To assist schools and school districts as they work to improve classroom practice and student performance, the Department of Education must increase the delivery of quality technical assistance services and the assessment of instructional programs. The department may need to reshape some of its organization and key functions to make them more consistent with the assistance required by schools and districts in developing and implementing local accountability systems and meeting state standards. The Department of Education must:

1. (1) establish an ongoing state mechanism to promote successful programs found in South Carolina schools for implementation in schools with similar needs and students, to review evidence on instructional and organizational practices considered to be effective, and to alert schools and classroom teachers to these options and the sources of training and names of implementing schools;
2. (2) provide information and technical assistance in understanding state policies, how they fit together, and the best practice in implementing them; and
3. (3) establish a process for monitoring information provided for accountability and for assessing improvement efforts and implementation of state laws and policies which focuses on meeting the intent and purpose of those laws and policies.

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 400, Section 2; 2004 Act No. 282, Section 1, eff July 22, 2004; 2008 Act No. 282, Section 1, eff June 5, 2008.