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Board reviews state-driven policy updates: live-streaming requirement, CTSO excused absences and transfer rule changes
Summary
Staff presented recommended policy updates prompted by new state law that will require livestreaming of FOIA-covered meetings beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and proposed changes to excused absences for CTSO activities and interdistrict transfer athletic eligibility tied to an amended state code section.
District staff briefed the Kershaw County School Board on a set of recommended policy updates from the South Carolina School Boards Association (SCSBA) and state statutory changes that will affect district rules and practices.
Live-streaming: Becky, a district policy staffer, told the board about a newly passed law cited in the meeting as “59 19 85.” She said the district is “advising policy BE and proposing a new policy BEA” to implement the law and that “Effective 01/01/2026, all local school boards and charter school boards are required to make reasonable efforts to ensure that all meetings subject to FOIA are open to the public and live streamed.” Becky said the requirement will expand the district’s live-streaming to include finance and facilities meetings that are currently noticed under FOIA as a committee of the whole; the district said it is collecting equipment quotes and will submit the revised live-stream policy to the State Superintendent of Education within 30 days as required by the law.
Career and technical student organizations: Ray Farris (policy presenter) outlined a proposed new policy, JHE, to allow excused absences for students participating in qualifying Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) experiences. Under the change described in the presentation, districts must allow students to be excused “up to 10 days per academic year” for CTSO-related activities supervised by a certified teacher. Docents mentioned specific examples recognized by the law such as state-level Future Farmers of America and National FFA events and 4‑H programs; the policy language would also allow similar experiences that meet the same criteria. A revision to the district’s existing student-absence policy (JH and JH‑R) was presented to reflect the new CTSO provision.
Transfers and athletics: The board was told that changes to transfer eligibility come from an amendment to section 59‑8‑170 of the South Carolina Code. The presenter said the amendment prevents the South Carolina High School League from prohibiting a student transferring from one public high school to another (grades 9–11) or from one middle school to another (grades 6–8) from participating in interscholastic sports for the initial transfer; subsequent transfers would be subject to SCHSL eligibility rules. Staff said they revised only the athletic section of policy JFABC now and will amend other sections once the State Department of Education issues regulatory guidance.
Exchange student organization approval (action): The board approved a request from an organization identified in the packet as International Experience (IE) to be listed as an approved foreign-exchange student organization under policy JFABB. The presenter said IE holds full listing from the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET), is a nonprofit J‑1 visa program, and requires medical coverage and host-family screening. A motion to approve the organization passed unanimously.
Next steps: Staff said they will continue to refine policy language, gather equipment quotes for expanded livestreaming, and amend transfer-policy sections after state guidance arrives.
