H.4780 creates a committee for the purpose of reviewing Title 59 of the SC Code and reporting to the General Assembly the statutes that are obsolete or no longer applicable.
This bill also instructs the Department of Education (DOE) to develop a system for providing services and technical assistance to school districts on a regional basis, including academic assistance and assistance with finances. The Superintendent of Education would report the system design to the General Assembly and give an annual progress report on assistance provided and its impact.
Finally, this bill instructs the DOE to monitor and evaluate school board operations and the professional development of teachers and staff in underperforming schools to identify needed improvements. The DOE would communicate any needed improvements and changes to the school districts and entities involved.
It’s unclear what exactly this bill is supposed to do, other than “fix” our education system somehow. The problems our state faces are systemwide, not merely operational. A vague system that increases bureaucracy, spending, and state overreach into the local school district operations is only going to make things worse, not better.
H.4939 is similar, but removes the regional basis from the system.