A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-5-66 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL CONDUCT CERTAIN AUDITS AND ON-SITE INSPECTIONS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DETERMINE COMPLIANCE WITH STATEWIDE MODEL SAFE SCHOOL POLICIES and related regulations, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

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

SECTION 1.  Chapter 5, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

    Section 59-5-66. (A) The State Department of Education shall conduct one assessment of each school district's policies and procedures for maintaining safe schools before July 1, 2026. The audit must ascertain compliance of these policies and procedures with the provisions of the model safe schools checklist and other requirements of Regulation 43-166, and also must evaluate any other school safety policies and procedures adopted by the district. These audits must be conducted over the course of the 2024-2025 School Year and the 2025-2026 School Year.

    (B) Beginning with the 2026-2027 School Year and each school year thereafter, the department shall conduct on-site inspections of not fewer than ten school districts to determine compliance with the applicable district's policies and procedures for maintaining safe and secure school buildings, the model safe schools checklist, and other requirements of Regulation 43-166. The selection of school districts for inspection must ensure that a variety of school districts are selected based on the size of each district's student enrollment, with at least three being from rural districts and three being from urban districts. A school district determined to be in compliance may not be inspected again under the provisions of this subsection for a period of three years.

    (C) Before January 15, 2027 and before January fifteenth annually thereafter, the department shall prepare and submit to the Senate Committee on Education and the House of Representatives Committee on Education and Public Works separate reports on the results of the:

       (1) audits conducted pursuant to subsection (A); and

       (2) on-site inspections conducted pursuant to subsection (B).

    (D) For purposes of this section, "model safe schools checklist" means the checklist to be used by school districts on a regular basis to assess their schools' safety strengths and weaknesses pursuant to Section 59-5-65(15).

SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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