[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6310698,"mediaKeyId","2398915-786c169840d5c3a42020f895a22fb81e","parentId",2398915,"title","Senate Education Committee advances five education measures; debates sign-language interpreter standards","audioSeconds",1085,"startMs",1592044,"endMs",2677220,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2398915-786c169840d5c3a42020f895a22fb81e&start=1592&end=2677","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2398915-786c169840d5c3a42020f895a22fb81e/thumbnail_1592044.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6310698/South-Carolina/Senate-Education-Committee-advances-five-education-measures-debates-sign-language-interpreter-standards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310698-9bc54b13134d06b0e06ed005ab93471b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771026066&Signature=Z~ge0rJSnvJSQjSyu1wx8lF-m681J5hiq2AoyCNyjXnQ4AyOVhIQ4VbX9eV3QG9fIABoWeWcdBw9qzR7x6wWmr~4n3b1xTE5sh18yaZ~QNtGOLZRpGN4cuYS89EXY4Ki8kuOb02UrOjgqEte44VY~yvHRqPwNOtpVK-QFq3f8vTpKtnLpumciDAidRt90CAJjMOpxRHSBg61HPmEsd9Wk1rZOPFZgrUvXnKHrG5~eJwqwfhPKY86aBDE3NI~V3mrO1NTKPoKRfUeXA3XJBtARrgcWPK29WMDDaguwiHgT5ByMj4mVa~eiscw17sQSVwEcMIDEmXMCEarTl1rK79wrA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Education Committee ","date","2025-02-26T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Education Committee on Oct. 12 approved a package of education measures and forwarded them to the full Senate while discussing concerns about a separate regulation on sign-language interpreter qualifications.

The committee approved S 79, a bill that would create a five‑year pilot allowing eligible schools to hire non‑certified teachers for up to 10% of their teaching staff. Donna Barton, the committee research director, summarized the proposal: \"This is a bill to establish a 5 year pilot program that will permit a school within certain overall ratings or is located in a critical geographic area to hire non certified teachers in a ratio of up to 10% of its entire teaching staff.\" The bill requires non‑certified hires to hold at least a bachelor's or graduate degree in the subject area and at least five years of workplace experience; hires must enroll in a certification program within three years. The committee adopted subcommittee amendments clarifying background-check language and adding due-process protections for dismissed non‑certified teachers, and it approved an amendment extending eligibility to any willing school regardless of rating. The committee voted to forward S 79 with amendments to the full Senate; staff were authorized to make conforming changes before the bill goes to the floor.

The committee also considered H 3247, which would require school districts to adopt policies allowing excused absences for students participating in career and technical student organization activities; the committee adopted an amendment limiting such excused absences to no more than 10 school days per school year and forwarded the bill with a favorable report.

Regulatory updates were advanced to the full Senate as well. The committee confirmed proposed amendments to certification requirements for school administrators and certain instructional-service fields (document 53‑18), updates to the LIFE Scholarship regulation to reflect Act 156 of 2024 (document 53‑21), companion amendments to the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship regulation (document 53‑22), and a housekeeping update to assessment-program regulation language to replace older references to No Child Left Behind with the Every Student Succeeds Act (document 53‑59). All four regulations received favorable reports from the committee and will be forwarded to the full Senate.

Committee members spent additional time on a separate proposed regulation to set statewide qualification standards for sign‑language interpreters serving in schools. Committee discussion, led by the subcommittee chair and others, noted there are fewer than 100 interpreters statewide and that implementing national testing criteria could remove roughly 25% (and possibly up to 50% under stricter timelines) of current interpreters from the workforce. Members highlighted a tradeoff: higher interpreter standards would increase the quality of classroom interpretation — \"these children are not getting all the instruction that they need because the interpreters aren't translating all of it,\" one senator said — but would also risk leaving some students without any interpreter coverage in the short term. The committee did not approve that regulation and discussed a stakeholder process; Representative Bradley (House) has requested a stakeholder meeting and a withdrawal/resubmission approach so the department can refine the proposal and address timelines and training capacity.

