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A94, R130, H3969
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Felder and Allison
Document Path: l:\council\bills\agm\19144wab17.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 534
Introduced in the House on March 13, 2017
Introduced in the Senate on April 11, 2017
Last Amended on June 6, 2017
Passed by the General Assembly on June 6, 2017
Governor's Action: June 10, 2017, Signed
Summary: Education Oversight Committee
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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3/13/2017 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 12)
3/13/2017 House Referred to Committee on Education and Public Works
(House Journal-page 12)
3/29/2017 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment Education and
Public Works (House Journal-page 48)
3/30/2017 Scrivener's error corrected
4/5/2017 House Amended (House Journal-page 13)
4/5/2017 House Read second time (House Journal-page 34)
4/5/2017 House Roll call Yeas-104 Nays-5 (House Journal-page 38)
4/6/2017 House Read third time and sent to Senate (House Journal-page 4)
4/6/2017 Scrivener's error corrected
4/11/2017 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 7)
4/11/2017 Senate Referred to Committee on Education
(Senate Journal-page 7)
4/20/2017 Senate Recalled from Committee on Education
(Senate Journal-page 4)
5/4/2017 Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 26)
5/5/2017 Scrivener's error corrected
5/8/2017 Scrivener's error corrected
5/8/2017 Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 35)
5/9/2017 Scrivener's error corrected
5/9/2017 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 15)
5/10/2017 Senate Amended (Senate Journal-page 29)
5/10/2017 Senate Read third time and returned to House with amendments
(Senate Journal-page 29)
5/10/2017 Senate Roll call Ayes-44 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 29)
5/10/2017 House Non-concurrence in Senate amendment
(House Journal-page 58)
5/10/2017 House Roll call Yeas-0 Nays-98 (House Journal-page 61)
5/11/2017 Senate Senate insists upon amendment and conference committee
appointed Hembree, John Matthews, Talley
(Senate Journal-page 22)
5/11/2017 House Conference committee appointed Allison, Felder, Brown
(House Journal-page 12)
6/6/2017 House Conference report received and adopted
6/6/2017 House Roll call Yeas-103 Nays-0
6/6/2017 Senate Conference report adopted (Senate Journal-page 70)
6/6/2017 Senate Roll call Ayes-40 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 73)
6/6/2017 House Ordered enrolled for ratification
6/6/2017 Ratified R 130
6/10/2017 Signed By Governor
6/15/2017 Effective date 6/10/17
6/20/2017 Act No. 94
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
3/13/2017
3/29/2017
3/30/2017
4/5/2017
4/6/2017
4/20/2017
5/4/2017
5/5/2017
5/8/2017
5/8/2017-A
5/9/2017
5/10/2017
6/6/2017
(A94, R130, H3969)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-18-1940 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SHALL DESIGN AND PILOT CERTAIN DISTRICT ACCOUNTABILITY MODELS THAT FOCUS ON COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION; BY ADDING SECTION 59-18-1950 SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE LONGITUDINAL DATA SYSTEM FOR MEASURING THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE COLLEGE READINESS AND CAREER READINESS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL GRADUATES, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED FINDINGS; BY ADDING SECTION 59-18-1960 SO AS TO PROVIDE THE MEASURING OF STUDENT PROGRESS OR GROWTH USING A VALUE-ADDED SYSTEM; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-100, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE PURPOSE OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IN THE EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PURPOSES CONCERNING THE PROFILE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GRADUATE; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-120, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS IN THE EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, SO AS TO REVISE AND ADD DEFINED TERMS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-310, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FOR MEASURING STUDENT PERFORMANCE, SO AS TO DELETE OBSOLETE LANGUAGE AND TO DELETE PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE TIMING FOR ADMINISTERING CERTAIN ASSESSMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-320, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN STATEWIDE STANDARDS-BASED ASSESSMENTS, SO AS TO DELETE OBSOLETE PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT, AND TO DELETE PROVISIONS CONCERNING PERFORMANCE LEVEL RESULTS IN VARIOUS CORE SUBJECT AREAS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-325, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS, SO AS TO REVISE PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRATION PROVISIONS AND THE TIME AFTER WHICH RESULTS OF SUCH ASSESSMENTS MAY BE INCLUDED IN SCHOOL RATINGS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-340, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE MANDATORY PROVISION OF STATE-FUNDED ASSESSMENTS, SO AS TO DELETE ONE SUCH ASSESSMENT AND INCLUDE TWO ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-360, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO ASSESSMENT REPORTS, SO AS TO REVISE DEADLINES; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-900, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL REPORT CARD FOR SCHOOLS, SO AS TO PROVIDE IT IS WEB-BASED, TO REVISE THE PURPOSES OF THE REPORT CARD, TO REVISE AND DEFINE CATEGORIES OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE RATINGS, TO PROVIDE THE SAME CATEGORIES ALSO MUST BE ASSIGNED TO INDIVIDUAL INDICATORS USED TO MEASURE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, TO MAKE THE USE OF STUDENT SCORES IN CALCULATING SCHOOL RATINGS BE OPTIONAL INSTEAD OF MANDATORY, TO DELETE STUDENT PERFORMANCE LEVELS, TO PROVIDE THE REPORT CARD MUST INCLUDE INDICATORS THAT MEET FEDERAL LAW REQUIREMENTS, TO INCLUDE DROPOUT RETENTION DATA AND ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AMONG THE TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN REPORT CARDS, AND TO REVISE REQUIREMENTS FOR RELATED SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL REPORTS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-910, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO COMPREHENSIVE CYCLICAL REVIEWS OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, SO AS TO REQUIRE THE INCLUSION OF CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS DETERMINING THE READINESS OF GRADUATING STUDENTS IN CERTAIN CATEGORIES RELATED TO THE PROFILE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GRADUATE; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-920, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, SO AS TO PROVIDE DATA REQUIRED OF A CHARTER SCHOOL MAY BE USED TO DEVELOP A RATING OF THE SCHOOL, TO DELETE EXISTING PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE CHARTER SCHOOL RATINGS, TO DELETE PROVISIONS PROHIBITING USE OF CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN A DISTRICT'S OVERALL PERFORMANCE RATINGS; TO AMEND SECTION 59-18-930, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE DEPARTMENT ANNUALLY ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE REPORT CARD, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT INSTEAD MAY PUBLISH THE REPORT ON ITS WEBSITE IN A CERTAIN MANNER, AND TO PROVIDE CERTAIN NATIONAL ASSESSMENT SCORES MAY BE INCLUDED; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 59-18-950 RELATING TO CRITERIA FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HIGH SCHOOL RATINGS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Pilot district accountability models
SECTION 1. Article 19, Chapter 18, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-18-1940. Working with the Education Oversight Committee, the State Department of Education shall design and pilot district accountability models that focus on competency-based education for a district or school or on regional or county economic initiatives to improve the postsecondary success of students. A district may apply to the department and the committee to participate in the pilot."
Longitudinal data system
SECTION 2. Article 19, Chapter 18, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-18-1950. (A) The General Assembly recognizes the importance of having a state longitudinal data system to inform policy and fiscal decisions related to early childhood education, public education, postsecondary preparedness and success, and workforce development.
(B)(1) The Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, working with the Office of First Steps to School Readiness, the South Carolina Department of Education, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, the Department of Social Services, the South Carolina Technical College System, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Employment and Workforce, and other state agencies or institutions of higher education, shall develop, implement, and maintain a universal identification system that includes, at a minimum, the following information for measuring the continuous improvement of the state public education system and the college and career readiness and success of its graduates:
(a) students graduating from public high schools in the State who enter postsecondary education without the need for remediation;
(b) working-aged adults in South Carolina by county who possess a postsecondary degree or industry credential;
(c) high school graduates who are gainfully employed in the State within five and ten years of graduating from high school; and
(d) outcome data regarding student achievement and student growth that will assist colleges of education in achieving accreditation and in improving the quality of teachers in classrooms.
(2) All information disseminated will conform to state and federal privacy laws."
School growth measurement system
SECTION 3. Article 19, Chapter 18, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-18-1960. In measuring annual school growth, with approval of the State Board of Education and the Education Oversight Committee, the State shall use a value-added system that calculates student progress or growth. A local school district may, in its discretion, use the value-added system to evaluate classroom teachers using student progress or growth. The estimates of specific teacher effects on the educational progress of students will not be a public record and will be made available only to the specific teacher, principal, and superintendent. Furthermore, the estimates of specific teacher effects also may be made to any teacher preparation programs approved by the State Board of Education. The estimates made available to the teacher preparation programs shall not be a public record and shall be used only in evaluation of the respective teacher preparation programs. Furthermore, educator effectiveness data must be exempt from public disclosure pursuant to Section 30-4-30, and may not be subject to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. An institution or postsecondary system receiving the estimates shall develop a policy to protect the confidentiality of the data."
