The bill H. 3862 seeks to amend Section 59-40-50 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which pertains to charter school admissions preferences. The proposed changes include revising the criteria for admissions preferences and introducing provisions for students with multiple enrollment preferences. Notably, the bill stipulates that charter schools must give preference to students who were enrolled in the previous year and allows for priority enrollment for siblings of currently enrolled students, children of charter school employees, and dependents of active-duty military members, with specific limits on the percentage of total enrollment for these categories.

Additionally, the bill allows charter schools designated as Alternative Education Campuses to give mission-aligned preference to educationally disadvantaged students as defined in their charter. It also provides that charter schools located on federal military installations may prioritize enrollment for dependents of military personnel living on the base, with a cap of fifty percent of total enrollment for this group. The bill emphasizes that students eligible for multiple preferences can only be enrolled based on one preference at the school's discretion, and those denied a preference must be allowed to participate in the enrollment lottery. The act will take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Statutes affected:
01/30/2025: 59-40-50
02/06/2025: 59-40-50
02/13/2025: 59-40-50
03/26/2025: 59-40-50
04/29/2025: 59-40-50
Latest Version: 59-40-50