A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 59-25-60 so as to provide that an individual's prior work experience may be awarded on an initial teaching certificate if the prior experience is in or related to the content field of the certificate, and to provide that existing certificate holders may also RECEIVE the same credit for prior work experience.

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

SECTION 1.   Chapter 25, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

   Section 59-25-60.   (A) When reviewing an application by an individual for an initial teaching certificate, the State Department of Education shall award years of experience on the initial certificate for occupational experience in, or related to, the content field of the certificate for which the individual is applying. To be eligible for years of experience on the initial teaching certificate, the individual must:

      (1) have completed at least five years of related occupational experience within the ten years prior to applying for an initial certificate; and

      (2) complete and submit a verification of work experience form developed by the State Department of Education with the application for an initial certificate.

   (B) Individuals that entered the teaching profession prior to July 1, 2023 with occupational experience in, or related to, the content field of their teaching certificate may complete and submit the verification of work experience form identified in subsection (A)(2) to the State Department of Education to have additional years of experience added to their certificate. If additional years of experience are awarded, the eligible individual is entitled to have their pay adjusted for the current school year to reflect the new experience step on the employing district's salary schedule. However, the individual is not entitled to retroactive pay for the increased years of experience during prior years of teaching.

   (C) Nothing in this section alters any existing requirements for receiving an initial certificate. Individuals with the work experience identified in subsection (A) must still meet all other existing requirements in order to receive an initial certificate.

SECTION 2.    The State Department of Education shall make available the work experience verification form described in this act no later than ninety days after the approval of the Governor.

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

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