Bill S. 454 seeks to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws concerning charter schools, with a primary focus on enhancing accountability and governance. A significant change includes redefining the term "sponsor" to "authorizer" in Section 59-40-40, clarifying the role of entities that grant charters to schools. The bill mandates that charter schools post their annual audits on their websites and notify their authorizers of any education management contracts, as specified in Section 59-40-50. Additionally, it requires authorizers to adopt policies that ensure good governance and accountability, expands the charter application process to include proposed contracts, and establishes a timeframe for public hearings on charter applications.

The bill also outlines the responsibilities of authorizers, including the approval and monitoring of charter applications, negotiation of charter contracts, and collection of annual performance reports. Authorizers must notify schools of any performance issues and provide remediation opportunities, while also having the authority to develop corrective action plans or impose sanctions. Furthermore, it clarifies the process for charter school applications, conditions for contract termination, and procedures for transferring charters to new authorizers. The Department of Education is tasked with reviewing authorizers' compliance annually and providing public information on charter school operations. Overall, these amendments aim to improve the operational standards and oversight of charter schools in South Carolina.

Statutes affected:
03/13/2025: 59-40-40, 59-40-50, 59-40-55, 59-40-60, 59-40-70, 59-40-75, 59-40-90, 59-40-115, 59-40-150, 59-40-180
03/19/2025: 59-40-40, 59-40-50, 59-40-55, 59-40-60, 59-40-70, 59-40-75, 59-40-90, 59-40-115, 59-40-150, 59-40-180
04/09/2025: 59-40-40, 59-40-50, 59-40-55, 59-40-60, 59-40-70, 59-40-75, 59-40-90, 59-40-115, 59-40-150, 59-40-180
04/10/2025: 59-40-40, 59-40-50, 59-40-55, 59-40-60, 59-40-70, 59-40-75, 59-40-90, 59-40-115, 59-40-150, 59-40-180
05/01/2025: 59-40-40, 59-40-50, 59-40-55, 59-40-60, 59-40-70, 59-40-75, 59-40-90, 59-40-115, 59-40-150, 59-40-180
Latest Version: 59-40-40, 59-40-50, 59-40-55, 59-40-60, 59-40-70, 59-40-75, 59-40-90, 59-40-115, 59-40-150, 59-40-180