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SC School Boards Association director briefs Richland 2 trustees on budget, DEI proviso and voucher proposals
Summary
Scott Price, executive director of the South Carolina School Boards Association, updated the board on the state budget process, proposals for teacher pay, a House proviso restricting DEI spending, competing voucher proposals, bills to require streaming of board meetings and proposed limits on special-election dates.
Scott Price, executive director of the South Carolina School Boards Association, briefed Richland School District 2 trustees on legislative activity at the State House, including the House and Senate budget timelines and several education bills under consideration.
Price said the House Ways and Means Committee released a $14.6 billion budget with about $660 million in new recurring revenue; $112 million of that is slated for state aid for classrooms. "One key element of the budget proposal is a $1,500 across-the-board pay raise for teachers in the '25-'26 fiscal year," Price said, and he noted the House figure falls short of a $200 million figure urged by the governor and state superintendent to push starting teacher pay toward $50,000.
He also flagged a House budget proviso — labeled 117.DE — that would prohibit state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across state agencies, schools and higher-education institutions unless required by law. The proviso would bar DEI offices, DEI hiring preferences and mandatory training, while excluding academic research, student organizations and constitutionally protected speech.
Price summarized competing K-12 scholarship/voucher proposals. He said the Senate version (Senate Bill 62) uses lottery funding to support scholarships; the House amended the measure to create a trust at the Department of Education and a trust-appointed trustee — an approach that both chambers say would address constitutional concerns but differ on funding mechanics.
Other bills Price highlighted included a proposal that would require school boards to livestream public meetings (Senate Bill 277) and a bill that would confine special-election and referendum dates to a set list of calendar dates. Price also invited trustees to the SC School Boards Association’s Day at the Capitol on April 9.
Ending: Price told trustees the association will continue to send weekly legislative updates and offered to assist trustees with advocacy and contact with legislators.
