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H5171 • 2026

Uniform Substitute Teacher Policies

Uniform Substitute Teacher Policies

Education
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Reps. Teeple, Hartnett, Landing, Bustos, Sessions and Ford
Last action
2026-02-11
Official status
Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works ( House Journal-page 45 )
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Uniform Substitute Teacher Policies

Uniform Substitute Teacher Policies

What This Bill Does

  • Uniform Substitute Teacher Policies

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-11 House

    Introduced and read first time ( House Journal-page 45 )

  2. 2026-02-11 House

    Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works ( House Journal-page 45 )

Official Summary Text

Uniform Substitute Teacher Policies

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
2025-2026 Bill 5171: Uniform Substitute Teacher Policies - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Download
This Bill
in Microsoft Word Format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 5171
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Teeple, Hartnett, Landing, Bustos, Sessions and Ford
Document Path: LC-0623WAB26.docx
Introduced in the House on February 11, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Education and Public Works
Summary: Uniform Substitute Teacher Policies
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

2/11/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 45
)

2/11/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Education and Public Works
(
House Journal-page 45
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
02/11/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
59-25-70
SO AS TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MAINTAIN UNIFORM SUBSTITUTE
TEACHER POLICIES AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS FOR THE USE OF SUBSTITUTE
TEACHERS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS AND SERVICES.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
A
rticle 1, Chapter 25, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:

S
ection
59-25-70
.
(
A) Each school district
shall adopt and implement a written policy governing the use of substitute
teachers. This policy must apply uniformly to all instructional settings,
including general education classrooms, special education classrooms, and
special education instructional services.

(
B)
When a teacher or other instructional staff member providing special education
instruction or services is absent, the district shall make reasonable efforts
to provide a substitute teacher or other qualified personnel consistent with
the district's policy for other classrooms.

(
C) A
school district may not maintain or implement a policy or practice that
excludes special education classrooms or services from substitute teacher
coverage.

(
D)
Nothing in this section requires a substitute teacher assigned to a special
education classroom or service to hold special education certification unless
otherwise required by state or federal law.

S
ECTION 2. This act takes effect on August 1,
2026.

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This web page was last updated on February 11, 2026 at 1:58 PM