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A84, R106, H3752
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. Patrick
Document Path: l:\council\bills\agm\19931ab13.docx
Introduced in the House on March 6, 2013
Introduced in the Senate on April 23, 2013
Passed by the General Assembly on June 5, 2013
Governor's Action: June 13, 2013, Signed
Summary: Expanded Virtual Learning Act
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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3/6/2013 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 11)
3/6/2013 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
(House Journal-page 11)
4/17/2013 House Committee report: Favorable Education and Public Works
(House Journal-page 2)
4/18/2013 House Read second time (House Journal-page 96)
4/18/2013 House Roll call Yeas-80 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 97)
4/18/2013 House Unanimous consent for third reading on next legislative
day (House Journal-page 98)
4/19/2013 House Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 6)
4/23/2013 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 12)
4/23/2013 Senate Referred to Committee on Education
(Senate Journal-page 12)
5/29/2013 Senate Committee report: Favorable Education
(Senate Journal-page 26)
6/4/2013 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 91)
6/4/2013 Senate Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 91)
6/5/2013 Senate Read third time and enrolled (Senate Journal-page 14)
6/11/2013 Ratified R 106
6/13/2013 Signed By Governor
6/20/2013 Effective date 06/13/13
6/24/2013 Act No. 84
View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
(A84, R106, H3752)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, SO AS TO ENACT THE "EXPANDED VIRTUAL LEARNING ACT"; TO AMEND SECTION 59-16-15, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA VIRTUAL SCHOOL PROGRAM, SO AS TO RESTYLE THE PROGRAM AS A VIRTUAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AND TO REMOVE LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF ONLINE CREDITS A STUDENT MAY BE AWARDED UNDER THE PROGRAM; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-40-65, RELATING TO ENROLLMENT OF CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA VIRTUAL SCHOOL PROGRAM, SO AS TO MAKE A CONFORMING CHANGE.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Expanded Virtual Learning Act
SECTION 1. Section 59-16-15 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 26 of 2007, is amended to read:
"Section 59-16-15. (A) The State Board of Education is authorized to establish a virtual education program to provide South Carolina students access to distance, online, or virtual learning courses offered for an initial unit of credit. Additionally, the virtual education program shall offer access to credit recovery programs for students who have been identified by a school district as not having received credit for a course previously taken or for students who have been identified by a school district as not likely to receive credit for a course in which the student is currently enrolled. Students may enroll in courses for credit recovery based on policies established by the State Board of Education. The virtual education program shall not award a South Carolina High School diploma.
(B) A public, private, or homeschool student residing in South Carolina who is twenty-one years of age or younger must be eligible to enroll in the virtual education program. A private school or home school student enrolled in the virtual education program must not be entitled to any rights, privileges, courses, activities, or services available to a public school student other than receiving an appropriate unit of credit for a completed course.
(C) Local school districts shall accurately transcribe a student's final numeric grade to the student's permanent record and transcript. Home school students and private school students shall receive a certified grade report indicating date, course, and final numeric grade from the virtual education program or an entity approved by the State Board of Education.
(D) Students enrolled in an online course for a unit of credit must be administered final exams and appropriate state assessments in a proctored environment.
(E) It is not the responsibility of the school, district, or state to provide home computer equipment and Internet access for enrollment in courses provided by the virtual education program. However, nothing in this section shall prohibit a school or district from providing home computer equipment or Internet access to students enrolled in the virtual education program."
Conformity change
SECTION 2. Section 59-40-65(D) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 26 of 2007, is amended to read:
"(D) Charter school students may enroll in the Department of Education's virtual education program pursuant to program requirements."
Time effective
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 11th day of June, 2013.
Approved the 13th day of June, 2013.
This web page was last updated on Friday, August 16, 2013 at 12:15 P.M.