Signed by Governor Henry McMaster

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes school districts to incorporate multiple schools in one district to emphasize "school choice."

Highlights:

• Authorizes local districts to create one or more schools of innovation within their district which will be exempt from state statutes and regulations that otherwise apply (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that these certain schools will be exempted from said statutes and regulations so long as the following circumstances are met (Sec. 1):

• The school district in which the one or more schools of innovation lie do not designate all schools within this district to be schools of innovation;

• Each school district must submit a detailed report to the school board stating from which state statutes and regulations they are requesting exemption and what educational purpose said exemption will serve; and

• The superintendent of each school district shall submit said request for exemption to the local board of trustees requiring a vote of two-thirds for passage upon which this request will be forwarded to the State Board of Education where the same two-thirds vote is required for passage.

• Establishes the date this Act will take effect as the date of gubernatorial signage (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text