Committee backs S.70 to create state model code of ethics and mandatory training for school boards

The Senate Education Committee voted to give S.70 a favorable report as amended after staff explained the bill would require the State Board of Education to adopt a model code of ethics and a model training program that local boards must adopt and implement.

Research director Donna Barton told senators the subcommittee changed the required initial training window from one year to six months and clarified that charter-school boards and the South Carolina Charter School District Board are included. Barton described a stepped-enforcement process for trustees who fail to complete required training: the State Board would keep records, issue a letter of caution allowing time to cure noncompliance and, if a trustee still fails to comply, the State Board would submit the trustee’s name to the governor for possible removal under an existing statute. Barton said, “If the trustee fails to cure the non compliance, the state board of education shall submit the name of the school board to the governor for removal under section 59 19 60.”

Committee members debated whether the Department of Education or an authorized designee should deliver the training and whether local boards could add elective content without triggering discipline. Senator Macon said he preferred keeping the required training post-election as the amendment proposes, noting concerns about discouraging candidates if training were required prefiling.

The committee adopted the subcommittee amendment and voted to forward S.70 as amended to the full Senate.