Local community college campus, city benefits from newest state budget
By SCOTT POWELL Ledger Staff Writer spowell@gaffneyledger.com

A 15-year school bus replacement cycle and $100,000 for the new academic building at Spartanburg Community College are among the education-related items approved in this year's $7.3 billion state budget.

Spartanburg Community College will continue to receive $1.5 million in recurring funds for operating its Cherokee County campus. State Sen. Harvey Peeler was instrumental in securing another $100,000 in state funding to help with the operational costs of the academic building.

Lawmakers overrode 228 of the 243 vetoes issued by Gov. Mark Sanford after returning to session last Thursday.

On Friday, Peeler announced the City of Gaffney will receive $400,000 from the state to purchase and renovate the historic Gaffney Post Office building downtown. Peeler stated he was happy to work with the local legislative delegation to provide the money to preserve one of the most architecturally beautiful buildings in Gaffney.

The Cherokee County School District will benefit from a major school bus purchase and the creation of a statewide Virtual School program.

The state will purchase 551 school buses this year and put buses on a 15-year replacement schedule. Lawmakers provided $31 million towards operating expenses such as bus maintenance, fuel, parts, equipment, insurance and bus repair.

Peeler worked to secure $28.7 million for the School Health and Fitness Act.

School districts will be able to hire additional physical education teachers to meet the act's requirement for regular physical education instruction. The state funds will provide a licensed nurse in every elementary school, resulting in 631 nurses at an average salary of $38,860 each.

"It is very difficult for sick children to learn and function within a school setting," Peeler said. "I think it is very important to have nurses working in our schools who can best look after a student's needs."

State lawmakers established a SC Virtual School program. A pilot project last June is scheduled to serve more than 1,300 students statewide.

The program allows students to take classes online for high school credit.

Students can take credit recovery programs towards their high school graduation requirements.

The Cherokee County School District offered its own Virtual School this year. Federal funds allowed the district to provide high school online courses through the APEX Learning Academic Curriculum.

Peeler views the creation of a Virtual School program as a progressive step in education.

"This is a different day where we have moved from notebooks and pencils into the computer age," Peeler said. "I'm glad we were able to pass a Virtual School program this year. I think this was something our state needed to do."