Performance-based system, Profile of the South Carolina graduate
SECTION 4. Section 59-18-100 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 282 of 2008, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-100. The General Assembly finds that South Carolinians have a commitment to public education and a conviction that high expectations for all students are vital components for improving academic achievement. It is the purpose of the General Assembly in this chapter to establish a performance-based accountability system for public education which focuses on improving teaching and learning so that students are equipped with a strong academic foundation. Moreover, to meet the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate, all students graduating from public high schools in this State should have the knowledge, skills, and opportunity to be college ready, career ready, and life ready for success in the global, digital, and knowledge-based world of the twenty-first century as provided in Section 59-1-50. All graduates should have the opportunity to qualify for and be prepared to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing college courses, without the need for remedial coursework, postsecondary job training, or significant on-the-job training. Accountability, as defined by this chapter, means acceptance of the responsibility for improving student performance and taking actions to improve classroom practice and school performance by the Governor, the General Assembly, the State Department of Education, colleges and universities, local school boards, administrators, teachers, parents, students, and the community."
Definitions
SECTION 5. Section 59-18-120 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 282 of 2008, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-120. As used in this chapter:
(1) 'Oversight Committee' means the Education Oversight Committee established in Section 59-6-10.
(2) 'Standards-based assessment' means an assessment where an individual's performance is compared to specific performance standards and not to the performance of other students.
(3) 'Disaggregated data' means data broken out for specific groups within the total student population, such as by race, gender, level of poverty, limited English proficiency status, disability status, gifted and talented, or other groups as required by federal statutes or regulations.
(4) 'Longitudinally matched student data' means examining the performance of a single student or a group of students by considering their test scores over time.
(5) 'Academic achievement standards' means statements of expectations for student learning.
(6) 'Department' means the State Department of Education.
(7) 'Performance rating' means the classification a school will receive based on the percentage of students meeting standard on the state's standards-based assessment, student growth or student progress from one school year to the next, graduation rates, and other indicators as determined by federal guidelines and the Education Oversight Committee, as applicable. To increase transparency and accountability, the overall points achieved by a school to determine its 'performance rating' must be based on a numerical scale from zero to one hundred, with one hundred being the maximum total achievable points for a school.
(8) 'Objective and reliable statewide assessment' means assessments that yield consistent results and that measure the cognitive knowledge and skills specified in the state-approved academic standards and do not include questions relative to personal opinions, feelings, or attitudes and are not biased with regard to race, gender, or socioeconomic status. The assessments must include a writing assessment and questions designed to reflect a range of cognitive abilities beyond the knowledge level. Constructed response questions may be included as a component of the writing assessment.
(9) 'Division of Accountability' means the special unit within the oversight committee established in Section 59-6-100.
(10) 'Formative assessment' means assessments used within the school year to analyze general strengths and weaknesses in learning and instruction, to understand the performance of students individually and across achievement categories, to adapt instruction to meet students' needs, and to consider placement and planning for the next grade level. Data and performance from the formative assessments must not be used in the calculation of elementary, middle, or high school ratings, but may be used in determining primary school ratings."
Standards-based assessments, selection, use, kindergarten included
SECTION 6. Section 59-18-310 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 207 of 2016, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-310. (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Board of Education, through the Department of Education, is required to develop or adopt a statewide assessment program to promote student learning and to measure student performance on state standards and:
(1) identify areas in which students, schools, or school districts need additional support;
(2) indicate the academic achievement for schools, districts, and the State;
(3) satisfy federal reporting requirements; and
(4) provide professional development to educators.
Assessments required to be developed or adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section or chapter must be objective and reliable, and administered in English and in Braille for students as identified in their Individual Education Plan.
(B)(1) The statewide assessment program must include the subjects of English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies in grades three through eight, as delineated in Section 59-18-320, and end-of-course tests for courses selected by the State Board of Education and approved by the Education Oversight Committee for federal accountability, which award units of credit in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. A student's score on an end-of-year assessment may not be the sole criterion for placing the student on academic probation, retaining the student in his current grade, or requiring the student to attend summer school. Beginning with the graduating class of 2010, students are required to pass a high school credit course in science and a course in United States history in which end-of-course examinations are administered to receive the state high school diploma. Beginning with the graduating class of 2015, students are no longer required to meet the exit examination requirements set forth in this section and State Regulation to earn a South Carolina high school diploma.
