Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

 

Committee Report

March 26, 2026

 

H. 3197

 

Introduced by Reps. Erickson, G. M. Smith, Wooten, Pope, Martin, W. Newton, Grant, Robbins, Vaughan and Alexander

 

S. Printed 3/26/26--H.                                                                         [SEC 3/31/2026 10:44 AM]

Read the first time January 14, 2025

 

________

 

The committee on House Education and Public Works

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3197) to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 59-1-485 so as to establish a statewide workforce readiness goal; by adding Section 59-29-245 so as to, etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

 

    Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, Section 59-1-485, by striking the undesignated paragraph before item (1) and inserting:

    Recognizing that a vibrant workforce is critical to sustaining and growing the economy of this State by servicing existing industry and attracting new industry, the State of South Carolina must endeavor to increase the number of South Carolinians who are ready and able to fill jobs demanded by a dynamic and evolving economy to promote a statewide culture of excellence in education. To achieve this purpose, the State of South Carolina establishes a minimum overall statewide workforce readiness goal of at least sixty percent of all working-aged South Carolinians having a high-quality postsecondary degree or recognized industry credentials before the year 2032 unless a higher goal is established in the comprehensive statewide education and workforce development plan. This goal is consistent with all students graduating and having the knowledge, skills, and characteristics contained in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. To further achieve this purpose, the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education, the Commission on Higher Education, the State Department of Education, and the Education Oversight Committee shall jointly develop a report regarding the process by which institutions of higher learning shall recognize and award credit to students who obtain a Tier Three credential while in high school. The General Assembly is encouraged to reexamine and revise this goal on an ongoing basis as needed. The Commission on Higher Education must establish strategic timelines and milestones in the Commission's Public Agenda to:

Amend the bill further, SECTION 2, by striking Section 59-29-245(A) and inserting:

    (A) The State Department of Education is directed to ensure that all public high schools, including charter high schools, provide academic remediation courses in high school literacy and mathematics for students in the senior year of high school who desire to pursue a postsecondary education but are not academically prepared for college-level course work. Student eligibility for enrollment in remedial courses should be prioritized on earning a final grade of "C" or lower in two or more prior high school credit courses in either English or mathematics. Credits earned in these remedial courses may be used only to satisfy high school diploma elective credit requirements. The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations directing when the courses may be offered, certification requirements for teachers assigned to the course, and when they may be used to satisfy high school diploma elective credit requirements.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 3.A., by striking Section 59-39-105(A), (B), (C), (D), (E), and (F) and inserting:

    (A) In addition to completing the units or credits of instruction required for graduation, each high school senior shall complete and submit a free application for federal student aid ("FAFSA" or "application") before graduating from high school, except as provided in subsection (B)(C).

    (B) Students must be provided information regarding FASFA and the exemptions established in this section at their annual Individual Graduation Plan meeting beginning their freshman year of high school.

    (B)(C) A student is exempt from the requirements of subsection (A) if:

       (1) the parent or legal guardian of the student signs and submits the form provided in subsection (C)(D) to authorize the student to decline to complete and submit the application;

       (2) the student signs and submits the form provided in subsection (C)(D) on his own behalf, if the student is at least eighteen years of age and declineshe  to complete and submit the application; or

       (3) a school counselor signs and submits the form provided in subsection (C)(D) to authorize the student to decline to complete and submit the application for good cause, as determined by the school counselor. The school counselor is not required to state the basis for determining the existence of such good cause.; or

       (4) if a student, parent or guardian can demonstrate that information regarding the waivers contained in this section was not presented during at least one Individual Graduation Plan meeting; or

       (5) the federal government fails to publish the FASFA by January ffirst of the year of the student's anticipated graduation from high school.

    (C)(D) The State Board of Education shall develop and adopt a form for the purpose of declining to complete the application as described in subsection (B)(C).

    (D)(E) A school counselor who notifies a school district of a student's compliance or noncompliance with this section for purposes of determining whether the student meets high school graduation requirements only may indicate whether the student has complied with this section and may not indicate the manner of compliance.

