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COMMITTEE REPORT
May 27, 2015
H. 3353
Introduced by Reps. Bradley, Herbkersman, Daning, Erickson, Long, Bowers, Newton, Wells, Corley, Hodges, R.L. Brown, George, Johnson and Robinson-Simpson
S. Printed 5/27/15--S.
Read the first time April 28, 2015.
To whom was referred a Joint Resolution (H. 3353) to establish beginning with the 2015-2016 school year a two-year pilot program in five specific counties to facilitate the use of General Educational Development, etc., respectfully
That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass:
JOHN E. COURSON for Committee.
Fiscal Impact Summary
The impact of the bill as amended is a minimal impact to the general fund which can be absorbed and no impact to federal funds and other funds. Local expenditures will increase for the school district Adult Education Centers that participate in the pilot program. Eleven school districts responded with a total expenditure impact of $238,438.
State Expenditure
Explanation of Amendment (April 23, 2015) - by House of Representatives
The amendment to the bill places responsibility of establishing the GED Camp Pilot Program with the State Department of Education instead of the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education.
The State Department of Education. This bill will have no expenditure impact to the general fund, federal funds and other funds for the State Department of Education. The expenditure impact will be on the local school districts that are identified as participants in the pilot program. Eleven adult education programs responded with estimates ranging from $1,000 to $70,000, for a total of $238,438. Anticipated expenditures include recruitment, training, and supervision of volunteer teachers, administration of federally required diagnostic tests, instructional materials, and registration and testing fees.
The State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. The department indicates there will be a minimal expenditure impact on the general fund which can be absorbed and no expenditure impact on federal funds or other funds.
Explanation of the bill filed on January 20, 2015
House Bill 3353 provides that the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education (TEC) shall establish a two year pilot program in five specific counties to facilitate the use of General Educational Development Camps to help people obtain a General Educational Development certificate (GED).
Section 1(B) states that the program must focus on the use of volunteers to provide tutorial assistance for community members who are seeking to obtain their GED. However, TEC indicates there may be a minimal expenditure impact on the general fund for the administration and oversight of the program.
Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director
Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office
TO ESTABLISH BEGINNING WITH THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR A TWO-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM IN FIVE SPECIFIC COUNTIES TO FACILITATE THE USE OF GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAMPS TO HELP PEOPLE OBTAIN THEIR GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES, TO PROVIDE PROGRAM ELEMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD FOR TECHNICAL AND COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION SHALL ESTABLISH AND OVERSEE THE PROGRAM.
Whereas, the General Assembly finds that an educated citizenry is essential to providing a workforce attractive to business and industry, which is crucial to the economic vitality of this State; and
Whereas, the General Assembly finds that circumstances sometimes prevent individuals from completing their high school studies in the traditional manner, and that efforts to help these individuals earn a General Educational Development (GED) certificate benefit these individuals and the State; and
Whereas, the General Assembly finds that the Hilton Head GED Camp has enjoyed tremendous success in helping people in Beaufort County earn GED certificates by using volunteers to provide intense GED training for nominal costs; and
Whereas, the General Assembly finds the success of the Hilton Head GED Camp encouraging, and replication of the program statewide merits further consideration that may best be achieved through a pilot study of the program in various areas of the State. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. (A)(1) Effective beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, the State Department of Education shall establish a two-year pilot program to be known as the General Educational Development (GED) Camp Pilot Program, which must emulate existing volunteer programs in the State to develop, implement, support, and monitor GED Camps that provide a volunteer-based system to assist people who do not have a high school diploma earn their GED certificates and advance to higher education, the military, an occupation, and so forth.
(2) To ensure that the program concentrates on areas served by technical colleges, the GED Camp program must be implemented in each of the service markets of the technical college system.
(B) The GED Camp program should focus on the use of volunteers to provide tutorial assistance for community members without a high school diploma who seek to obtain a GED certificate using a concentrated "boot camp" model lasting approximately six to eight consecutive weeks during which students must:
(1) undergo direct instruction by teacher volunteers and test for vocational interests;
(2) participate in college and career readiness workshops related to interviewing skills, resume building, enrollment, and education financing; and
(3) receive direct and indirect mentoring.
(C) Based on the outcomes achieved by the GED Camp program, the State Department of Education shall make recommendations regarding statewide expansion of the program to the General Assembly before July 1, 2017. In keeping with federal and state requirements for tracking adult education, GED Camp programs shall report outcomes to the State Department of Education. For the duration of the two-year pilot, programs using the GED Camp program model shall report these outcomes annually to the State Department of Education by June fifteenth for the previously completed school year. The State Department of Education may prescribe additional outcome measures to be tracked by the GED Camp programs. The State Department of Education shall in turn report the program outcomes annually to the Senate Education Committee and the House Education and Public Works Committee by December first for the previously completed school year.
(D) The State Department of Education shall create policies to implement the provisions of this joint resolution. Recognizing that great flexibility in the implementation of the GED Camp Pilot Program is critical to is success, the department is directed to assist volunteers in the implementation of the provisions of this joint resolution.
SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on May 27, 2015 at 7:40 PM