Senate education committee asks department to withdraw test-security regulation, forwards slate of education appointments

At its final meeting of the year, the Senate Education Committee voted to ask the Department of Education to withdraw a State Board of Education regulation on test security after members said the proposal could subject teachers to discipline for failing to follow informal communications. The committee also approved favorable reports for a slate of nominees to education boards and commissions and forwarded their names to the full Senate.

The committee opened consideration of "the regulation" under Tab 1 with Katie Grinstead, the committee's research director, telling members that the rule "is from the State Board of Education and deals with test security violations." Senator Massey, the subcommittee chair, urged withdrawal after describing language in the draft that would let the board discipline or revoke a teacher's certificate for failing to follow directions found only in memos or listserv posts. "I'm concerned about subjecting a teacher to really any kind of discipline at all, but certainly the revocation of a of a teaching certificate because of a listserv communication," Senator Massey said.

After discussion, the chair treated Massey's remarks as a motion to request that the Department of Education withdraw the regulation so staff could draft new language next year. The motion passed on a voice vote; the chair recorded proxies voting aye and announced the motion carried.

The remainder of the meeting consisted of routine confirmation hearings. Katie Grinstead said the committee circulated standard candidate questions in advance and used the hearing time for brief statements and clarifications. Nominees who addressed the committee included Linda Stern for the South Carolina Arts Commission; William Peeler, Robert Bagley, Ronald Davis, Edgar Lamb and James Craig Kessler for the John De La Howe School (Governor's School for Agriculture) board of trustees; and Craig Plank, Matthew Clayton Tyler, Billy Strickland, Cindy Mosteller and Jonathan Butcher for the South Carolina Public Charter School District. Each nominee briefly summarized their background and reasons for serving, and the committee approved favorable reports for all, forwarding each name to the full Senate for consideration.

Examples of nominee remarks and disclosures included Linda Stern saying she has "dedicated, devoted, decades to advancing education through the arts in South Carolina," and William Peeler describing his work with AgSouth Farm Credit and his interest in training the next generation of farmers. Robert Bagley and James Craig Kessler highlighted professional experience in agriculture and trustee service; Philip Perry clarified that he is an employee, not an owner, of a seed business and that the employer sells seed to Clemson experiment stations and state natural-resources offices. Cindy Mosteller described founding "College Application Day" while serving on the Commission on Higher Education; Jonathan Butcher noted his civil‑rights work and expedited submission of his appointment packet.

Votes on the nominees were taken by voice and recorded as favorable reports; the chair noted that proxies were recorded as voting aye in multiple instances. The committee did not take any final regulatory action beyond the formal request that the department withdraw the draft test-security rule for redrafting.

The committee forwarded each nominee to the full Senate and adjourned. The full Senate will consider the forwarded nominations and the Department of Education must respond to the committee's request regarding the test-security regulation.