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Legislative Update. May 14, 2013. FY2013-2014 Budget. Senate Finance Committee finalized Budget (5/3/13) Budget to be debated in full Senate on 5/15/13 Base Student Cost of $2,101, up from current $2,012, below $2,771 statutorily required
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Legislative Update May 14, 2013
FY2013-2014 Budget • Senate Finance Committee finalized Budget (5/3/13) • Budget to be debated in full Senate on 5/15/13 • Base Student Cost of $2,101, up from current $2,012, below $2,771 statutorily required • Proviso requiring teacher salary step increase • Proviso to allow districts to uniformly negotiate salaries for retired teachers • Monies for phase-in of 4-year-old kindergarten program for Child Development Education Program Bill • Monies for summer reading camps for Read to Succeed Bill
Joint Resolutions • Resolution (H.3453) extending time to extend teacher contracts from April 15th to May 15th • Ratified and Signed by Governor on May 3rd
4-K Child Development Program (S.0134) • Reported out favorably by Senate Education Committee (5/9/13) • Full day 4-year-old kindergarten program for at-risk children • Set standards and funding levels
SC Read to Succeed (S.0516) • Reported out favorably by Senate Education Committee (5/9/13) • Students not reading on grade level at the end of the third grade would be retained for reading instruction • Students would do summer work or get intensive reading instruction the following school year • Teachers would also be required to do training • Children in kindergarten would receive a reading-readiness test before entering school to identify learning barriers • The bill would be paid for by a portion of $6 million set aside for reading improvement
Parent Empowerment Act (S.0556) • Resides in Senate Education Committee (3/20/13) • Parents have ability to assume control of an “at-risk” school • Parents representing 51% of students can: • Convert school to (1) charter school, (2) turnaround model, (3) restart model, or (4) transformational model • Replace some of school’s administration • Close school • Turnaround model – Principal replaced and school staff screened with no more than 50% rehired • Restart model – Convert school to a charter school or close and reopen under charter school operator • Transformational Model – District implements strategies that include developing and increasing teacher and school leader effectiveness, instructional reform, increasing community involvement
TuitionTaxCredits / Vouchers (S.0279) • Resides in Senate Committee on Finance (1/23/13) • Similar to Bill that died in Senate in 2012 • Plan could cost $36 million • State income tax deduction of up to $4,000 for tuition paid by the parent or legal guardian for child to attend an independent school, $1,000 for tuition paid by parent or legal guardian for child to attend public school outside of their resident district, $2,000 per home school student • Tax credits (sixty percent of taxpayers liability) for contributions made to non-profit scholarship funding organizations that would provide ‘grants’ to eligible students to attend a qualifying independent school • ‘Accountability’ provision includes requirement for all students be administered national achievement or state standardized tests
SchoolChoice (S.0313) • Resides in Senate Education Committee (4/25/13) • Districts, over a three year period, have to provide education program choices (i.e., public charter schools, vitural school programs, single gender, magnet schools) • 2013-2014 – State Department of Education establish program and develop open enrollment pilot program • 2013-2014 – Districts convene school choice committee to develop plan • 2014-2015 – Districts begin implementation of school choice program • 2014-2015 – Districts develop plans for Open Enrollment • 2015-2016 – Parents may enroll child in any public school in state without paying tuition • District Board adopts policies for individual school capacities, standards of approval, priority of acceptance
High School League (H.3229) • Resides in Senate Education Committee (3/20/13) • Bill passed full House on 3/20/13 • Amendment to leave High School League intact • Amendment to require independent appeals panel • Amendment to improvement state-wide representation in High School League • Read first time in Senate
Freedom of Information Act (H.3163) • Resides in House Judiciary Committee (3/20/13) • Amendment to end Legislative Exemption • Concern from constituents about personal information becomming available through Act • House does not have staff to comply with Act
School Security (S.0249) • Resides in Senate Committee on Finance (1/16/13) • Require a state-funded School Resource Officer in each school • Start in 2013-2014 • Supplied by city and county governments • District pays cost using state allocation • Cost estimate - $80 million
Aiken County Schools are Succeeding! • Aiken County Teacher of the Year Elizabeth Supan • South Aiken High School • Recognized by Newsweek Magazine - America’s Best High Schools • Boy’s tennis team wins state title • Safe School Initiative South Aiken High School May 15th, 6:00