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 the term "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, 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.

Further amendments include allowing the Governor to remove members of an authorizer or governing board under specific circumstances and enabling charter schools to terminate contracts with authorizers under certain conditions. The bill emphasizes the Department of Education's role in reviewing authorizers' compliance annually and mandates that charter school applications include detailed descriptions of governance and financial soundness. It also outlines the process for charter schools to request transfers to new authorizers and specifies conditions under which transfer requests may be denied. Overall, these changes aim to improve operational standards and oversight of charter schools in South Carolina, ensuring adherence to established educational standards and practices.

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