(2) A person who is no longer enrolled in a public school and who previously failed to receive a high school diploma or was denied graduation solely for failing to meet the exit exam requirements pursuant to this section and State Regulation may petition the local school board to determine the student's eligibility to receive a high school diploma pursuant to this chapter. The local school board will transmit diploma requests to the South Carolina Department of Education in accordance with department procedures. Petitions under this section must be submitted to the local school district. Students receiving diplomas in accordance with this section shall not be counted as graduates in the graduation rate calculations for affected schools and districts, either retroactively or in current or future calculations. On or before January 31, 2019, the South Carolina Department of Education shall report to the State Board of Education and the General Assembly the number of diplomas granted, by school district, under the provision. The State Board of Education shall remove any conflicting requirement and promulgate conforming changes in its applicable regulations. The department shall advertise the provisions of this item in at least one daily newspaper of general circulation in the area of each school district within forty-five days after this enactment. After enactment, the department may continue to advertise the provisions of this item, but it shall not be required to advertise after December 31, 2017. At a minimum, this notice must consist of two columns measuring at least ten inches in length and measuring at least four and one-half inches combined width, and include:
(a) a headline printed in at least a twenty-four point font that is boldfaced;
(b) an explanation of who qualifies for the petitioning option;
(c) an explanation of the petition process;
(d) a contact name and phone number; and
(e) the deadline for submitting a petition.
(C) While assessment is called for in the specific areas mentioned above, this should not be construed as lessening the importance of foreign languages, visual and performing arts, health, physical education, and career or occupational programs.
(D) The State Board of Education shall create a statewide adoption list of formative assessments for grades kindergarten through nine aligned with the state content standards in English/language arts and mathematics that satisfies professional measurement standards in accordance with criteria jointly determined by the Education Oversight Committee and the State Department of Education. The formative assessments must provide diagnostic information in a timely manner to all school districts for each student during the course of the school year. For use beginning with the 2009-2010 School Year, and subject to appropriations by the General Assembly for the assessments, local districts must be allocated resources to select and administer formative assessments from the statewide adoption list to use to improve student performance in accordance with district improvement plans. However, if a local district already administers formative assessments, the district may continue to use the assessments if they meet the state standards and criteria pursuant to this subsection.
(E) The State Department of Education shall provide on-going professional development in the development and use of classroom assessments, the use of formative assessments, and the use of the end-of-year state assessments so that teaching and learning activities are focused on student needs and lead to higher levels of student performance."
Standards-based assessments, accountability purposes, obsolete language removed, third grade included
SECTION 7. Section 59-18-320(B) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 282 of 2008, is further amended to read:
"(B) After review and approval by the Education Oversight Committee, and pursuant to Section 59-18-325, the standards-based assessment of mathematics, English/language arts, social studies, and science will be administered for accountability purposes to all public school students in grades three through eight, to include those students as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and by Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. To reduce the number of days of testing, to the extent possible, field test items must be embedded with the annual assessments. To ensure that school districts maintain the high standard of accountability established in the Education Accountability Act, performance level results reported on school and district report cards must meet consistently high levels in all four core content areas. For students with documented disabilities, the assessments developed by the Department of Education shall include the appropriate modifications and accommodations with necessary supplemental devices as outlined in a student's Individualized Education Program and as stated in the Administrative Guidelines and Procedures for Testing Students with Documented Disabilities."
College entrance and career readiness assessments
SECTION 8. Section 59-18-325 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 281 of 2016, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-325. (A) Beginning in eleventh grade for the first time in School Year 2017-2018 and subsequent years, all students must be offered a college entrance assessment that is from a provider secured by the department. In addition, all students entering the eleventh grade for the first time in School Year 2017-2018 and subsequent years must be administered a career readiness assessment. The results of the assessments must be provided to each student, their respective schools, and to the State to:
(1) assist students, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors in developing individual graduation plans and in selecting courses aligned with each student's future ambitions;
(2) promote South Carolina's Work Ready Communities initiative; and
(3) meet federal and state accountability requirements.