    (E)(F) The State Board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section, including:

       (1) a timeline for the distribution to students of the application and the form adopted in subsections (B)(C) and (C)(D);

       (2) standards regarding the information that a school district or charter school must provide to students regarding:

           (a) instructions for filling out the application;

           (b) the options available to a student under subsection (B)(C) if the student wishes to decline to complete and submit the application; and

           (c) the method by which a student must provide a school district or open enrollment charter school with proof that the student has completed and submitted the application as required by this section;

       (3) a requirement that each school district report to the State Department of Education:

           (a) the number of students who completed and submitted the application pursuant to subsection (A); and

           (b) the number of students who received an exception pursuant to subsection (B)(C); and

       (4) means for ensuring compliance with federal law regarding confidentiality of student educational information, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. Section 1232g, and any law of this State relating to the privacy of student information.

    (F)(G) The superintendent shall establish an advisory committee to assist the State Board in adopting rules under subsection (E)(F) to implement this section and to develop recommendations for that purpose. The advisory committee must be composed of:

       (1) school counselors;

       (2) school administrators; and

       (3) stakeholders to represent the needs of interested students.

Amend the bill further, SECTION 5, by striking Section 41-1-140 and inserting:

    Section 41-1-140.  Beginning July 1, 2026, the Department of Employment and Workforce shall maintain and provide online access to information regarding the economic value of college majors. In addition to showing the economic value of each college major offered in this State, the department also shall compare bachelor's degree earned to job availability. The department shall also provide information on state financial resources for obtaining a bachelor's degree in various fields, including scholarships, grants, and loan programs. The information must be available at no cost to the public. The availability of the information must be communicated to the State Department of Education and each public school district in the State. The department may expand its report to include associate degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

 

SHANNON ERICKSON for Committee.

 

 

statement of estimated fiscal impact

Explanation of Fiscal Impact

State Expenditure

This bill establishes a statewide workforce readiness goal. The bill requires all public high schools, including charter high schools, to provide remediation courses in literacy and mathematics to high school seniors seeking postsecondary studies but lacking the requisite academic preparation. Credits earned in these courses may be used to satisfy high school diploma elective credit requirements. The State Board of Education must promulgate regulations directing when the courses may be offered and when they may be used to satisfy high school diploma elective credit requirements. SCDE, in collaboration with the Tech Board, must develop courses and curriculum, as well policies and guidelines to identify students who will benefit from remediation courses. Based upon the policies and guidelines developed, SCDE must produce documents to help guidance counselors and administrators explain the benefits of the remediation courses to students, parents, and guardians. These documents must also be made available to the public.

The bill also requires all high school seniors to complete and submit a FAFSA before graduating from high school. The bill specifies exemptions and related requirements for the implementation of these provisions and makes these provisions applicable beginning with the 2026-27 school year. The State Board of Education must adopt rules as necessary to implement these provisions of the bill, including a requirement that each school district report to SCDE the number of students who completed and submitted FASFA and the number of students who received an exemption. Each superintendent must also establish an advisory committee to assist the State Board in adopting rules to implement these provisions of the bill and develop recommendations.

Additionally, the bill transfers responsibility for hosting and operating the South Carolina Educator Preparation Report Card from CHE to SCDE. Further, the bill provides that DEW must maintain and provide free online access to information regarding the economic value of college majors beginning July 1, 2026. The availability of such information must be communicated to SCDE and each public school district in the state.

 

S.C. Department of Education. SCDE indicates that this bill will increase its General Fund expenses by approximately $106,000 for salary and fringe benefits for 1.0 FTE (education associate). This FTE will be responsible for implementing the FAFSA graduation requirement and senior remediation coordination. SCDE reports that it will request a General Fund appropriation increase to pay for the expenses.

