2022 turned out to be a dynamic year for charter schools, as many state lawmakers recognized the fact parents want more schooling options that fit their children's unique needs. In total, close to 50% of states with charter school laws gained at least one legislative win. Read for more details on how the charter school movement strengthened in the…

School disturbance laws, unfair disciplinary policies, and law enforcement officers' presence on public school grounds perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline throughout the United States. The problem is South Carolina's Disturbing Schools Law could be perpetuating a version of the school-to-prison pipeline. The purpose of the study was to…

Many arguments support mandating American National Government for undergraduates. South Carolina is one of the few states with such a legal mandate, but the law is badly flawed. We briefly review the history of a failed 1994 effort by the SC Political Science Association to improve the law and encourage implementation. We examine the impact of an…

Which states have laws that require schools to serve expelled students? This paper provides answers to this question.

This manual was written to help guide education stakeholders--including parents, students, school board members, community activists, administrators, policymakers and attorneys--in their efforts to promote racial diversity and avoid racial isolation in suburban school systems. Critical information on the current legal, political and policy issues…

Prior to the United States Supreme Court's decision in "Brown v. Board of Education" (1954), educational finance litigation focused almost entirely on the equitable distribution of state educational financing, ending preferential disbursement of state funds. This ended in 1973, with the United States Supreme Court's decision in "San…

Among 290 South Carolina principals and teachers, 80 percent or more answered correctly to questions on legal decisions about racial segregation, school newspapers, rights of handicapped and non-English-speaking students, student suspensions, tracking, and exit examinations; 12-22 percent answered "no idea" to questions about corporal…

Describes developments in the state of South Carolina regarding school assessment and accountability. Outlines the mandates of South Carolina's Accountability Act of 1998 which focuses directly on "school accountability." (SR)

To search or not to search is a perplexing issue facing school leaders. On one hand, school officials are responsible for providing a safe and orderly learning environment for all students. On the other hand, they must recognize and respect students' personal rights. Achieving this delicate balance often is difficult for school officials. This…

Policies and procedures for disciplining students should be designed to teach them responsibility, rather than simply punish them. Providing educational opportunities to behavioral deviants is a problem that does not have a simple solution. However, alternatives to suspension or expulsion must be attempted before these disciplinary actions are…

In the course of developing and passing the South Carolina Education Improvement Act of 1984, those behind the legislative effort observed that several factors affect successful educational reform. First, reform must be comprehensive. The 1984 act has provisions relating to academic standards, basic skills, instructional improvement,…

Enactment of South Carolina's Education Improvement Act of 1984 taught several lessons about successful education reform. The law provides for raising student performance by increasing academic standards; strengthening the teaching and testing of basic skills; elevating the teaching profession; improving leadership, management, and fiscal…

This paper includes a discussion of South Carolina's 1988 amendment to the law regulating home schooling instruction. A brief history of the law and the amendment is provided. Prior to the passage of the amendment, the State Board of Education approved home instruction programs. The amendment specifies: (1) procedures for application; (2)…

Reviews precedents, at the state level, to the movement for education reform. Reports, by year and state, on first reactions to reform. Outlines topics touched by state reform efforts, summarizes unifying themes, and predicts the future of reform. Includes a table of states requiring testing for initial certification of teachers. (IW)