(B) Students subsequently may use the results of these assessments to apply to college or to enter careers. The results must be added as part of each student's permanent record and maintained at the department for at least ten years. The purpose of the results is to provide instructional information to assist students, parents, and teachers to plan for each student's course selection. This course selection might include remediation courses, dual-enrollment or dual-credit courses, advanced placement courses/International Baccalaureate, internships, career and technology courses that are aligned with appropriate industry credentials or certificates, or other options during the remaining semesters in high school.
(1) For purposes of this section, 'eleventh grade students' means students in the third year of high school after their initial enrollment in the ninth grade.
(2) Valid accommodations must be provided according to the students' IEP or 504 plan. If a student also chooses to use the results of the college readiness assessment for post-secondary admission or placement, the student, his parent, or his guardian must indicate that choice in compliance with the testing vendor's deadline to ensure that the student may receive allowable accommodations consistent with the IEP or 504 plan that may yield a college reportable score.
(3) In the twelfth grade, and as aligned to the student's Individual Graduation Plan, if funds are available, the State shall provide all students the opportunity to take or retake a college readiness assessment, the career readiness assessment, and/or earn industry credentials or certifications at no cost to the students. The results of the assessments must be provided to each student, the respective schools, and to the State.
(4) A student with a disability, whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) team determines, and agrees in writing, that taking either of these assessments would not be aligned with the student's program of study and the student should not be administered either assessment, must not be administered either assessment.
(C) To maintain a comprehensive and cohesive assessment system that signals a student's preparedness for the next educational level and ultimately culminates in a clear indication of a student's preparedness for postsecondary success in a college or career and to satisfy federal and state accountability purposes, the State Department of Education shall procure and maintain a summative assessment system.
(1) The summative assessment must be administered to all students in grades three through eight. The summative assessment must assess students in English/language arts and mathematics, including those students as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and by Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. For purposes of this subsection, 'English/language arts' includes English, reading, and writing skills as required by existing state standards. The assessment must be a rigorous, achievement assessment that measures student mastery of the state standards, that provides timely reporting of results to educators, parents, and students, and that measures each student's progress toward college and career readiness. Therefore, the assessment or assessments must meet all of the following minimum requirements:
(a) compares performance of students in South Carolina to other students' performance on comparable standards in other states with the ability to link the scales of the South Carolina assessment to the scales from other assessments measuring those comparable standards;
(b) be a vertically scaled, benchmarked, standards-based system of summative assessments;
(c) measures a student's preparedness for the next level of their educational matriculation and individual student performance against the state standards in English/language arts, reading, writing, mathematics, and student growth;
(d) documents student progress toward national college and career readiness benchmarks derived from empirical research and state standards;
(e) establishes at least four student achievement levels;
(f) includes various test questions including, but not limited to, multiple choice, constructed response, and selected response, that require students to demonstrate their understanding of the content;
(g) be administered to all students in a computer-based format except for students with disabilities as specified in the student's IEP or 504 plan, and unless the use of a computer by these students is prohibited due to the vendor's restrictions on computer-based test security, in which case the paper version must be made available; and
(h) assists school districts and schools in aligning assessment, curriculum, and instruction.
(2)(a) Beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year, each school district shall administer the statewide summative assessment, with the exception of alternate assessments, for grades three through eight during the last twenty days of school as determined by the district's regular instructional calendar, not including make-up days. If an extension to the twenty-day time period is needed, the school district or charter school may submit a request for an extension to the State Board of Education before December first of the school year for which the waiver is requested. The request must clearly document the scope and rationale for the extension. The request also must be accompanied by an action plan showing how the district or charter school will be able to comply with the twenty-day time frame for the following school year.
(b) Statewide summative testing for each student may not exceed eight days each school year, with the exception of students with disabilities as specified in their IEPs or 504 plans.
(c) The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations outlining the procedures to be used during the testing process to ensure test security, including procedures for make-up days, and to comply with federal and state assessment requirements where necessary.
(d) In the event of school closure due to extreme weather or other disruptions that are not the fault of the district, or significant school or district technology disruptions that impede computer-based assessment administration, the school district or charter school may submit a request to the department to provide a paper-based administration to complete testing within the last twenty days of school. The request must clearly document the scope and cause of the disruption.
(3) Beginning with the 2017-2018 School Year, the department shall procure and administer the standards-based assessments of mathematics and English/language arts to students in grades three through eight. The department also shall procure and administer the standards-based assessment in science to students in grades four, six, and eight, and the standards-based assessment in social studies to students in grades five and seven.
(4) The State Department of Education shall reimburse districts for the administration of the college entrance and career readiness assessments.