SCDE indicates that sustained implementation of the requirements of the bill may increase long-term resource needs depending on the scope of the compliance monitoring, data reporting expectations, and stakeholder support required. SCDE further indicates that this bill will result in increased administrative, coordination, and implementation responsibilities for the department and notes that several provisions will require additional specialized staff time, interagency coordination, guidance development, data tracking, and stakeholder support that exceed its current operational capacity. Specifically, Section 59-1-485, which establishes a statewide postsecondary attainment goal, will require the agency to support the alignment of secondary career pathways, credentials, and career readiness indicators, as well as increase collaboration with local education agencies, postsecondary partners, and workforce entities. While many of these activities already occur within the Office of Career Readiness, SCDE anticipates that the activities described in the bill will require additional staff time for planning, coordination, collaboration, internal and external support and guidance, and strong reporting. Additionally, SCDE reports that Section 59-29-245, which requires academic remediation for certain high school seniors, will necessitate state-level guidance and coordination to ensure alignment with college and career readiness pathways. While instructional delivery occurs at the local level, SCDE anticipates that this provision of the bill will require increased administrative responsibilities related to implementation support and monitoring. Further, SCDE reports that Section 59-39-105, which requires high school seniors to complete the FAFSA prior to graduation, is expected to significantly increase demand for SCDE to provide technical assistance, guidance development, communication, and compliance monitoring at the state level, particularly should FAFSA completion become a component of postsecondary transition and career readiness efforts. Lastly, SCDE reports that Section 41-1-140, which expands access to workforce and labor market data, will require coordination between SCDE, DEW and possibly other external partners such as the Coordinating Council for Workforce Development, and local districts to ensure appropriate dissemination and use of this information in career advising and pathway planning. However, any potential long-term resource needs related to these provisions are unknown at this time.

 

State Agency Schools. This bill will have no expenditure impact on the State Agency Schools. The Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, the Governor's School for Arts and Humanities, the Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, and the School for the Deaf and the Blind indicate that they can manage the provisions of the bill with existing appropriations. The Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School indicates that the bill will have no impact on the agency since they are a GED program.

State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. This bill will have no expenditure impact on the Tech Board. The Tech Board indicates that the requirements of the bill are already part of its normal course of business.

 

Commission on Higher Education. This bill will have no expenditure impact on CHE. The agency indicates that it will manage the provisions of the bill with existing appropriations.

 

Department of Employment and Workforce. The expenditure impact of this bill on DEW is currently undetermined. DEW indicates that while it can potentially manage the provisions of the bill with existing resources, the agency may require additional support staff, depending on the scale of the project produced and the availability of data.

 

Local Expenditure

This bill establishes a statewide workforce readiness goal. The bill requires all public high schools to provide remediation courses in literacy and mathematics to high school seniors seeking postsecondary studies but lacking the requisite academic preparation. Credits earned in these courses may be used to satisfy high school diploma elective credit requirements. The bill also requires all high school seniors to complete and submit a FAFSA before graduating from high school. The bill specifies exemptions and related requirements for the implementation of these provisions and makes these provisions applicable beginning with the 2026-27 school year. Each superintendent must establish an advisory committee to assist the State Board in adopting rules to implement these provisions of the bill and develop recommendations.

The expenditure impact of this bill on the local school districts will vary. SCDE surveyed the seventy-two regular school districts and three charter school districts and received responses from seven districts. Five of the responding districts indicate that the bill will have no expenditure impact. One district anticipates that there may be additional costs if the remediation courses require sessions outside of a normal day or outside of intersession but reports that the district can likely manage the provisions of the bill with existing appropriations. The remaining district indicates that this bill will increase costs by an amount up to $575,000. Of this amount, $375,000 is for 5.0 FTEs, one at each high school, to assist in managing the provisions of the bill, including identifying students who would benefit from remediation; tracking the status of every senior, collecting proof of submission of FAFSA, and managing the opt-out forms; and assisting in conducting graduate and employer satisfaction surveys. This district also notes that meeting the state's STEM workforce goals may necessitate the hiring of STEM-certified personnel. Additionally, the district notes that it may need to hire specialized instructors to teach remediation courses if current staff cannot cover the new sections. Of the remaining amount, $50,000 is for recurring operating costs, including tracking software. The remaining $150,000 is for non-recurring expenses, including curriculum development and training, updating the district's Student Information System to track a new graduation requirement, and updating career counseling materials and digital platforms to communicate information to students and parents. This district further notes that it must ensure that all FAFSA tracking requirements comply with FERPA, as any data breach could result in significant liability for the district.

