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COMMITTEE REPORT
April 3, 2019
H. 3577
S. Printed 4/3/19--H.
Read the first time January 15, 2019.
To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3577) to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section 59-25-25 so as to provide educator preparation programs in institutions of higher education may, etc., respectfully
That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by deleting all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 25, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-25-25. (A) The State Board of Education is authorized to approve alternative route providers and programs for educator preparation and certification. The board shall establish guidelines that must include a timely review of all programs and providers and the guidelines must allow for differentiated designs and delivery methodologies of both providers and individual programs. Educator preparation programs housed within an institution of higher education (IHE) may be approved as an alternative route provider and may submit a separate and distinct educator preparation program for alternative certification to the State Board of Education and the Commission on Higher Education for approval. These alternative preparation programs are not required to be nationally accredited, but, consistent with other alternative preparation programs, IHE-led alternative programs must include, but are not limited to, documented evidence of the following:
(1) budget and sources of revenue including fees paid by the candidates;
(2) organizational information including the names and qualifications of administrators, support staff, and faculty;
(3) entry requirements for candidates for each certification area program offered by the applicant;
(4) plans for curriculum offerings including delivery method and timeframe, field placements, field supervision plans, and assessments of success;
(5) partnerships with public schools for clinical experiences, if applicable, including signed memoranda of agreement with detailed responsibilities for the alternative route educator provider program and the school district;
(6) evidence of annual successful teaching experience by the candidates and progress toward obtaining a professional certificate;
(7) ongoing monitoring of candidates' performances in the classroom while in the alternative route program; and
(8) mentoring provided by the educator preparation program.
(B) The department annually shall report the total number of individuals employed in this State, by district, with certificates issued by IHE alternative programs to the State Board of Education and the General Assembly before March thirty-first of each year."
SECTION 2. Section 59-26-20 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a subsection at the end to read:
"( )(1) The State Board of Education, through the State Department of Education, shall develop and implement a plan for the cyclical evaluation process for all alternative route educator preparation providers and programs every seven years. Institutions of higher education that are approved providers the by Commission on Higher Education must be consulted in the cyclical evaluation process. The plan must include requirements for initial and continuing approval and must include evidence of annual successful teaching experience of educators differentiated by program. The board shall include a process for revocation of program approval, continuous evaluation and upgrading of standards for program approval for all alternative route providers and programs;
(2) For purposes of this section:
(a) an alternative certification provider is defined as the entity responsible for the preparation of educators; and
(b) an alternative certification program is defined as a sequence of academic courses and experiences leading to a state certification."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.
MERITA A. ALLISON for Committee.
Explanation of Fiscal Impact
Introduced on January 15, 2019
State Expenditure
This bill allows educator preparation programs housed within an institution of higher education (IHE) to submit a separate and distinct educator preparation program for alternative preparation to the State Board of Education for approval. These alternative preparation programs are not required to be nationally accredited, but must be consistent with other alternative preparation programs. The bill further provides for the documented evidence that must be included in IHE-led alternative programs.
State Department of Education. SDE indicates that the agency does not have an adequate system in place now for the cyclical review process. Further, SDE indicates that the agency will need an educator preparation data system to produce data for the required evaluation process in a quick and accurate manner. This system will increase general fund expenses of SDE by a range of approximately $440,000 to $596,000 in FY 2019-20.
Also, SDE indicates that it would be best practice to create a new office to handle the alternative educator preparation program approval process and required cyclical evaluations. If implemented, this would increase general fund expenses of SDE by approximately $429,000. Of this amount, approximately $365,000 is for 4 FTEs, including a director position, $14,000 is for equipment, and $50,000 is for annual operating expenses.
Commission on Higher Education. This bill will have no expenditure impact on CHE since the bill does not alter the responsibilities of the agency.
This bill allows institutions of higher education to create an alternative educator preparation program, subject to approval by the State Board of Education. Since the bill is permissive, there are no mandatory expenses for colleges and universities. However, CHE surveyed the following public institutions of higher education to determine which colleges and universities may be interested in the alternative educator program and to get an estimate on the expenses associated with the program if implemented.
