South Carolina General Assembly
116th Session, 2005-2006

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H. 3791

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Cobb-Hunter, Cotty and J.H. Neal
Document Path: l:\council\bills\pt\2459sj05.doc

Introduced in the House on March 16, 2005
Currently residing in the House Committee on Ways and Means

Summary: Education Finance Act

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   3/16/2005  House   Introduced and read first time HJ-89
   3/16/2005  House   Referred to Committee on Ways and Means HJ-90

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

3/16/2005

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-20-90 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ALL PUBLIC MONIES DISTRIBUTED TO SCHOOLS IN THIS STATE MUST BE DISTRIBUTED PURSUANT TO THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT FUNDING FORMULA AND TO HOLD HARMLESS A SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR LOSING FUNDING; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-20-40, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE DETERMINATION OF ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS FOR STUDENTS UNDER THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT, SO AS TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL WEIGHTING FOR STUDENTS WHOSE FAMILIES ARE BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL.

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

SECTION    1.    Chapter 20, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-20-90.    (A)    All public monies distributed to schools in this State must be distributed pursuant to the Education Finance Act funding formula in this chapter.

(B)    A school district must be held harmless from liability for losing state funding."

SECTION 2. Section 59-20-40(1)(c) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 92 of 2003, is further amended to read:

"(c)    Weightings, used to provide for relative cost differences, between programs for different students are established in order that funds may be equitably distributed on the basis of pupil needs. The criteria for qualifications for each special classification must be established by the State Board of Education according to definitions established in this article and in accordance with Sections 59-21-510, 59-35-10, 59-53-1860, and 59-53-1900. Cost factors enumerated in this section must be used to fund programs approved by the State Board of Education. Pupil data received by the Department of Education is subject to audit by the department. Cost factors or weightings are as follows:

Pupil Classification                                                        Weightings

(1)    Kindergarten pupils                                                        1.30

(2)    Primary pupils (grades 1 through 3)                                1.24

(3)    Elementary pupils (grades 4 through 8)

base students                                                                    1.00

(4)    High school pupils (grades 9 through 12)                        1.25

Special Programs for Exceptional Students                    Weightings

(5)    Handicapped                                                                    1.74

a.    Educable mentally handicapped pupils

b.    Learning disabilities pupils

(6)    Handicapped                                                                    2.04

a.    Trainable mentally handicapped pupils

b.    Emotionally handicapped pupils

c.    Orthopedically handicapped pupils

(7)    Handicapped                                                                    2.57

a.    Visually handicapped pupils

b.    Hearing handicapped pupils

c.    pupils Pupils with autism.

(8)    Speech handicapped pupils                                            1.90

(9)    Homebound pupils                                                            2.10

a.    pupils Pupils who are homebound

b.    pupils Pupils who reside in emergency shelters

Vocational Technical Programs                                    Weightings

(10)    Pre-vocational                                                                    1.20

(11)    Vocational                                                                        1.29

Add-on Weights for Early Childhood                            Weightings

Development and Academic Assistance

(12)    Early Childhood Assistance                                            0.26

(13)    Grades 4-12 Academic Assistance                                0.114

Add-on Weight for Poverty                                            Weighting

(14)    Pupils whose families are below

the federal poverty level                                                    0.50

Adult Education                                                                Weighting

(14)(15)    Adult Education                                                        0.15

No local match is required for adult education and the number of weighted pupil units funded depends on funding available from the general fund of the State and the Education Improvement Act of 1984 Fund.

Each student in the State must be counted in only one of the first eleven pupil classifications. Students shall generate funds for early childhood assistance and grades 4-12 academic assistance in accordance with Section 59-139-20. The State Board of Education must determine the qualifications for each classification in accordance with Sections 59-21-510, 59-35-10, 59-53-1860, 59-53-1900, and Chapter 30 of this title. The program for each classification must meet specifications approved by the State Board of Education.

School districts may count each student who is instructed at home under the provisions of Section 59-65-40 in the district's weighted pupil units at a weighting of .25 for supervising, overseeing, or reviewing the student's program of home instruction. No local match is required for students instructed at home under the provisions of Section 59-65-40."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor beginning with school year 2005-06.

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