 

 

Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director

Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office

 

_______

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-485 SO AS TO ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE WORKFORCE READINESS GOAL; BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-245 SO AS TO PROVIDE REMEDIATION IN COURSES IN LITERACY AND MATHEMATICS TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS SEEKING POST-SECONDARY STUDIES BUT LACKING REQUISITE ACADEMIC PREPARATION, TO PROVIDE THIS COURSEWORK MAY BE USED TO MEET HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND THE STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM; BY ADDING SECTION 59-39-105 SO AS TO PROVIDE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS SHALL COMPLETE AND SUBMIT A FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID BEFORE GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, TO PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS, TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROVISIONS, AND TO MAKE THESE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE BEGINNING WITH THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR; BY AMENDING SECTION 59-26-35, RELATING TO EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM EVALUATIONS AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATOR PREPARATION REPORT CARD, SO AS TO TRANSFER PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDUCTING THESE EVALUATIONS AND PRODUCING THIS REPORT CARD TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, among other things; AND BY ADDING SECTION 41-1-140 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE SHALL MAINTAIN AND PROVIDE FREE ONLINE ACCESS TO INFORMATION REGARDING THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF COLLEGE MAJORS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 59-1-485.  Recognizing that a vibrant workforce is critical to sustaining and growing the economy of this State by servicing existing industry and attracting new industry, the State of South Carolina must endeavor to increase the number of South Carolinians who are ready and able to fill jobs demanded by a dynamic and evolving economy to promote a statewide culture of excellence in education. To achieve this purpose, the State of South Carolina establishes a minimum overall statewide workforce readiness goal of at least sixty percent of all working-aged South Carolinians having a high-quality postsecondary degree or recognized industry credentials before the year 2032 unless a higher goal is established in the comprehensive statewide education and workforce development plan. This goal is consistent with all students graduating and having the knowledge, skills, and characteristics contained in the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. The General Assembly is encouraged to reexamine and revise this goal on an ongoing basis as needed. The Commission on Higher Education must establish strategic timelines and milestones in the Commission's Public Agenda to:

       (1) increase the number of students who obtain degrees and credentials in the STEM disciplines;      (2) advance training and careers in STEM fields; and

       (3) expand the STEM-capable workforce.

 

SECTION 2.  Article 1, Chapter 29, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 59-29-245. (A) The State Department of Education is directed to ensure that all public high schools, including charter high schools, provide academic remediation courses in high school literacy and mathematics for students in the senior year of high school who desire to pursue a postsecondary education but are not academically prepared for college-level course work. Credits earned in these courses may be used to satisfy high school diploma elective credit requirements.  The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations directing when the courses may be offered and when they may be used to satisfy high school diploma elective credit requirements.

    (B)(1) The department shall collaborate with the South Carolina Technical College System to:

               (a) develop or adopt courses and curriculum that provide the necessary academic remediation needed. The State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education shall approve remedial courses developed or adopted by the department;

               (b) develop policies and guidelines that identify multiple measures or evidence that a student would benefit from the academic remediation courses, including:

                  (i) assessment data from college readiness assessments;

                  (ii) other standardized exams or locally developed exams used by technical colleges; and

                  (iii) high school academic performance including grade point average and coursework.

       (2) Based upon the policies and guidelines developed pursuant to subitem (b), the department shall produce online documents to help guidance counselors and administrators explain the benefits of the courses to students, parents, and guardians. The documents shall also be made available to the public.

 

SECTION 3.A.  Article 1, Chapter 39, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 59-39-105. (A) In addition to completing the units or credits of instruction required for graduation, each high school senior shall complete and submit a free application for federal student aid ("FAFSA" or "application") before graduating from high school, except as provided in subsection (B).

    (B) A student is exempt from the requirements of subsection (A) if:

       (1) the parent or legal guardian of the student signs and submits the form provided in subsection (C) to authorize the student to decline to complete and submit the application;

       (2) the student signs and submits the form provided in subsection (C) on his own behalf, if the student is at least eighteen years of age and declines to complete and submit the application; or

       (3) a school counselor signs and submits the form provided in subsection (C) to authorize the student to decline to complete and submit the application for good cause, as determined by the school counselor. The school counselor is not required to state the basis for determining the existence of such good cause.