The University of South Carolina (USC) main campus, as well as USC Aiken and USC Upstate, indicate that the creation of an alternative route to certification will create no additional expenditures because it would be managed using existing faculty, staff, and course offerings. USC Beaufort indicates the bill would have no fiscal impact because the campus does not have the current resources to participate in an alternative preparation program.
Francis Marion University (FMU) indicates that although the program for alternative education is permissive, it intends to house a program in its School of Education. If implemented, the university anticipates the program will increase enrollment in graduate education degree programs. Any expenditures will be offset by the increase in student tuition.
The College of Charleston indicated that it will require additional information before being able to determine if it will be interested in the alternative educator preparation program. Therefore, the college is unable to provide an estimate on any potential expenses associated with the program.
Lander University indicated interest in the program. If implemented, any expenses associated with the program are unknown at this time.
State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education. The bill will have no expenditure impact on the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education since the bill does not alter the responsibilities of the agency. Also, the agency does not offer educator preparation programs.
State Revenue
FMU indicates that the creation of an alternative teacher certification program will increase enrollment in graduate education degree programs. If implemented, the university indicates that any increase in other funds revenue due to the increase in the number of students will be sufficient to offset the additional expenditures required to create the program.
USC indicates that if it implements the alternative educator program, the university could see an increase of fifteen students seeking an alternative route to certification due to this bill. Further, the average cost for tuition and required fees for full-time, in-state, undergraduate students of USC is $12,262, according to Analysis of Student Tuition and Required Fees produced annually by CHE. Multiplying this average amount by the additional fifteen students yields an increase in other funds of $183,930, if the program is implemented. Due to the permissive nature of the bill in regard to the start date of such programs, the fiscal year in which the university will realize any increase in revenue is undetermined.
Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director
Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-25-25 SO AS TO PROVIDE EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION MAY SUBMIT SEPARATE AND DISTINCT EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS FOR ALTERNATIVE PREPARATION TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR APPROVAL, TO PROVIDE THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE NATIONALLY ACCREDITED BUT MUST MEET CERTAIN OTHER REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNUALLY SHALL REPORT RELATED DATA TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-26-20, RELATING TO DUTIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION CONCERNING THE TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, AND EVALUATION OF PUBLIC EDUCATORS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS REGARDING A CYCLICAL EVALUATION PROCESS FOR APPROVED TEACHER EDUCATOR PROGRAMS, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 25, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-25-25. (A) Educator preparation programs housed within an institution of higher education (IHE) may submit a separate and distinct educator preparation program for alternative preparation to the State Board of Education for approval. These alternative preparation programs are not required to be nationally accredited, but, consistent with other alternative preparation programs, IHE-led alternative programs must include, but are not limited to, documented evidence of the following:
(1) budget and sources of revenue including fees paid by the candidates;
(2) organizational information including the names and qualifications of administrators, support staff, and faculty;
(3) entry requirements for candidates for each certification area program offered by the applicant;
(4) plans for curriculum offerings including delivery method and timeframe, field placements, field supervision plans, and assessments of success;
(5) partnerships with public schools for clinical experiences, if applicable, including signed memoranda of agreement with detailed responsibilities for the alternative route educator provider program and the school district;
(6) evidence of annual successful teaching experience by the candidates and progress toward obtaining a professional certificate;
(7) ongoing monitoring of candidates' performances in the classroom while in the alternative route program; and
(8) mentoring provided by the educator preparation program.
(B) The department annually shall report the total number of individuals employed in this State, by district, with certificates issued by IHE alternative programs to the State Board of Education and the General Assembly before March thirty-first of each year."
SECTION 2. Section 59-26-20 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding a subsection at the end to read:
"( ) The State Board shall promulgate regulations regarding a cyclical evaluation process for all approved teacher educator programs. The cyclical evaluation period must be no longer than five years. The regulations must list requirements for approval and must include evidence of annual successful teaching experience of educators differentiated by program. The regulations shall include a process for revocation of program approval."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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