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A98, R36, S686

STATUS INFORMATION

Joint Resolution
Sponsors: Education Committee
Document Path: l:\council\bills\agm\18874bh11.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 642

Introduced in the Senate on March 10, 2011
Introduced in the House on March 29, 2011
Passed by the General Assembly on April 27, 2011
Governor's Action: May 6, 2011, Signed

Summary: Science requirements for diploma

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   3/10/2011  Senate  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar without 
                        reference (Senate Journal-page 4)
   3/11/2011          Scrivener's error corrected
   3/22/2011  Senate  Read second time (Senate Journal-page 16)
   3/22/2011  Senate  Roll call Ayes-39  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 16)
   3/23/2011  Senate  Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 7)
   3/29/2011  House   Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 22)
   3/29/2011  House   Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works 
                        (House Journal-page 22)
   4/13/2011  House   Committee report: Favorable Education and Public Works 
                        (House Journal-page 47)
   4/26/2011  House   Read second time (House Journal-page 92)
   4/26/2011  House   Roll call Yeas-101  Nays-1 (House Journal-page 92)
   4/27/2011  House   Read third time and enrolled (House Journal-page 13)
    5/5/2011          Ratified R 36
    5/6/2011          Signed By Governor
   5/13/2011          Effective date 05/06/11
   8/23/2011          Act No. 98

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

3/10/2011
3/10/2011-A
3/11/2011
4/13/2011

(A98, R36, S686)

A JOINT RESOLUTION TO CLARIFY THE SCIENCE COURSE REQUIREMENT FOR RECEIVING A SOUTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.

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

Physical science to biology course requirement transition

SECTION    1.    The State is transitioning from requiring all students to take physical science with its associated end-of-course test to requiring students to take biology with its associated end-of-course test.

Current science requirement

SECTION    2.    Section 59-18-310 requires students to pass a science course in a subject in which the end-of-course assessment is administered to earn a state high school diploma.

Lack of clarity in science requirement

SECTION    3.    The State Board of Education further defined the high school diploma requirement to be the course in which a federally approved end-of-course test is administered. Currently, the federal government has not given final approval to the biology assessment, although the biology end-of-course exam is being administered to meet federal accountability requirements. Due to the delay by the federal government, there is lack of clarity and certainty as to which course is required for graduation.

Physical science or biology course satisfies requirement

SECTION    4.    To provide clarity and certainty for high school students, for the graduation classes of 2011 and 2012, students who earn a unit of credit in either biology or physical science shall count that course credit as the required science course for graduation purposes.

Time effective

SECTION    5.    This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 5th day of May, 2011.

Approved the 6th day of May, 2011.

This web page was last updated on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at 10:03 A.M.