Yesterday
morning the Senate Education and Health committee held their first meeting of
the session where they considered legislation. Much of the agenda focused on
health legislation but there were a few education-related bills as well as a
presentation from Dr. Stewart Roberson, Chair of the SOL Innovation Committee. Additionally,
Senator Steve Newman, chair of the committee, announced the members of the
Senate Public Education subcommittee. Senator Bill Carrico will serve as the
chair the subcommittee along with Senators Janet Howell, Mamie Locke, Tom
Garrett and Siobhan Dunnavant. Below
is a report on the bills and actions of the full committee.
SB17 (Stanley) establishes the STEM Education Fund to be
administered by the Board of Education for the purposes of providing grants for
science, technology, engineering and mathematics education programs in qualified
schools. Beginning in 2017, a STEM organization that provides funds to a
qualified school (a public elementary and secondary schools at which at least
40 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch) for use in STEM
programs may apply for a grant, up to 50,000 for organization per year, from
the Fund. This bill was reported and referred to the Finance committee.
SB211 (Miller) requires at least 20 minutes of physical
activity per day or an average of 100 minutes per week during the regular
school year for students in grades kindergarten through five beginning with the
2018-2019 school year. The current requirement for a program of physical
activity available to all students in grades six through twelve with a goal of
at least 150 minutes per week remains unchanged. This bill was reported from
the committee on a 10-4 vote.
SB246 (Stanley) establishes a grant program, beginning in
2017, to establish STEM competition teams at qualified schools. The bill
defines a qualified school as a public secondary school where at least 40
percent of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Grants are capped at
$10,000 per school per year. This bill was reported and referred to the Finance
committee.
SB250 (Black) allows local school boards to enter into
agreements with nonpublic schools to provide student transportation to and from
school field trips. Current law authorizes such agreements for transportation
to and from school. This bill incorporates SB275 and was unanimously reported
from the committee.
SB360 (Howell) requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction to develop and implement a system to track teacher turnover and to
annually report the findings to the Governor and General Assembly. The bill was
unanimously reported from the committee.
