South Carolina General Assembly
107th Session, 1987-1988

Bill 434


                    Current Status

Bill Number:               434
Ratification Number:       607
Act Number                 535
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   Statewide testing program tests
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A535, R607, S434)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-5-65, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR STUDENT CONDUCT, ATTENDANCE, AND SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT, SO AS TO CHANGE THE REFERENCES TO THE COMPREHENSIVE TESTS OF BASIC SKILLS TO THE STATEWIDE TESTING PROGRAM TESTS MANDATED BY THE EDUCATION FINANCE ACT OF 1977; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-20-60, RELATING TO THE PRIORITY OF FUNDS ALLOCATED UNDER THE ACT, AUDITS, REPORTS, AND THE EDUCATION FINANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE STATEWIDE TESTING PROGRAM TO INCLUDE NATIONALLY NORMED ACHIEVEMENT TESTS.

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

Statewide Testing Program tests

SECTION 1. The fourth through the seventh paragraphs of Section 59-5-65(9) of the 1976 Code are amended to read:

"For purposes of the South Carolina Education Improvement Act of 1984, compensatory education programs are applicable only to students in grades one through six. First priority for placement are students scoring at or below the twenty-fifth percentile as determined from the Statewide Testing Program (STP) tests mandated by the Education Finance Act of 1977 or Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP) test scores in reading and mathematics and who are recommended for placement by teachers. Students scoring above the twenty-fifth percentile shall be placed in the program as funds permit.

Definition of Remedial Education Student. Remedial education students are those who have not adequately mastered the skills and concepts presented through previous instruction. As a result of unlearned skills and concepts these students have developed gaps in their learning which restrict or impede continuous progress toward educational goals. Therefore, these students can be expected to perform below state standard on BSAP tests and below grade level on STP tests.

Definition of Remedial Education Program. Remedial education programs are those which provide instruction especially designed to reteach and reinforce specific basic skills in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. These programs may be provided to students through special instruction during the regular school day, for intensive periods during the summer, in study hall, and before or after school.

For purposes of the South Carolina Education Improvement Act of 1984, remedial instruction programs are applicable only to students in grades two through twelve scoring below state standards on BSAP tests or its equivalent on STP and who are recommended for the programs by teachers. The policy of the remedial program is to give primary emphasis to those grades which experience the greatest failure rate. As additional funds become available for the remedial program, students in grades seven through twelve scoring above the twenty-fifth percentile must be included in the remedial program with priority for funding given to middle school students."

Nationally normed achievement tests

SECTION 2. Section 59-20-60(4)(c) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(c) participate in the statewide testing program, which must include nationally normed achievement tests, as prescribed by the State Board of Education."

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.