The bill H. 4068 aims to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 59-63-285, which establishes guidelines for the suspension of students in publicly funded preschools. It defines key terms such as "challenging behavior" and "publicly funded preschool," and stipulates that students enrolled in 3K or 4K programs cannot receive out-of-school suspensions unless there is a serious safety threat that has not been mitigated despite the use of available interventions. Additionally, in-school suspensions are only permissible after exhausting all interventions, and any removal from the classroom must be brief and aimed at returning the child to participation as soon as possible.

The bill also mandates that schools must make efforts to maintain student enrollment before resorting to suspensions or expulsions, including implementing various support strategies and revising student codes of conduct to reflect age-appropriate expectations. Furthermore, it requires the State Department of Education to provide professional development for educators on managing challenging behaviors and to collect data on suspensions and expulsions in publicly funded preschools. This data will be reported annually to relevant legislative committees, ensuring transparency and accountability in the handling of preschool student behavior.

Statutes affected:
02/20/2025: 59-63-285
Latest Version: 59-63-285