appointment for the purpose of organizing and thereafter at the call of the chairman.

(D)    The study committee, in order to achieve its purpose, shall consider, among others, the following specific questions:

(1)    how to reform funding for educational programs in South Carolina, mainly in the seventy-four funding categoricals in the Education Finance Act, in an effort to see that more educational dollars make it to the schools;

(2)    how to provide for flexibility in spending these dollars;

(3)    how to emphasize allowing school principals budgetary input for spending in the areas where principals see need, thus matching funds to students' needs;

(4)    how to provide for the state's educators' use of state funding in ways that produce the best results for students; and

(5)    how to expend the Education Finance Act's weighting system to include additional groups of students not currently weighted, including:

(a)    low income or poverty weightings;

(b)    gifted and talented program children;

(c)    special needs children; and

(d)    a base weight for all children.

(E)    Professional and clerical services for the study committee must be made available from the staff of the House of Representatives, the Education Oversight Committee, and other agencies or departments as the committee determines appropriate.

(F)    The study committee shall issue a report and recommendations to the House of Representatives and the Senate with respect to its findings not later than January 15, 2011.

(G)    Upon the submission of its report and recommendations, the study committee is dissolved.

SECTION    2.    This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

This web page was last updated on Monday, October 10, 2011 at 12:18 P.M.