Local school board members; required training

(A) The department shall: (1) adopt a required training program for new local school board members delivered by the department or the department's designee(s). (2) adopt a required training program for local school board members that have been reelected or reappointed delivered by the department or the department's designee(s). (3) review the training program and adopt any necessary revisions every three years. The department may designate a designee(s) for this review process. (B) Within nine months of taking office, all persons elected, reelected, appointed, or reappointed as members of a school district board of trustees regardless of the date of their election, reelection, appointment, or reappointment, shall complete the required training program in the powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board member including, but not limited to, topics on policy development, personnel, superintendent and board relations, instructional programs, district finance, school law, ethics, nepotism, conflicts of interest, and community relations. This program must be offered by the department or its designee(s) and completed by each board member within nine months after his election, reelection, appointment, or reappointment. The State Board of Education must keep a record of the school board trustees who complete the training program within the required time. The State Board of Education shall issue a letter of caution informing any school board trustee who fails to comply with the requirements of this section providing a time in which to cure the noncompliance. If the school board trustee fails to cure his noncompliance, the State Board of Education shall submit the name of the school board trustee to the Governor for recommendation of removal under Section 59-19-60. (C) In addition to meeting other requirements provided by law, a person serving on a local school board shall sign a statement certifying that he understands and is in compliance with the South Carolina ethics law, the applicable local code of ethics, and the training required pursuant to this section. (D) A local school board shall certify compliance with the provisions of subsections (B) and (C) by all board members within nine months of the election, reelection, appointment, or reappointment of the board and publish this certification in the minutes of the next regularly scheduled school board meeting.