Learn The SCEA's position on pending legislation related to public education, and take action to protect our schools
All students deserve an education that inspires them, encourages their curiosity, and prepares them for success.
All educators deserve the support, resources, and time to do their jobs well, and the security to retire with dignity.
Through The South Carolina Education Association’s advocacy at the Statehouse, we work to create public pre-K-12 schools, colleges, and universities that are worthy of South Carolinians, and to build a more fair, just, and equitable nation for everyone.
The SCEA's Office of Public Affairs:
- Lobbies for state legislation that supports public education, educators, and socially just policies, and against legislation that weakens public education and social justice
- Advances the The SCEA Legislative Agenda, our member-driven, member-endorsed agenda for what we do at the Statehouse
- Strengthens relationships with key members of the legislature on both sides of the aisle
- Prepares The SCEA leaders and activists to engage with and lobby members of the legislature
- Provides updates on our advocacy and invites The SCEA members to engage with the Legislature through our weekly emails, Members Matter
- Maintains the The SCEA Legislative Report Card, a rating of members of the legislature based on their education-related votes and actions
- Works with like-minded organizations and coalitions that share our commitment to strong public schools and resilient public services
WHAT WE DO
Legislative Agenda
Our member-driven, member-endorsed agenda for what we do at the Statehouse
Legislative Report Card
To hold our elected officials accountable, The SCEA tracks how members of the legislature vote on our issues.
Legislative Newsletter
The latest political insights that matter most to South Carolina educators & students
Bills in the Legislature
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Oppose
S 39 Education Scholarship Trust Funds (Vouchers) www.scstatehouse.gov
Introduced on November 30, 2022
A bill to establish Education Scholarship Trust Funds (ESTFs), the latest iteration of an attempt to publicly subsidize private school education. This program would pay parents a large portion of the money the state would otherwise have spent to educate their children in exchange for an agreement to forego their right to a public education. Consistent with all voucher programs, they divert taxpayer funds to subsidize private choices and undermine principles of equity and accountability, all while doing nothing to improve the quality of education.
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Support
H 3294 Non-Teaching Duties of Educators www.scstatehouse.gov
Introduced on December 8, 2022
Requires teachers' contracts to specify their salary and any extracurricular duties the teacher agrees to perform, along with the time the teacher agrees to provide the duty, and additional compensation for the duty. It would also require school districts to develop and implement a plan ensuring the proper performance of extracurricular duties in schools either by securing the assistance of volunteers, employing additional nonprofessional staff, or providing extra compensation and other incentives to professional staff who contract to provide extracurricular duties.
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Oppose
H 3728 (classroom censorship) www.scstatehouse.gov
Introduced on January 18, 2023
Bans teaching of certain concepts, materials, and discussions in curricula. Certain concepts may not be included or promoted in a course of instruction, curriculum, assignment, instructional program, instructional material, or professional educator development or training. Subjects educators to complaints based on subjective criteria and creates a redundant investigative process. Allows that the state withhold up to 5% of an LEA’s funds if they are found to not be in compliance with a corrective action plan or fails to pursue investigations of educators, no matter how frivolous.
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