South Carolina Law > Code of Laws > Title 59

SECTION 59-66-20. School safety coordinator grant program; funding; requirements.

(A) The General Assembly annually shall provide funds in the general appropriations act to be awarded to school districts which choose to employ safety coordinators in accordance with this section. State funds may be awarded for not more than one safety coordinator for each county. The amount of the award for a county for fiscal year 1995-96 may not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars, except for counties which are designated as economically distressed pursuant to Section 41-43-180. Economically distressed counties participating in the program shall receive additional state funds for fiscal year 1995-96 in the amount of five thousand five hundred dollars. The amount which may be awarded for a county, including the additional state funds for economically distressed counties, must be increased each fiscal year after 1995-96 by the same percentage as the average teacher salary.

(B) An award of state funds to school districts under this program is contingent upon a district or group of districts jointly matching the state grant with an equal amount of funds and in-kind contributions; however, school districts located primarily within an economically distressed county are not required to match any portion of the state grant. Additionally, funds only may be awarded where the duties of the safety coordinator relate exclusively to school and district safety functions. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the safety coordinator have a strong background in law enforcement, safety matters, or coordination of relevant services.

(C) If a county consists of more than one school district, any or all school districts within the county may apply jointly for funds for a safety coordinator. Each participating school district must provide a portion of the local matching funds based upon the relationship the district's student membership bears to the total student membership of all participating districts within the county. Nonparticipating school districts in multi-district counties may begin participation in the program by contributing to the local match in the same manner as those school districts originally participating in the program.

(D) When more than one school district in a multi-district county is provided funds under this section, the safety coordinator must be an employee of the school district with the largest student membership during the immediately preceding school year, unless the participating school districts have a memorandum of agreement providing otherwise; however, the safety coordinator must provide services to all participating school districts.

(E) For purposes of this section, "student membership" means the cumulative one hundred thirty-five day average daily membership during the immediately preceding school year.

(F) The State Board of Education, through the State Department of Education, shall develop and implement regulations establishing the safety coordinator grant program.

HISTORY: 1995 Act No. 7, Part IV, Section 67.

SECTION 59-66-30. Public middle schools and high schools to be equipped with metal detector; training; regulations.

(A) Using funds appropriated by the General Assembly, each public middle, junior high, and high school in the State must be equipped with one hand-held metal detector.

(B) In consultation and cooperation with the Office of the Attorney General and the State Law Enforcement Division, the State Department of Education shall provide training in the use of hand-held metal detectors to school officials who shall use the equipment.

(C) The State Board of Education, through the State Department of Education, shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.

HISTORY: 1995 Act No. 7, Part IV, Section 68.

SECTION 59-66-40. School safety task force.

(A)(1) There is created a school safety task force to:

(a) examine the various funding streams for school-based mental health services and determine how these streams may best be utilized in order to provide more accessible and efficient delivery of mental health programs;

(b) examine school mental health staffing ratios and provide suggestions that allow for the full delivery of services and effective school-community partnerships, including collaboration between school districts;

(c) develop standards for district level policies to promote effective school discipline and mental health intervention services;

(d) examine current intra- and interagency collaboration and suggest ways to improve cooperation; and

(e) examine how to best support multitiered systems of support.

(2) Any recommendations made by the task force must be revenue neutral.

(3) The task force shall report its findings and make recommendations concerning proposed changes to the General Assembly.

(B) The task force must be composed of:

(1) one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of Licensed Professional Counselors;

(2) one member appointed by the South Carolina Society for Clinical Social Work;

(3) one member appointed by the South Carolina Education Association;

(4) one member appointed by the Palmetto State Teachers Association;

(5) one member appointed by the South Carolina School Counselor Association;

(6) one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of School Psychologists;

(7) one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of School Social Workers;

(8) one member appointed by the South Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy;

(9) one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators;

(10) one member appointed by the South Carolina School Boards Association;

(11) one member appointed by the South Carolina Department of Mental Health;

(12) one member appointed by the South Carolina Association of School Resource Officers;

(13) one member appointed by the Chief of the State Law Enforcement Division;

(14) one member appointed by the Governor;

(15) one member appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;

(16) two members appointed by the Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee; and

(17) two members appointed by the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

(C) Vacancies in the membership of the task force must be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the manner of original appointment.

(D) Members of the task force shall serve without compensation and may not receive mileage or per diem.

(E) The staffing for the task force must be provided by the staff of the House Education and Public Works Committee and Senate Education Committee.

(F) The task force shall make a report of its recommendations to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2014, at which time the task force must be dissolved.

HISTORY: 2014 Act No. 252 (H.3365), Section 1, eff June 6, 2014.