South Carolina H 3244: Digital resources alignment with approved curriculums

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3244 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 06, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3244

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
59-1-488 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL REVIEW AND 
APPROVE ALL INTERNET WEBSITES, COMPUTER APPLICATIONS, AND OTHER COMPUTER SOFTWARE 
PROPOSED FOR USE ON SCHOOL-ISSUED DIGITAL DEVICES TO ENSURE THEIR ALIGNMENT TO 
CURRICULUM APPROVED FOR USE IN SCHOOLS, TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS AND 
RESTRICTIONS ON SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STUDENTS, AND TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT 
SHALL DEVELOP A PROCEDURE FOR DISTRICT PERSONNEL TO OBTAIN SUCH APPROVAL.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 5, Chapter 1, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
59-1-488. (A) The State Department 
of Education shall review and approve all internet websites, computer 
applications, and other computer software proposed for use on school-issued 
digital devices to ensure the website, application, or software is aligned to 
curriculum approved for use in schools. The department:

 (1) 
may not approve websites, applications, and software that include the 
capability of student-to-student communication such as chat functions, direct 
messages, or private messaging; and

 (2) 
may approve websites, applications, and software that include email capability, 
the means for the teacher to communicate directly to an individual student or a 
group of students, and the means for students to communicate collectively to 
all students in a course in which they are enrolled.

 (B) 
School districts may not issue digital devices for student use:

 (1) 
that contain any applications and other software lacking approval required in 
subsection (A); and

 (2) 
unless the device has filters or other means to prevent the access of websites 
or the downloading of applications or software lacking approval required in 
subsection (A).

 (C) 
Public school students are prohibited from accessing websites, or downloading 
or installing software or computer applications that are not approved by the 
department as provided in subsection (A).

 (D) 
The department shall develop a procedure through which teachers, 
administrators, or district-level staff may seek preapproval or approval for 
the use of specific internet websites, computer applications, and computer 
software aligned with curriculum pursuant to subsection (A).

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 06, 2024 at 11:03 AM