Next steps: S 79, H 3247 and the four regulations will be reported to the full Senate for consideration. The sign‑language interpreter regulation remains under review; committee members asked the Department of Education and stakeholders to revisit testing timelines, local training capacity (including the state School for the Deaf and Blind and Clemson resources) and potential pay‑scale changes tied to certification.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Education Committee -- Senate Education Full Committee - 02/26/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The committee adopted a five-year pilot allowing non‑certified teachers in eligible schools, approved an excused‑absence policy for career and technical student organizations, forwarded several regulatory updates, and discussed proposed standards for sign-language interpreters that could reduce the statewide pool of interpreters.","taxTitle","Education, Standing, Senate, Committees, Legislative, South Carolina","taxId",17501,"location","South Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6310703,"Senate Education Committee forwards five board nominees to full Senate",1564,24785,1589005,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2398915-786c169840d5c3a42020f895a22fb81e&start=24&end=1589","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2398915-786c169840d5c3a42020f895a22fb81e/thumbnail_24785.jpg","/articles/6310703/South-Carolina/Senate-Education-Committee-forwards-five-board-nominees-to-full-Senate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310703-cda5377ac67e07083aaf510e7ca43326/orig.mp4?Expires=1771026066&Signature=kDlAjJwHDLYdPAo1kZ-udRe1Fv11W-BveNm6ST1x0gzhaQF54UwT1wmlrRyHkqdVp0f9GoeEdjDJs8loBXoR1rTc1mgV3OA5onZwsTg3xq-Sony05hjRpx38E7TrZ7nMn2uM~sJbZpCMYMzWXSQOyw3899QEHnDCkBuFIRlf-0N4jIpj8GuRcQVfEVcxsqBJsbo3CCREZQurbIm1cf6NIBnidK22dGqBEARrPfCVMJBuaHYvvTXjTYar89sScg8tJm5zg7CoSJ~r71JpkrF7HpEtb3XEkEBkWxXLdJu5BQ1f6DB60RtsUsiR4L3Q-h1bW7OHu8Is5jwDLPcCL2r4Iw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee on Oct. 12 voted to forward five gubernatorial appointees to the full Senate, giving each a favorable report after brief questioning and completion of required forms.

The nominees were Craig Plank for the South Carolina Charter School District Public Charter School District, Dr. Brian Cuddy and Charles Schultz for the Commission on Higher Education, Russell Parks for the Arts Commission, and Heidi Carey for the Arts Commission. Each nominee was sworn in, answered committee screening questions about conflicts and background checks, and had their personal data questionnaire and statement of economic interest reviewed.

Committee members asked routine questions about residency, professional background and potential conflicts. Plank said he is a long-time Richland County resident and owner of a State Farm agency; Cuddy described his background as a neurosurgeon and former academic physician; Schultz noted long experience in higher education governance and health care boards; Parks discussed his background in health-care architecture and arts ministry; and Carey described an extensive career as a musician and practicing attorney who performs regularly with the South Carolina Philharmonic.

Each nominee received a motion for a favorable report and an affirmative voice vote. Motions and seconds were recorded in committee minutes as follows: Craig Plank (favorable report — approved), Brian Cuddy (favorable report — approved; motion by Senator from Horry, second by Senator from Greenville), Charles Schultz (favorable report — approved; motion by Senator from Greenville, second by Senator from Berkeley), Russell Parks (favorable report — approved; motion by Senator from Pickens, second by Senator from Greenville), and Heidi Carey (favorable report — approved).

Votes at a glance:
- Craig Plank — Favorable report to full Senate; outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Brian Cuddy — Favorable report to full Senate; outcome: approved (voice vote). Motion: Senator from Horry; Second: Senator from Greenville.
- Charles Schultz — Favorable report to full Senate; outcome: approved (voice vote). Motion: Senator from Greenville; Second: Senator from Berkeley.
- Russell Parks — Favorable report to full Senate; outcome: approved (voice vote). Motion: Senator from Pickens; Second: Senator from Greenville.
- Heidi Carey — Favorable report to full Senate; outcome: approved (voice vote).

All five nominees will be reported out of committee to the full Senate for confirmation or further consideration. The committee did not record any recusals or contested roll-call votes during these appointments.

The committee proceeding included routine disclosures: several nominees confirmed that neither they nor immediate family members contract with or receive funds from the state or federal governments, and each answered standard questions about prior arrests, bankruptcies and ethics citations.","The Senate Education Committee voted to forward five gubernatorial appointees — to the Charter School District, Commission on Higher Education and Arts Commission — to the full Senate with favorable reports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate Education Committee advances five education measures; debates sign-language interpreter standards

Senate Education Committee forwards five board nominees to full Senate