South Carolina Lawmakers Propose Comprehensive Student Reforms

Legislators in South Carolina will soon have the chance to enact a bold set of education reforms that will benefit Palmetto State students immediately and into the future under a pair of key bills introduced this week.

H 3759 by House Speaker Jay Lucas and S 419 by Senate Education Chair Greg Hembree include:
Legislators in South Carolina will soon have the chance to enact a bold set of education reforms that will benefit Palmetto State students immediately and into the future under a pair of key bills introduced this week.

H 3759 by House Speaker Jay Lucas and S 419 by Senate Education Chair Greg Hembree include:

• Improved policy and transparency to effectively implement Read to Succeed, helping to ensure students can read on grade level by the end of third grade.
• Investments to give more South Carolina students access to computer science classes and other critical coursework that can better prepare them for college and careers.
• More supports for teachers, greater accountability for school boards and districts, and greater flexibility for the state to intercede if schools fail to meet student needs.

Separately, 53 House members from both parties signed on to support an Education Scholarship Account (ESA) program – H 3681 by Rep. Shannon Erickson – that would allow students with special needs or from low-income, military or foster households to use their share of state funding for a customized education that may include tutoring, school tuition, therapy or instructional materials.

• Improved policy and transparency to effectively implement Read to Succeed, helping to ensure students can read on grade level by the end of third grade.
• Investments to give more South Carolina students access to computer science classes and other critical coursework that can better prepare them for college and careers.
• More supports for teachers, greater accountability for school boards and districts, and greater flexibility for the state to intercede if schools fail to meet student needs.

“South Carolina policymakers are clearly dedicated to doing what is needed to make sure the state’s education system is centered on students rather than archaic processes.

“ExcelinEd in Action appreciates the leadership of House Speaker Jay Lewis, House Education Chair Rita Allison, Senate Education Chair Greg Hembree, Rep. Shannon Erickson and the dozens of members who co-sponsored these forward-thinking bills, and we salute our many partners in this work, including EdChoice, My SC Education, the Palmetto Promise Institute and the South Carolina Catholic Conference.”

Ryan Mahoney, Southeast Legislative Director

For more information on these proven education strategies, please visit the ExcelinEd website.