South Carolina General Assembly
125th Session, 2023-2024

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 305

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Young, M. Johnson, Kimbrell, Turner, Fanning, Climer, Stephens, Rankin, Loftis, Garrett, Matthews, Adams, Gustafson and Sabb
Document Path: SR-0148KM23.docx

Introduced in the Senate on January 10, 2023
Introduced in the House on February 7, 2024
Last Amended on February 6, 2024
Currently residing in the Senate

Summary: Work Experience Credit for New Teachers

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date Body Action Description with journal page number
12/7/2022 Senate Prefiled
12/7/2022 Senate Referred to Committee on Education
1/10/2023 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 186)
1/10/2023 Senate Referred to Committee on Education (Senate Journal-page 186)
4/12/2023 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education (Senate Journal-page 10)
4/13/2023 Scrivener's error corrected
1/18/2024 Senate Special order, set for January 18, 2024 (Senate Journal-page 15)
1/23/2024 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 18)
1/23/2024 Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 18)
1/23/2024 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 18)
1/23/2024 Senate Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 18)
1/24/2024 Scrivener's error corrected
2/6/2024 Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 18)
2/6/2024 Senate Read third time and sent to House (Senate Journal-page 18)
2/6/2024 Senate Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 18)
2/7/2024 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 5)
2/7/2024 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works (House Journal-page 6)
2/7/2024 Scrivener's error corrected

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

12/07/2022
04/12/2023
04/13/2023
01/23/2024
01/24/2024
02/06/2024
02/07/2024



Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

 

As Passed By The Senate

February 06, 2024

 

S. 305

 

Introduced by Senators Young, M. Johnson, Kimbrell, Turner, Fanning, Climer, Stephens, Rankin, Loftis, Garrett, Matthews, Adams, Gustafson and Sabb

 

S. Printed 02/06/24--S.                                                                            [SEC 2/7/2024 4:50 PM]

Read the first time January 10, 2023

 

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A bill

 

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 59-25-60 so as to provide that an individual's prior work experience may be awarded on an initial teaching certificate if the prior experience is in or related to the content field of the certificate, and to provide that existing certificate holders may also RECEIVE the same credit for prior work experience.

    Amend Title To Conform

 

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

 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 25, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 

    Section 59-25-60.  (A) When reviewing an application by an individual for an educator certificate, the State Department of Education shall award years of experience on the educator certificate for occupational experience in, or related to, the content field of the certificate for which the individual qualifies. One year of experience credit may be awarded for every two years of full-time relevant work experience completed by the individual. Years of experience shall be awarded solely for the purpose of advancement on the teacher salary schedule. To be eligible for years of experience on the educator certificate, the individual must complete and submit a verification of relevant work experience form developed by the State Department of Education with the application for an educator certificate.

    (B) Individuals that entered the teaching profession prior to July 1, 2023, with occupational experience in, or related to, the content field of their teaching certificate may complete and submit the verification of relevant work experience form to the State Department of Education to have additional years of experience added to their certificate for the purposes of advancing on the teacher salary schedule. If additional years of experience are awarded, the eligible individual is entitled to have their pay adjusted for the current school year to reflect the new experience step on the employing district's salary schedule. However, the individual is not entitled to retroactive pay for the increased years of experience during prior years of teaching or for any purpose other than advancement on the teacher salary schedule.

    (C) Nothing in this section alters any existing requirements for receiving an educator certificate. Individuals with the work experience identified in subsection (A) must still meet all other existing requirements in order to receive an educator certificate.

    (D) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as allowing additional years of experience to be awarded for purposes other than advancement on the teacher salary schedule. Years of experience awarded pursuant to this section for relevant work experience are not considered service credit for the purposes of the state retirement or state health plans administered by PEBA.

 

SECTION 2.  The State Department of Education shall make available the work experience verification form described in this act no later than ninety days after the approval by the Governor.

 

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

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This web page was last updated on February 7, 2024 at 4:50 PM