S*0361(Rat #0286, Act #0271 of 1992)  General Bill, By Setzler, D.L. Hinds, 
Land, Leventis, I.E. Lourie, J.A. Martin, T.W. Mitchell, Moore, M.F. Mullinax, 
M.T. Rose, Russell and Wilson
 A Bill to amend Chapter 103, Title 59, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to the Commission on Higher Education, by adding Section 59-103-165
 so as to provide for the Commission to develop information packages on
 post-secondary education requirements and options, and for the pilot-testing
 of these packages; Section 59-103-170 so as to provide for counseling by
 higher education institutions on post-secondary education options for eighth
 grade students and their parents or guardians; Section 59-103-180 so as to
 provide for the cooperation of the State Board and Department of Education and
 the several schools and school districts of this State with the Commission on
 Higher Education and the higher education institutions in this counseling
 program; and Section 59-103-190 so as to request business and industry to
 allow parents the opportunity to participate in the counseling
 program.-amended title

   12/10/90  Senate Prefiled
   12/10/90  Senate Referred to Committee on Education
   01/08/91  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-121
   01/08/91  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-121
   04/04/91  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Education SJ-10
   04/10/91  Senate Amended SJ-128
   04/10/91  Senate Read second time SJ-130
   04/16/91  Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-23
   04/17/91  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-26
   04/17/91  House  Referred to Committee on Education and Public
                     Works HJ-27
   02/05/92  House  Committee report: Favorable Education and Public
                     Works HJ-12
   02/12/92  House  Read second time HJ-28
   02/13/92  House  Read third time and enrolled HJ-7
   02/20/92         Ratified R 286
   02/26/92         Signed By Governor
   02/26/92         Effective date 02/26/92
   02/26/92         Act No. 271
   03/30/92         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 103, TITLE 59, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, BY ADDING SECTION 59-103-165 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMMISSION TO DEVELOP INFORMATION PACKAGES ON POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND OPTIONS AND FOR THE PILOT-TESTING OF THESE PACKAGES; SECTION 59-103-170 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR COUNSELING BY HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ON POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION OPTIONS FOR EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS; SECTION 59-103-180 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE COOPERATION OF THE STATE BOARD AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE SEVERAL SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THIS STATE WITH THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THIS COUNSELING PROGRAM; AND SECTION 59-103-190 SO AS TO REQUEST BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO ALLOW PARENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNSELING PROGRAM.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Findings

SECTION 1. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) the skills required for jobs and careers of the future will demand increasing knowledge and training, and the continued development of South Carolina's economy depends on more of our citizens obtaining post-secondary education;

(2) the course choices made as early as the ninth grade can impact on the education options available to a student after high school;

(3) surveys of our state's students indicate that eighty percent aspire to some post-secondary education, yet information indicates that many eighth graders and their parents or guardians are unfamiliar with the courses required to enter our state's colleges and universities or the options offered by our state's technical colleges and are unaware of the financial requirements or financial assistance available for post-secondary opportunities;

(4) one of the education goals of this State and of our nation is to increase the number of youth entering post-secondary education.

Based on these findings, the General Assembly has determined to enact the provisions of this act as a part of the Education Improvement Act.

Post-secondary education option information

SECTION 2. Chapter 103, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-103-165. The Commission on Higher Education is directed to work with the state's public institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education which wish to participate, to develop information packages for eighth grade students and their parents on the options of post-secondary education available in South Carolina, the courses required to attend colleges and universities, and the financial requirements and assistance available for students pursuing additional education after high school.

During 1991-92, the commission shall develop the information packages, and to the extent that funds are appropriated by the General Assembly, pilot-test the program in a number of school districts. The commission shall report to the Senate Education Committee and the Education and Public Works Committee of the House on the pilot-testing.

Section 59-103-170. After pilot-testing, the Commission on Higher Education shall work with this state's public institutions of higher education and private higher education institutions wishing to participate, to provide annually for the state's eighth grade students and their parents or guardians small group and one-on-one counseling on required high school courses and post-secondary options, financial requirements, and assistance available for a post-secondary education. These sessions must be held at each of the state's public schools which house an eighth grade class. The counseling may be provided during a week declared to be `Education Options Week' or at another time convenient to the school and the cooperating institution of higher education.

The annual sessions will be phased-in over two years and by school year 1993-94 will be in the individual schools in accordance with Sections 59-103-165 through 59-103-190.

Section 59-103-180. The State Board of Education, the State Department of Education, and the state's public school districts and schools shall cooperate with the Commission on Higher Education and the institutions of higher education in providing the counseling and shall assist in any manner considered appropriate by them. The schools shall make special efforts to ensure that as many students and parents or guardians as possible are made aware of the opportunity, are urged to attend the sessions, and receive the information.

Section 59-103-190. The businesses and industries of this State are requested to provide the opportunity to their employees with children in the eighth grade to attend the counseling sessions and to cooperate with institutions of higher education in presenting at the worksite small group and one-on-one counseling on required high school courses, post-secondary options, financial requirements, and assistance for post-secondary education."

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 26th day of February, 1992.