SOUTH CAROLINA REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS OFFICE
S
TATEMENT OF ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT
WWW.RFA.SC.GOV • (803)734-3793
This fiscal impact statement is produced in compliance with the South Carolina Code of Laws and House and Senate rules. The focus of
the analysis is on governmental expenditure and revenue impacts and may not provide a comprehensive summary of the legislation.
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H. 3196
Fiscal Impact Summary
This bill enacts the Educator Assistance Act. The bill authorizes the S.C. Department of
Education (SCDE), in collaboration with the Education Oversight Committee (EOC), to use data
already being collected under current procedures to report on postsecondary matters concerning
graduates of state public schools. The bill also requires local school districts and charter schools
to adopt a policy allowing school employees to contribute unused sick or annual leave to a sick
leave bank that is made available to all district or charter school employees. Additionally, the bill
amends certain requirements related to the annual notification of teacher employment and
assignments.
The bill specifies that four days of a district’s school term must be used for professional
development, and at least two days must be designated as staff workdays to prepare for the
opening of schools. The bill also revises the penalty for breach of contract resulting from the
unauthorized execution of an employment contract with another district, as well as the period for
educator certificate suspension due to breach of contract and makes such suspensions
discretionary.
Further, the bill provides that a teacher employed under a continuing contract must complete
annual collegial professional development, and the employing district must award credits toward
renewal of a professional teaching certificate for a teacher who successfully completes the
required professional development activities. The bill also amends requirements for retired
educator teaching certificates. Lastly, the bill repeals certain reporting requirements for high
schools, state Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs), and the State Superintendent of Education.
The expenditure impact of this bill on SCDE is currently undetermined. The department
anticipates that this bill will likely increase expenses. SCDE further anticipates that the bill may
increase the number of breach of contract cases reported to the department, potentially requiring
additional hearings and resources. However, SCDE reports that it will not be able to determine
the overall expenditure impact of the bill until after it has been implemented.
This bill is not expected to have an expenditure impact on the state agency schools. The
Governor’s School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, the Governor’s School for the Arts and
Humanities, and the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics indicate that the bill will
Bill Number: H. 3196 Amended by House Education and Public Works on February
6, 2025
Subject: Educator Assistance Act
Requestor: House Education and Public Works
RFA Anal
yst(s): Bryant
Impact Date: February 10, 2025
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H. 3196
have no expenditure impact since any expenses can be managed with existing appropriations.
Based upon these responses, the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA) anticipates that the
bill will have no expenditure impact on the School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Wil Lou
Gray Opportunity School.
This bill will have no expenditure impact on the EOC, as the bill requires the committee to
perform activities that will be conducted in the normal course of agency business.
This bill is not expected to have an expenditure impact on IHLs. Based on a response from the
College of Charleston, as well as previous responses from Coastal Carolina University and the
University of South Carolina on similar legislation, RFA anticipates that repealing the reporting
requirement will result in no expenditure savings for IHLs.
The overall expenditure impact of this bill on the local school districts is undetermined. SCDE
previously surveyed the seventy-two regular school districts and three charter school districts
regarding similar legislation and received responses from sixteen districts. Fourteen of the
responding districts indicate that the bill will have no expenditure impact. Two districts indicate
that the bill may increase expenses but report that the cost is currently undetermined.
Explanation of Fiscal Impact
Amended by House Education and Public Works on February 6, 2025
State Expenditure
This bill enacts the Educator Assistance Act. The bill authorizes SCDE, in collaboration with the
EOC, to use data already being collected under current procedures to report on the in-state and
out-of-state college enrollment, college persistence, and postsecondary completion of the state’s
high school graduates. SCDE must work to streamline data collection timelines and processes to
reduce the burden and increase the efficiency of such data collection and reporting. The bill also
requires local school districts and charter schools to adopt a policy allowing all certified and
noncertified school employees to contribute unused sick or annual leave in excess of sixty days
to a sick leave bank that is made available to all district or charter school employees.
The bill amends certain requirements related to the annual notification of teacher employment
and assignments. A written notification of reemployment must include a projected minimum
salary schedule for the district for the coming school year, as well as an agreement to provide a
final salary schedule as soon as practicable. The bill also requires the superintendent, principal,
or supervisor to notify a teacher of their tentative assignment for the ensuing school year no later
than fourteen calendar days before students are scheduled to return to school at the start of the
school year. Once assigned to a school, the teacher may not be reassigned to work at another
location in the district unless the superintendent can demonstrate the need for reassignment. A
reassignment must be approved by a majority vote of the board of trustees, and the teacher must
be given written notice at least five school days prior to the reassignment.
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H. 3196
Additionally, the bill specifies that four days, instead of three days, of each local school district’s
annual school calendar must be used for professional development, and at least two days must be
designated as staff workdays for the preparation of the opening of schools. The bill also revises
the penalty for breach of contract resulting from the unauthorized execution of an employment
contract with another district, as well as the period for educator certificate suspension due to
breach of contract and makes the suspension or revocation of a teacher’s certificate discretionary.
