South Carolina General Assembly
119th Session, 2011-2012
S.1081
STATUS INFORMATION
Concurrent Resolution
Sponsors: Senators Ford, Reese, Coleman, Setzler, Williams, Elliott, Leventis, Lourie, Malloy, Land, Jackson, Pinckney, Nicholson, Matthews and Scott
Document Path: l:\council\bills\nbd\11867dg11.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 10, 2012
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Education
Summary: State Superintendent of Education
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
DateBodyAction Description with journal page number
1/10/2012SenateIntroduced (Senate Journalpage41)
1/10/2012SenateReferred to Committee on Education(Senate Journalpage41)
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
1/10/2012
ACONCURRENT RESOLUTION
TO EXPRESS THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGARDING THE DECISION BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION TO DECLINE TO APPLY FOR RACE TO THE TOP FUNDS, AND, FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN OF THIS STATE, TO IMPLORE THE SUPERINTENDENT TO RECONSIDER HIS DECISION.
Whereas, the Race to the Top program was enacted in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 to develop valid assessments that support and inform instruction, provide accurate information about what students know and can do, and measure student achievement against standards designed to ensure that all students gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in college and the workplace; and
Whereas, Race to the Top funds are designed to allow states the opportunity to develop diverse, selfdesigned, datadriven programs to improve their educational system, monitor student performance, and develop other specialized, enhanced programs; and
Whereas, South Carolina is eligible to receive up to fifty million dollars in Race to the Top funds; and
Whereas, the state superintendent of education is the officer charged with the responsibility of applying for Race to the Top funds, and the current superintendent, Dr. Mick Zais, has declined to apply for these funds to improve the educational system in this State; and
Whereas, with fifty million dollars, this State could increase access to highquality learning programs for lowincome and atrisk children, create a transparent system to align earlycare and educational programs, improve training and support for the earlylearning workforce, and help parents make knowledgeable decisions about their children’s care; and
Whereas, the superintendent of education’s failure to apply for these monies will result in the loss of a valuable funding resource for vital and irreplaceable programs and staff. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, express their disappointment regarding the decision by the state superintendent of education to decline to apply for Race to the Top funds, and, for the betterment of the schools and children of this State, implore the superintendent to reconsider his decision.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to South Carolina State Superintendent of Education Mick Zais.
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