A bill

 

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-1-505 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM FOR PROVIDING TUTORING INTERVENTION TO STUDENTS USING A HIGH-QUALITY TUTORING PROGRAM.

 

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

 

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

 

    Section 59-1-505.  (A) For purposes of this section, "pilot program" means the COVID-19 learning loss and student acceleration pilot program established under this section.

    (B) The Department of Education shall establish a pilot program under which, for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years, participating school district or open-enrollment charter school campuses may provide tutoring intervention to students using a high-quality tutoring program to address learning loss due to the disruption in public education caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

    (C) A campus may apply to the department to participate in the pilot program. A campus that submits an application must include with the application materials a summary of the campus's proposed high-quality tutoring program to the department for approval.

    (D) The department shall adopt minimum criteria that a program must meet to be selected for use by a participating campus. The criteria must include principles and practices consistent with best practices related to a scientific understanding of how students learn. The department only may approve a program for use by a campus under the pilot program that meets the minimum criteria established under this section.

    (E) Not later than December 31, 2024, the agency, in consultation with each vendor of a high-quality tutoring program approved under subsection (D) and each school district with which the vendor contracts under this section, shall provide the General Assembly with a report describing student progress under the pilot program.

    (F) The commissioner may accept gifts, grants, or donations from any public or private source for purposes of this section.

    (G) Notwithstanding subsection (B), the department is required to establish the pilot program under this section only if the General Assembly appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the General Assembly does not appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the department may, but is not required to, establish the pilot program under this section using other appropriations available for that purpose.

    (H) The department shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

 

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

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