Education
Giving School Districts More Discretion in Paying Teachers
H 3716: Among other things, this bill seeks to amend the “index of taxpaying ability,” the complicated mechanism of allocating state funds to local school districts. An alternative explored in our report Unleashing Capitalism would involve eliminating the index altogether in favor of weighted student funding. Currently, South Carolina allocates only a portion of its education dollars on a weighted basis; this bill refines and updates the categories. The bill also gives local districts more authority in determining teacher compensation. Instead of requiring districts to automatically increase teacher pay on an annual basis, H 3716 would leave this decision up to the districts. The bill also establishes a committee to develop an incentive pay structure. Again, though, it seems individual districts are better equipped to look at this issue on their own. Moreover, the committee only includes teacher representatives. Other stakeholders, such as taxpayers and parents, should also be represented.
Expanding Weighted Student Funding
S 433: This bill would add, refine or expand several important categories of weighted student funding: funding for gifted and talented students; impoverished students; students with limited English proficiency; students enrolled in virtual charter schools; and students enrolled in brick-and-mortar charter schools. As we discuss in our report Unleashing Capitalism, weighted student funding would enable schools to provide educational offerings tailored to specific student needs. Unfortunately, this bill doesn’t go far enough, maintaining the state’s “index of taxpaying ability” rather than sending funding directly to schools. The bill would also give school districts the option of implementing an incentive compensation system regulated by the Board of Education.
Allowing School Districts to use Debt to Cover General Operating Expenses
These bills allow school districts to use bond debt to cover annual operating deficits. Using general obligation bonds to support day-to-day operations is a notoriously unwise budgetary practice – the equivalent of remortgaging a home to keep up with daily living expenses. The likely result will be an eventual property tax increase.
As reported by SCPC’s online investigative news journal, The Nerve, the governor vetoed S 785 (Florence County district 4); S 877 (Hampton County district 2); and H 4149 (Colleton County district 4). The Florence County veto was sustained and is not law; the other two vetoes will be taken up next session. Two other measures, S 884 (Jasper County) and H 4094 (Charleston County), have passed in one chamber, but not the other. Passage for both proposals is virtually assured, owing to a quirk in the law that allows local delegations to pass local legislation without a full vote from the General Assembly.
Banning School Districts From Issuing Bonds
S. 1010: This bill bans school districts from issuing general obligation bonds to cover operating expenses – a practice one lawmaker (quoted at The Nerve) aptly likens to “paying off a credit card with a credit card.”
Micromanaging School Curriculum
4671: This bill would require local school districts to incorporate lessons on America’s “Founding Principles” into their high school curriculum. The bill goes so far as to specify 10 different concepts that must be taught, and outlines specifically what ought to be tested. Micromanaging the state curriculum from Columbia is just one way that the state forces a “one-size-fits-all” model of education on our state’s students. Since every child is unique, we should be giving families options on how their child should be educated, not forcing a single model on all children.
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