(5) Formative assessments must continue to be adopted, selected, and administered pursuant to Section 59-18-310.
(6) Within thirty days after providing student performance data to the school districts as required by law, the department must provide to the Education Oversight Committee student performance results on assessments authorized in this subsection and end-of-course assessments in a format agreed upon by the department and the Oversight Committee. The results of these assessments must be included in state ratings for each school beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year. The Oversight Committee also must develop and recommend a single accountability system that meets federal and state accountability requirements by the Fall of 2017. While developing the single accountability system that will be implemented in the 2017-2018 School Year, the Education Oversight Committee shall determine the format of a transitional report card released to the public in the Fall of 2016 and 2017 that will also identify underperforming schools and districts. These transitional reports will, at a minimum, include the following: (1) school, district, and statewide student assessment results in reading and mathematics in grades three through eight; (2) high school and district graduation rates; and (3) measures of student college and career readiness at the school, district, and statewide level. These transitional reports will inform schools and districts, the public, and the Department of Education of school and district general academic performance and assist in identifying potentially underperforming schools and districts and in targeting technical assistance support and interventions in the interim before ratings are issued.
(7) When standards are subsequently revised, the Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and the Education Oversight Committee shall approve assessments pursuant to Section 59-18-320."
Tenth grade assessments
SECTION 9. Section 59-18-340 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 282 of 2008, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-340. High schools shall offer state-funded PSAT, pre-ACT, or tenth grade Aspire tests to each tenth grade student in order to assess and identify curricular areas that need to be strengthened and reinforced. Schools and districts shall use these assessments as diagnostic tools to provide academic assistance to students whose scores reflect the need for such assistance. Schools and districts shall use these assessments to provide guidance and direction for parents and students as they plan for postsecondary experiences."
Annual assessment reports, deadline exception
SECTION 10. Section 59-18-360 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 282 of 2008, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-360. Beginning with the 2010 assessment administration, the Department of Education is directed to provide assessment results annually on individual students and schools by August first, except when assessments are being updated and new achievement standards are being set, in a manner and format that is easily understood by parents and the public. In addition, the school assessment results must be presented in a format easily understood by the faculty and in a manner that is useful for curriculum review and instructional improvement. The department is to provide longitudinally matched student data from the standards-based assessments and include information on the performance of subgroups of students within the school. The department must work with the Division of Accountability in developing the formats of the assessment results. Schools and districts are responsible for disseminating this information to parents."
Annual report cards
SECTION 11. Section 59-18-900 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 289 of 2014, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-900. (A) The Education Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education, is directed to establish the format of a comprehensive, web-based, annual report card to report on the performance for the State and for individual primary, elementary, middle, high schools, career centers, and school districts of the State. The comprehensive report card must be in a reader-friendly format, using graphics whenever possible, published on the state, district, and school websites, and, upon request, printed by the school districts. The school's rating must be emphasized and an explanation of its meaning and significance for the school also must be reported. The annual report card must serve at least six purposes:
(1) inform parents and the public about the school's performance including, but not limited to, that on the home page of the report there must be each school's overall performance rating in a font size larger than twenty-six and the total number of points the school achieved on a zero to one hundred scale;
(2) assist in addressing the strengths and weaknesses within a particular school;
(3) recognize schools with high performance;
(4) evaluate and focus resources on schools with low performance;
(5) meet federal report card requirements; and
(6) document the preparedness of high school graduates for college and career.
(B)(1) The Education Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education and a broad-based group of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, parents, business and industry persons, community leaders, and educators, shall determine the criteria for and establish performance ratings of excellent, good, average, below average, and unsatisfactory for schools to increase transparency and accountability as provided below:
(a) Excellent - School performance substantially exceeds the criteria to ensure all students meet the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate;
(b) Good - School performance exceeds the criteria to ensure all students meet the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate;
(c) Average - School performance meets the criteria to ensure all students meet the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate;
(d) Below Average - School performance is in jeopardy of not meeting the criteria to ensure all students meet the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate; and
(e) Unsatisfactory - School performance fails to meet the criteria to ensure all students meet the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.
(2) The same categories of performance ratings also must be assigned to individual indicators used to measure a school's performance including, but not limited to, academic achievement, student growth or progress, graduation rate, English language proficiency, and college and career readiness.
