1. Legislative Update
November 22, 2011

2. Consolidation Bill (H.3495/S.432)
Highlights
Bill to create five member committee
Study feasibility and cost effectiveness of consolidating school districts within county
South Carolina School Boards Association Position
Support formation of committee
Affected districts should decide by referendum
Status
Resides on House floor
Committee members appointed by Governor, Legistators, State Superintendent of Education

3. Vouchers / Tuition Tax Credits (S.414)
Highlights
Dollar for dollar state income tax credit for tuition paid for students who transfer from public to private schools
Dollar for dollar state income tax credit for tuition paid for students who are already enrolled in private school
Reimbursement of expenses ($1,000) for home schooling of students
Imposes additional student assessment and reporting requirements for private schools and state organizations
South Carolina School Boards Association Position
Opposes state or federally-mandated efforts to directly or indirectly subsidize private, religious, or home schools with public funds
Status
House Bill defeated in 2011
Same Bill resides in Senate Education Committee

4. Vouchers / Tuition Tax Credits (S.414)
What Can Our Board Do?
Communicate to legislative delegation, staff, parents, and community provisions of bill
Pass Board resolution in oposition to legislation
Write opinion columns, letters to editor, etc. in opposition to legislation

5. Charter School Revisions (H.3241)
Highlights
Lower requirement for charter school conversion to a majority of returned pr ed ballots from those eligible to vote
Mandate that districts allow any school to convert to charter school including use of supplies free of charge for life of charter or ten years
Allow charter school students to participate in extracurricular activities at resident school, if such activities are not offered at the charter school
South Carolina School Boards Association Position
Resolve issues by placing all charter schools under state district’s sponsorship.
In the interim, allow an exemption for charter schools under local district control to finish their term and amend bill to (1) give traditional public schools same exemptions as charter schools and (2) allow sponsoring district to retain up to 2% of charter school’s funds .
Status
Passed House
Bill resides in Senate, and has undergone two readings

6. Charter School Revisions (H.3241)
What Can Our Board Do?
Seek support from legislative delegation for two amendments to Senate version of Bill:
First amendment
Requires a referendum vote for all affected taxpayers/voters if a public school proposed for conversion to charter school carries financial debt
Second amendment (only if first amendment fails)
Change the conversion procedures back to current law
Seek support from legislative delegation of provisions of Bill that SCSBA supports

7. Upcoming Event
January 10, 2012 SCSBA’s funding proposal: S.C. Education Finance Restructing Act (EFFRA) Scott Price, SCSBA General Council

8. South Carolina Public Schools are Succeeding!
Larger percentages of SC students met state standards on 2011 administration of Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) Test
Larger percentages of SC students scored at exemplary levels on PASS Test
More than 800 fewer SC students dropped out of high school in 2010 than in previous years
Nearly four out of five SC students passed the state’s high school exit exam on their first attempt in 2010