Committee advances Educator Assistance Act to reduce recertification burden, standardize pre‑school-year notice

The House Education and Public Works full committee reported the Educator Assistance Act (bill 3196) favorably as amended after adopting an amendment developed with educators, administrators and the State Department of Education.

Representative Bradley, who introduced the measure, said the bill would adjust professional certification rules so that professional development provided by local districts can count toward certification renewal and reduce the need for teachers to purchase outside recertification credits. "This amendment was the result of work from all of the associations that were interested in the bill," committee staff member Pierce said, describing negotiations with teacher associations, the school board association and the state department.

Key changes in the amendment and bill as explained to the committee include removal of a provision that would have allowed permanent teacher certificates, updated terminology to match the state department (for example, returning "media specialists" to the school librarian title and "guidance counselors" to "school counselors"), and new requirements about notice and professional development: districts must provide teachers written notification of the district's minimum salary schedule as soon as practicable after state and local appropriations are complete; districts must provide teacher assignment notice no later than 14 days before the school year starts (with board approval required for reassignments shown to be necessary); at least two pre‑school workdays must be designated for teachers to prepare classrooms free from required meetings; and district-provided professional development will count toward certification so that teachers are not required to secure additional recertification credits out of pocket.

The amendment also clarified recertification carry-forward rules for teachers completing induction contracts and created a retired-educator certificate that would allow retired teachers to return without the standard recertification requirement; presenters said the change does not modify existing retirement cap or pay rules that the General Assembly has previously set.

A teacher who identified herself as part of the state's teachers of the year and later as Braden Wilson, 2025 South Carolina Teacher of the Year, told the committee the change would be meaningful. "Our school provides and our district provides fantastic professional development, and they always give us the option to apply that professional development that we receive throughout the school year to our certificate," Wilson said. "Ensuring that districts do put the professional development ... to our certificate would be a game changer for teachers across the state and we would very much appreciate your support."

The committee adopted the amendment on a roll-call vote of 18-0 and then reported the bill favorably as amended by a roll call that produced 17 ayes with one member absent. Committee members praised the stakeholder-driven drafting process. The bill now moves to the House floor.