The Issues
Equitable and Adequate Funding
RISE SC believes that it's time to ensure equitable and adequate funding for every student and every school in South Carolina, and the organization is poised to support efforts by State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex and the South Carolina General Assembly to reform the state's tax structure and create a new, fair system of allocating resources to public education. To read more about this issue, click here.
Public School Choice
RISE SC opposes vouchers and tax credits that would rob public schools of funding and give it to private schools with no accountability. Instead, RISE SC supports expanding choice within the state's public schools with programs such as single gender, Montessori, language infused and arts infused curriculum. To read more about this issue, click here.
Four-year-old Kindergarten
RISE SC supports a new, statewide commitment to fully funding voluntary four-year-old programs for all at-risk children. To read more about this issue , click here.
Reforming Accountability
In 2008, RISE SC supported major changes to the Education Accountability Act of 1998. With broad, bipartisan support, the changes were passed by the Legislature and allowed to become law by Governor Mark Sanford when he declined to sign or veto the legislation. The new law:
Eliminates PACT and replaces it in 2009 with new end-of-year accountability tests that feature “essay” exams in March and more easily scored multiple-choice exams in May. Schools will get final results within a few weeks of the May tests, compared to late July with PACT.
Revises the content of annual school report cards to make it more understandable and useful for parents, while simultaneously making certain that any revisions are in full compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Supports “formative” assessments in English language arts and mathematics. These tests will provide teachers with immediate feedback on individual students’ strengths and weaknesses and allow them to customize instruction based on those needs.
Eliminates burdensome paperwork requirements for teachers.
Brings South Carolina’s student performance targets into alignment with other states. Changes student performance indicators on state standardized tests from four levels to three (exemplary, met and not met).
Reviews the state’s school accountability system every five years to be certain that it’s working efficiently and effectively.
Deletes language in the EAA that had become outdated, and also incorporates into the law a number of “add-ons” that had been inserted each year through budget provisos.