    (C) The State Board of Education shall develop and adopt a form for the purpose of declining to complete the application as described in subsection (B).

    (D) A school counselor who notifies a school district of a student's compliance or noncompliance with this section for purposes of determining whether the student meets high school graduation requirements only may indicate whether the student has complied with this section and may not indicate the manner of compliance.

    (E) The State Board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section, including:

       (1) a timeline for the distribution to students of the application and the form adopted in subsections (B) and (C);

       (2) standards regarding the information that a school district or charter school must provide to students regarding:

           (a) instructions for filling out the application;

           (b) the options available to a student under subsection (B) if the student wishes to decline to complete and submit the application; and

           (c) the method by which a student must provide a school district or open enrollment charter school with proof that the student has completed and submitted the application as required by this section;

       (3) a requirement that each school district report to the State Department of Education:

           (a) the number of students who completed and submitted the application pursuant to subsection (A); and

           (b) the number of students who received an exception pursuant to subsection (B); and

       (4) means for ensuring compliance with federal law regarding confidentiality of student educational information, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. Section 1232g, and any law of this State relating to the privacy of student information.

    (F) The superintendent shall establish an advisory committee to assist the State Board in adopting rules under subsection (E) to implement this section and to develop recommendations for that purpose. The advisory committee must be composed of:

       (1) school counselors;

       (2) school administrators; and

       (3) stakeholders to represent the needs of interested students.

B. This SECTION is applicable beginning with the 2026-2027 School Year.

 

SECTION 4.  Section 59-26-35 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 

    Section 59-26-35.  (A) The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education shall transfer the hosting and operation of the "South Carolina Educator Preparation Report Card" to the State Department of Education. The department, with the assistance of the Department of Educationcommission, the State Board of Education, the Center for Research on Teacher Education (SC-TEACHER), and the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, shall form a commission to conduct a detailed assessment of the current data infrastructure, develop metrics, determine weightings, construct a unified data upload system, and construct public and private facing data reports including, but not limited to, annually publishing before November first an online report card known as the "South Carolina Educator Preparation Report Card". The report card must be made available on the State Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education's websites. The commissiondepartment shall develop a format that each educator preparation program must use on its website that shows all required information regarding its respective program. The report card shall evaluate the ability of educator preparation programs, including alternative programs, to prepare new teachers for success in South Carolina's classrooms, as well as describe the school and district contexts in which completers work. The report card must include data on a variety of measures to provide an overall picture of how well each educator preparation program prepares effective educators and meets state goals including, but not limited to, the following:

       (1) number of undergraduate and graduate completers;

       (2) placement and one, three, and five-year retention rates by districts and regions of the State;

       (3) performance-based assessments of candidates;

       (4) ability of program to recruit a strong, diverse cohort of candidates and prepare them to teach in the content areas of greatest need;

       (5) quality of clinical experiences, including access to qualified and trained mentors, time in the field, and opportunities to apply knowledge and skills in the clinical setting;

       (6) effectiveness of individuals who completed a provider's program and are employed in a public school classroom. The information must be differentiated by provider and, where applicable, across content areas; and

       (7) graduate and employer satisfaction.

    (B) Under consultation with the commissiondepartment, SC-TEACHER shall develop metrics and instrumentation to evaluate the working conditions of educators, extent and quality of mentoring available to new educators, and universal graduate and employer satisfaction surveys.

    (C) The State Department of Education, each educator preparation program, and each school district shall report all data to SC-TEACHER as requested by the State Board of Education to complete the evaluation.

 

SECTION 5.  Chapter 1, Title 41 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 41-1-140.  Beginning July 1, 2026, the Department of Employment and Workforce shall maintain and provide online access to information regarding the economic value of college majors. In addition to showing the economic value of each college major offered in this State, the department also shall compare bachelor's degree earned to job availability. The information must be available at no cost to the public. The availability of the information must be communicated to the State Department of Education and each public school district in the State. The department may expand its report to include associate degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees.

 

SECTION 6.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----