A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-63-105 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING WITH THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL MAKE ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTING AND CERTAIN OTHER TESTING AVAILABLE TO HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS RESIDING IN THE DISTRICT IF THE TESTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS ATTENDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICTS, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED DUTIES OF SCHOOL BOARDS AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Article 1, Chapter 63, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 59-63-105.    (A)    Beginning with the 2022-2023 School Year, each public school district shall make the following tests available to students receiving home instruction pursuant to Section 59-63-100 if the test is made available to students attending public schools in the district:

        (1)    Advanced Placement testing;

        (2)    Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying test;

        (3)    Pre-ACT test; and

        (4)    College and career readiness assessments and summative assessments as administered pursuant to Section 59-18-325.

    (B)    Public school districts also shall:

        (1)    adopt written policies that specify the date by which these students shall register to participate in testing provided in subsection (A); and

        (2)    notify parents of students receiving home instruction within their school districts of the registration deadlines in item (1) and the availability of financial assistance to low-income and needy students to make the examinations publicly and easily accessible to students receiving home instruction who may qualify to take these exams and assessments.

    (C)    Public school districts shall charge students receiving home instruction the same fees, if any, charged to public school students for the same service.

    (D)    The South Carolina Department of Education shall create a Homeschool Identification Code to be used for testing provided in subsection (A) for use in differentiating students receiving home instruction from the public school students."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.