South Carolina

SEL / Character Education

Required

SEL or Character Development is required by laws in South Carolina. In other words, social emotional learning or character education is required by state law to be integrated into a district’s curriculum.

South Carolina Code of Laws 59-17-135 Character education

This statute declares that South Carolina schools must provide the safest possible environment for students to learn. Schools must also teach positive character traits, which is essential to improving the learning environment, promoting achievement, reducing behavioral problems, and nurturing young learners who are civic-minded.

Schools should also aim to instill the highest character and academic excellence in every young learner, in cooperation with their parents, and with the aid of other community members.

This statute also declares that every local school board of trustees must create a policy addressing character education, and traits they should focus on encouraging include (but are not limited to):

• Respect for authority and others
• Honesty
• Self-control
• Good manners
• Cooperation
• Courage
• Fairness
• Kindness
• Self-respect
• Generosity
• Punctuality
• Patience

An evaluation component of this policy must also be created and implemented.

Source: South Carolina Code of Laws

Multi-tiered Positive Behavior Supports

Encouraged

Multi-tiered Positive Behavior Supports are encouraged by law in South Carolina. In other words, the implementation of school-wide positive behavioral supports or tiered frameworks in South Carolina school districts is encouraged but not required.

South Carolina Code of Laws 59-66-40. School safety task force

This statute declares that, among other responsibilities, a school safety task force should consider how to best support multi-tiered systems of support.

Source: South Carolina Code of Laws

School Climate Surveys

Not addressed

School climate surveys are not addressed by laws in South Carolina.