All Roll Calls
Yes: 157 • No: 0
South CarolinaS 0078126th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 59-25-60 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL AWARD YEARS OF EXPERIENCE CREDIT FOR CERTAIN RELEVANT NON-TEACHING OCCUPATIONAL EXPERIENCE TO CERTIFICATES OF EDUCATORS WHO SATISFY CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE SUCH EXPERIENCE CREDIT MAY BE AWARDED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADVANCEMENT ON THE TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE, TO PROVIDE OTHER EXISTING CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS REMAIN UNCHANGED BY THIS ACT; AND TO PROVIDE DIRECTIVES TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONCERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT.
Sponsored By: Greg Hembree (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Summary
Work Experience Credit for Educators
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Work experience counts toward teacher pay
Beginning May 12, 2025, South Carolina’s Education Department gives certificate experience credit for non‑teaching work in or related to your subject. You get 1 year of credit for every 2 years of full‑time, relevant work. This credit only moves you up the teacher salary schedule. Except for work‑based certification, only experience after your bachelor’s degree counts. You must submit the Department’s verification of relevant occupational experience form with your certificate application. Teachers who entered the profession before July 1, 2025 may also submit the form to add years. If years are added, your district adjusts pay at the start of the next school year. There is no back pay.
Experience credit doesn’t boost retirement
Starting May 12, 2025, any years awarded for relevant work count only for teacher pay steps. They do not count as service credit for South Carolina retirement or state health plans run by PEBA.
Education Department guidelines due, no new staff
The Education Department must publish guidelines and make the verification form available within 180 days of May 12, 2025 (by November 8, 2025). After that, you can submit the form with your certificate application. The Department cannot add new full‑time or partial staff to process these requests, which may slow reviews.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Greg Hembree
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Tameika Isaac Devine
Democrat • Senate
Tom Young, Jr.
Republican • Senate
Jeff Zell
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/30/2025
(Work Experience Credit for Educators)Passage of Bill
Yes: 116 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/19/2025
(Work Experience Credit for Educators)2nd Reading
Yes: 41 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Act No. 29
5/19/2025legislatureEffective date 05/12/25
5/19/2025legislatureSigned By Governor
5/12/2025GovernorRatified R 47
5/8/2025legislatureConcurred in House amendment and enrolled
5/6/2025SenateRead third time and returned to Senate with amendments
5/1/2025HouseRoll call Yeas-116 Nays-0
4/30/2025HouseRead second time
4/30/2025HouseAmended
4/30/2025HouseCommittee report: Favorable with amendment Education and Public Works
4/24/2025HouseScrivener's error corrected
2/25/2025legislatureReferred to Committee on Education and Public Works
2/25/2025HouseIntroduced and read first time
2/25/2025HouseRead third time and sent to House
2/20/2025SenateRoll call Ayes-41 Nays-0
2/19/2025SenateRead second time
2/19/2025SenateCommittee Amendment Adopted
2/19/2025SenateCommittee report: Favorable with amendment Education
2/12/2025SenateReferred to Committee on Education
1/14/2025SenateIntroduced and read first time
1/14/2025SenateReferred to Committee on Education
12/11/2024SenatePrefiled
12/11/2024Senate
Bill Text
Introduced
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