The 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 "sponsor" to "authorizer" in Section 59-40-40, clarifying the role of entities that grant charters. The bill mandates that charter schools post their annual audits on their websites and notify their authorizers of any education management contracts. It also requires authorizers to adopt policies for good governance and accountability, expands the charter application process to include proposed contracts, and establishes a timeframe for public hearings on charter applications. Additionally, it allows the Governor to remove members of an authorizer or governing board under specific circumstances and enables charter schools to terminate contracts with authorizers under certain conditions.

Further amendments enhance the responsibilities of authorizers, including the approval of charter applications, monitoring performance, and conducting oversight activities. The bill outlines the process for addressing performance issues, including corrective action plans and potential charter revocation. It requires detailed descriptions of governance and financial soundness in charter applications and clarifies the process for sponsorship applications, including public hearing timelines. The bill also establishes grounds for the removal of governing board members for misconduct and allows charter schools to appeal transfer decisions to the Administrative Law Court. Overall, these changes aim to improve transparency, accountability, and operational standards within South Carolina's charter school system.

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