Further, the bill provides that a teacher employed under a continuing contract must complete
annual collegial professional development, and the employing district must award credits toward
renewal of a professional teaching certificate for a teacher who successfully completes the
required professional development activities. Additionally, the bill amends certain requirements
for retired educator teaching certificates. The bill provides that a retired educator certificate is a
lifetime certificate that allows a retired South Carolina educator to be eligible to maintain
certification for the purpose of returning to employment with a school district on a temporary or
full-time basis. Once issued, a retired certificate may be maintained upon written request from a
retired educator in good standing to the Department at the end of a five-year period. Lastly, the
bill repeals certain reporting requirements for high schools, IHLs, and the State Superintendent
of Education. State high schools are no longer required to submit to the State Superintendent of
Education a report detailing the number of high school graduates that entered the freshman class
of an IHL, either in or out of the state, or a breakdown showing all courses passed and failed by
those students. IHLs are no longer required to submit such information to the state high schools,
and the State Superintendent of Education is no longer required to tabulate such reports and
include them in the annual report to the General Assembly.
S.C. Department of Education. The expenditure impact of this bill on SCDE is currently
undetermined. The department anticipates that this bill will likely increase expenses. SCDE
further anticipates that the bill may increase the number of breach of contract cases reported to
the department, potentially requiring additional hearings and resources. However, SCDE reports
that it will not be able to determine the overall expenditure impact of the bill until after it has
been implemented.
State Agency Schools. The Governor’s School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, the
Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, and the Governor’s School for Science and
Mathematics indicate that the bill will have no expenditure impact since any expenses can be
managed with existing appropriations. Based upon these responses, RFA anticipates that the bill
will have no expenditure impact on the School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Wil Lou Gray
Opportunity School.
Education Oversight Committee. This bill requires the EOC, in collaboration with SCDE, to
use data already being collected to report on the in-state and out-of-state college enrollment,
college persistence, and postsecondary completion of the state’s high school graduates. This bill
will have no expenditure impact on the EOC, as the bill requires the department to perform
activities that will be conducted in the normal course of agency business.
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H. 3196
State Institutions of Higher Learning. This bill repeals the requirement that every IHL must
submit to the state high school from which each freshman graduated a report on the first semester
accomplishments of each freshman. Based on a response from the College of Charleston, as well
as previous responses from Coastal Carolina University and the University of South Carolina on
similar legislation, RFA anticipates that repealing this reporting requirement will result in no
expenditure savings for IHLs.
State Revenue
N/A
Local Expenditure
This bill enacts the Educator Assistance Act. The bill requires local school districts and charter
schools to adopt a policy allowing all certified and noncertified school employees to contribute
unused sick or annual leave in excess of sixty days to a sick leave bank that is made available to
all district or charter school employees.
The bill amends certain requirements related to the annual notification of teacher employment
and assignments. A written notification of reemployment must include a projected minimum
salary schedule for the district for the coming school year, as well as an agreement to provide a
final salary schedule as soon as practicable. The bill also requires the superintendent, principal,
or supervisor to notify a teacher of their tentative assignment for the ensuing school year no later
than fourteen calendar days before students are scheduled to return to school at the start of the
school year. Once assigned to a school, the teacher may not be reassigned to work at another
location in the district unless the superintendent can demonstrate the need for reassignment. A
reassignment must be approved by a majority vote of the board of trustees, and the teacher must
be given written notice at least five school days prior to the reassignment.
Additionally, the bill specifies that four days, instead of three days, of each local school district’s
annual school calendar must be used for professional development, and at least two days must be
designated as staff workdays for the preparation of the opening of schools. Districts must verify
completion of the required professional development when reporting the number of days worked
by each certified employee. The bill also revises the penalty for breach of contract resulting from
the unauthorized execution of an employment contract with another district, as well as the period
for educator certificate suspension due to breach of contract. The bill also makes the suspension
or revocation of a teacher’s certificate discretionary.
Further, the bill provides that a teacher employed under a continuing contract must complete
annual collegial professional development, and the employing district must award credits toward
renewal of a professional teaching certificate for a teacher who successfully completes the
required professional development activities. Additionally, the bill amends certain requirements
for retired educator teaching certificates. Lastly, the bill repeals certain reporting requirements
for high schools, so that state high schools are no longer required to submit to the State
Superintendent of Education a report detailing the number of high school graduates that entered
the freshman class of an IHL, either in or out of the state, or a breakdown showing all courses
passed and failed by those students.
__________________________________
Frank A. Rainwater, Executive Director
DISCLAIMER: THIS FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT REPRESENTS THE OPINION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE
AGENCY OFFICIAL WHO APPROVED AND SIGNED THIS DOCUMENT. IT IS PROVIDED AS INFORMATION TO
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED AS AN EXPRESSION OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
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H. 3196
The overall expenditure impact of this bill on the local school districts is undetermined. SCDE
previously surveyed the seventy-two regular school districts and three charter school districts
regarding similar legislation and received responses from sixteen districts. Fourteen of the
responding districts indicate that the bill will have no expenditure impact. Two districts indicate
that the bill may increase expenses but report that the cost is currently undetermined.
Local Revenue
N/A