(A) The State Board of Education, through the Department of Education, shall establish a grant program to encourage school districts to pilot test or implement a modified school year or school day schedule. The purpose of the grant is to assist with the additional costs incurred during the intersessions for salaries, transportation, and operations, or for additional costs incurred by lengthening the school day. For a district to qualify for a grant, all the schools within a specific feeder zone or elementary-to-middle-to-high-school attendance area, must be pilot testing or implementing the modified year or day schedule.
(B) To obtain a grant, a district shall submit an application to the state board in a format specified by the Department of Education. The application shall include a plan for implementing a modified year or day that provides the following: more time for student learning, learning opportunities that typically are not available in the regular student day, targeted assistance for students whose academic performance is significantly below promotion standards, more efficient use of facilities and other resources, and evaluations of the impact of the modified schedule. Local district boards of trustees shall require students whose performance in a core subject area, as defined in Section 59-18-300, is the equivalent of a "D" average or below to attend the intersessions or stay for the lengthened day and receive special assistance in the subject area. Funding for the program is as provided by the General Assembly in the annual appropriations act. Each grant award for program pilot testing or implementation may not exceed a three-year period.
HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 400, Section 2; 2008 Act No. 282, Section 1, eff June 5, 2008.
Effect of Amendment
The 2008 amendment, in subsection (A), deleted the fourth sentence giving districts declared to be impaired a priority in obtaining the grants.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 18 - Education Accountability Act
Section 59-18-110. Objectives.
Section 59-18-120. Definitions.
Section 59-18-300. Adoption of educational standards in core academic areas.
Section 59-18-325. College entrance and career readiness assessments; summative assessments.
Section 59-18-355. Content standards revisions; required approval.
Section 59-18-360. Dissemination of assessment results.
Section 59-18-700. Alignment of criteria for instructional materials with educational standards.
Section 59-18-710. Recommendations regarding state's accreditation system.
Section 59-18-930. Publication of report cards; issuance date; advertising results.
Section 59-18-1100. Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards Program established; criteria.
Section 59-18-1130. Use of funds appropriated for professional development.
Section 59-18-1300. District accountability system; support, development, and review.
Section 59-18-1500 to 59-18-1610. Repealed.
Section 59-18-1615. Definitions.
Section 59-18-1630. Schools receiving overall unsatisfactory rating.
Section 59-18-1635. State-of-education emergency declarations for schools.
Section 59-18-1640. State-of-education emergency declarations for districts.
Section 59-18-1700. Public information campaign; development and approval; funding.
Section 59-18-1910. Homework centers.
Section 59-18-1940. Pilot district accountability models.