Accountability & Assessment

S.C. Code § 59-155-150 requires that students entering publicly funded prekindergarten and kindergarten beginning in Fiscal Year 2014–15 must be administered a readiness assessment by the forty-fifth day of the school year. In compliance with the South Carolina Read to Succeed Act and provisos, readiness assessments for students in prekindergarten and kindergarten are administered to publicly funded prekindergarten and kindergarten students. Each school district and private provider participating in a publicly funded prekindergarten program administered one of the two approved formative assessments to each child eligible for and enrolled in a publicly funded prekindergarten program during the first forty-five days and the last forty-five days of the school year. Assessments approved by the State Board of Education are Individual Growth and Development Indicators (myIGDIs^™) and Teaching Strategies GOLD^®.

Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA)

• The KRA provides a snapshot of students’ abilities at the beginning of the school year and is administered to all students enrolled in publicly funded kindergarten programs. The assessment measures a child’s school  readiness across multiple domains: Social Foundations, Language/Literacy, Mathematics, and Physical Well- Being. The KRA is administered during the first 45 days of the school year.

 South Carolina College and Career Ready Assessments (SC READY)

• Statewide assessment that measures student performance on the South Carolina Academic Standards. The SC READY test items are aligned to the standards for each subject (English language arts [ELA], mathematics, and  science) and grade level. SC READY is administered during the last 20 days of school as determined by the  district's instructional calendar.
• Grades 3-8 (ELA and Math)
• Grades 4 and 6 (Science)

 ACCESS for ELLs

• All students in grades K-12 who are determined to be English Language Learners - based upon the completion of a Home Language Survey and the initial assessment of their English proficiency - must take ACCESS for ELLs® each spring. This includes those students whose parents have waived direct MLP services. Students must continue to take ACCESS until they have scored “Fully English Proficient.”
• Grades K through 12

Gifted and Talented Assessments (GT)

The identification of gifted and talented students is a multi-step process which consists of screening and referral, assessment of eligibility, and placement. The objective of the grade 2 testing program is to evaluate each student for the purpose of placement into a district gifted and talented program.

• Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) – A series of nine, untimed tests. For screening into the gifted and talented program, a student must take all nine tests to receive all three scores: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal.
  • Grade 2
• Iowa Assessments (IA)
  • Grade 2
• Performance Task Assessments (PTA) - As a part of the process to assist in the identification of students for participation in programs for the gifted and talented, the state has developed performance assessments that are available for administration. Scoring of the assessments as well as training in their administration is provided by the Office of Assessment through a contractor. Students must meet qualifications for this testing.  Students who meet these qualifications will be notified by letter of their participation.
  • Grades 2-5

State-Approved “Formative” (Interim) Assessments

South Carolina Education Accountability Act (EAA), Section 59-18-310 provided for the creation of a statewide adoption list of formative assessments in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. As amended in 2024, the assessments on the Adoption List are administered to students in kindergarten through the eighth grade.

The EAA legislation requires that each formative assessment meet professional measurement standards and that test items align with the South Carolina College- and Career- Ready Standards. Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly for the assessments, districts will be allocated funds to select and administer formative (interim) assessments from the adoption list for use in improving student performance in accordance with district improvement plans.

In the School District of Oconee County, students in kindergarten, first, and second grades take MAP Growth three times a year to meet the state requirement.

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Also known as the Nation's Report Card, the NAEP is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing. The NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling procedure for the assessment to ensure that assessment results are representative of the geographical, racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity of schools and students in the state.

Alternate Assessments

Alternate assessment are available for students with significant cognitive disabilities who are assessed against alternate achievement standards as they are unable to participate in the general assessment program even with appropriate accommodations.

State-Approved “Formative” (Interim) Assessments

South Carolina Education Accountability Act (EAA), Section 59-18-310 provided for the creation of a statewide adoption list of formative assessments in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. As amended in 2024, the assessments on the Adoption List are administered to students in kindergarten through the eighth grade.

The EAA legislation requires that each formative assessment meet professional measurement standards and that test items align with the South Carolina College- and Career- Ready Standards. Subject to appropriations by the General Assembly for the assessments, districts will be allocated funds to select and administer formative (interim) assessments from the adoption list for use in improving student performance in accordance with district improvement plans.

In the School District of Oconee County, students in kindergarten, middle school students take Mastery Connect Predictive Assessments three times a year to meet the state requirement.

South Carolina College and Career Ready Assessments (SC READY)

• Statewide assessment that measures student performance on the South Carolina Academic Standards. The SC READY test items are aligned to the standards for each subject (English language arts [ELA], mathematics, and science) and grade level. SC READY is administered during the last 20 days of school as determined by the district's instructional calendar.
• Grades 3-8 (ELA and Math)
• Grades 4 and 6 (Science)

Due to COVID-19, South Carolina did not administer SC READY in Spring 2020.

End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) 

• Statewide assessment program of end of course tests for gateway courses awarded units of credit in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  The EOCEP is administered at the end of the Fall/Winter semester (high school only), at the end of the Spring semester (middle and high school). Scores from these tests will count 20 percent of each student's grade in that course.  

Due to COVID-19, South Carolina did not administer EOC exams in Spring 2020. 

