‘School of innovation’ bill passes Education Committee, heads to South Carolina Senate for vote

(The Center Square) – The South Carolina Senate Education Committee approved a measure that would expand school districts’ ability to pursue innovative teaching and administration methods.

South Carolina school districts now may designate one school per district as a “school of choice” and seek permission for the school to be exempt from certain rules and regulations, enabling teachers to pursue innovative techniques.

House Bill 3589, would allow districts to operate multiple “schools of innovation” within a single district. The district’s application to operate such schools would need approval by a two-thirds vote from its local school board, as well as approval from the state Board of Education.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Greg Hembree, R-Horry, presented the bill to the committee Wednesday morning.

“This gives a public school district the ability to experiment with new ideas in that public school district,” Hembree said.

Hembree explained the bill would redesignate such schools as “schools of innovation” instead of the current “school of choice.”

“When you talk about school choice, that’s sort of becoming a term of art – that’s a bit misleading,” Hembree said. “The really better word to describe what districts are doing is ‘innovation’ and so that was the reason behind that decision.”

The Committee approved the bill by voice vote, and it now advances to the full Senate for consideration. The bill was approved by the House, 81-32, last week.

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