ACCESS for ELLs

• All students in grades K-12 who are determined to be English Language Learners - based upon the completion of a Home Language Survey and the initial assessment of their English proficiency - must take ACCESS for ELLs® each spring. This includes those students whose parents have waived direct MLP services. Students must continue to take ACCESS until they have scored “Fully English Proficient.”
• Grades K through 12

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Also known as the Nation's Report Card, the NAEP is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing. NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling procedure for the assessment to ensure that assessment results are representative of the geographical, racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity of schools and students in the state.

Alternate Assessments

Alternate assessment are available for students with significant cognitive disabilities who are assessed against alternate achievement standards as they are unable to participate in the general assessment program even with appropriate accommodations.

End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP)

• Statewide assessment program of end of course tests for gateway courses awarded units of credit in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  The EOCEP is administered at the end of the Fall/Winter semester (high school only), at the end of the Spring semester (middle and high school). Scores from these tests will count 20 percent of each student's grade in that course.  

Due to COVID-19, South Carolina did not administer EOC exams in Spring 2020.

ACCESS for ELLs

• All students in grades K-12 who are determined to be English Language Learners - based upon the completion of a Home Language Survey and the initial assessment of their English proficiency - must take ACCESS for ELLs® each spring. This includes those students whose parents have waived direct MLP services. Students must continue to take ACCESS until they have scored “Fully English Proficient.”
• Grades K through 12

WIN Work Ready Career Readiness Assessment

• WIN Work Ready is a career readiness assessment administered to all eleventh grade students to determine student achievement in three key subjects: Work Ready Math, Work Ready Reading, and Work Ready Data.
• WIN Work Ready also includes the Essential Soft Skills (ESS) assessment that provides information about a student’s skills in the following four areas: Communicating Effectively, Conveying Professionalism, Promoting Teamwork and Collaboration, and Thinking Critically and Solving Problems.
• Grade 11 

Due to COVID-19, the R2W Spring 2020 administration was postponed until Fall 2020.

Grade 10 Assessments (PSAT)

• The district may choose any dates from the options provided by the publishers.

College Entrance Assessments (SAT and ACT)

• Districts must offer all eleventh grade students the opportunity to take a college entrance assessment that is from the two providers secured by the SCDE—the SAT published by The College Board and the ACT published by ACT, Inc.

Due to COVID-19, SAT and ACT Spring 2020 administrations were postponed until Fall 2020.

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Also known as the Nation's Report Card, the NAEP is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in subjects such as mathematics, reading, science, and writing. NAEP uses a carefully designed sampling procedure for the assessment to ensure that assessment results are representative of the geographical, racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity of schools and students in the state.

Alternate Assessments

Alternate assessment are available for students with significant cognitive disabilities who are assessed against alternate achievement standards as they are unable to participate in the general assessment program even with appropriate accommodations.

South Carolina Alternate Assessments – Testing Students with Disabilities

All students with disabilities must be included in statewide or district-wide assessments and if necessary, must have accommodations, or must participate in an alternate assessment.

An Alternate Assessment is an assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities who are assessed against Alternate Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) as they are unable to participate in the general assessment program even with appropriate accommodations.

 Click here for more information on Assessing Students with Disabilities.

South Carolina Alternate Assessments (SC-Alt) Online

• SC Alternate Assessment for SC READY (ELA and Math)
  • Grades 3-8
• SC Alternate Assessment for SC Ready (Science)
  • Science: grades 4 and 6
• SC Alternate Assessment for End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP)
  • English 1, Algebra 1, Biology 1, and US History and the Constitution
  • Grades 9-12

Due to COVID-19, South Carolina did not administer SC-Alt in Spring 2020.

Alternate Career Readiness Assessment

• Districts must administer a transition assessment listed on the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) approved list, or one that has been approved by SCDE through the review approval process in order to meet the testing requirement for an alternate career readiness assessment. The approved assessment must be given any time during the school year. Students who are eligible to take an alternate career readiness assessment are those students who meet the criteria for participation in the state alternate assessments and those who meet the age requirement.

Alternate ACCESS for ELLs

• Alternate ACCESS for ELLs® is an assessment of English language proficiency for students in grades 1 through 12 who are classified as English language learners (ELLs) and have significant cognitive disabilities that prevent their meaningful participation in the ACCESS for ELLs® assessment. The Alternate ACCESS for ELLs® consists of items that are less complex than items in the ACCESS for ELLs® assessment. The assessment is based on Alternate English language proficiency levels in four English language proficiency areas: Social and Instructional Language, language of English Language Arts, language of Mathematics, and language of Science. Like the ACCESS for ELLs®, the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs® is divided into four language domains (speaking, listening, reading and writing).
• All students in grades K-12 who are determined to be English Language Learners - based upon the completion of a Home Language Survey and the initial assessment of their English proficiency - must take ACCESS for ELLs® or Alternate ACCESS for ELLs® each spring. This includes those students whose parents have waived direct MLP services. Students must continue to take ACCESS until they have scored “Fully English Proficient.”
• Grades 1 through 12 (Students with significant cognitive disabilities in kindergarten should take the kindergarten ACCESS for ELLs®.)