(3) Only the scores of students enrolled continuously in the school from the time of the forty-five-day enrollment count to the first day of testing must be included in calculating the rating. Graduation rates must be used as an additional accountability measure for high schools and school districts.
(4) The Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education, shall establish student performance indicators which will be those considered to be useful for inclusion as a component of a school's overall performance and appropriate for the grade levels within the school.
(C) In setting the criteria for the academic performance ratings and the performance indicators, the Education Oversight Committee shall report the performance by subgroups of students in the school and schools similar in student characteristics. Criteria must use established guidelines for statistical analysis and build on current data-reporting practices.
(D) The comprehensive report card must include a comprehensive set of performance indicators with information on comparisons, trends, needs, and performance over time which is helpful to parents and the public in evaluating the school. In addition, the comprehensive report card must include indicators that meet federal law requirements. Special efforts are to be made to ensure that the information contained in the report card is provided in an easily understood manner and a reader-friendly format. This information should also provide a context for the performance of the school. Where appropriate, the data should yield disaggregated results to schools and districts in planning for improvement. The report card should include information in such areas as programs and curriculum, school leadership, community and parent support, faculty qualifications, evaluations of the school by parents, teachers, and students. In addition, the report card must contain other criteria including, but not limited to, information on promotion and retention ratios, disciplinary climate, dropout ratios, dropout reduction data, dropout retention data, access to technology, student and teacher ratios, and attendance data.
(E) After reviewing the school's performance on statewide assessments and results of other report card criteria, the principal, in conjunction with the School Improvement Council established in Section 59-20-60, must write an annual narrative of a school's progress in order to further inform parents and the community about the school and its efforts to ensure that all students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and opportunity to be college ready, career ready, and life ready for success in the global, digital, and knowledge-based world of the twenty-first century as provided in Section 59-1-50. The narrative must be reviewed by the district superintendent or appropriate body for a local charter school. The narrative must cite factors or activities supporting progress and barriers which inhibit progress. The school's report card must be furnished to parents and the public no later than November fifteenth for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 School Years. To further increase transparency and accountability, for the 2018-2019 School Year, the school's report card must be furnished to parents and the public no later than October first. For the 2019-2020 School Year, and every subsequent year, the school's report card must be furnished to parents and the public no later than September first.
(F) The percentage of new trustees who have completed the orientation requirement provided in Section 59-19-45 must be reflected on the school district website.
(G) The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations outlining the procedures for data collection, data accuracy, data reporting, and consequences for failure to provide data required in this section.
(H) The Education Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education, is directed to establish a comprehensive annual report concerning the performance of military-connected children who attend primary, elementary, middle, and high schools in this State. The comprehensive annual report must be in a reader-friendly format, using graphics whenever possible, published on the state, district, and school websites, and, upon request, printed by the school districts. The annual comprehensive report must address at least attendance, academic performance in reading, math, and science, and graduation rates of military-connected children."
Cyclical review of accountability systems
SECTION 12. Section 59-18-910 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 282 of 2008, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-910. Beginning in 2020, the Education Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education and a broad-based group of stakeholders, selected by the Education Oversight Committee, shall conduct a comprehensive cyclical review of the accountability system at least every five years and shall provide the General Assembly with a report on the findings and recommended actions to improve the accountability system and to accelerate improvements in student and school performance. The stakeholders must include the State Superintendent of Education and the Governor, or the Governor's designee. The other stakeholders include, but are not limited to, parents, business and industry persons, community leaders, and educators. The cyclical review must include recommendations of a process for determining if students are graduating with the world-class skills and life and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate to be successful in postsecondary education and in careers. The accountability system needs to reflect evidence that students have developed these skills and characteristics."
Charter school report cards, district ratings
SECTION 13. Section 59-18-920 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 164 of 2012, is further amended to read:
"Section 59-18-920. A charter school established pursuant to Chapter 40, Title 59 shall report the data requested by the Department of Education necessary to generate a report card and a rating. The performance of students attending charter schools sponsored by the South Carolina Public Charter School District must be included in the overall performance ratings of each school in the South Carolina Public Charter School District. The performance of students attending a charter school authorized by a local school district must be reflected on a separate line on the school district's report card. An alternative school is included in the requirements of this chapter; however, the purpose of an alternative school must be taken into consideration in determining its performance rating. The Education Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education and the School to Work Advisory Council, shall develop a report card for career and technology schools."
Publication of report cards
SECTION 14. Section 59-18-930(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 34 of 2009, is further amended to read:
"(A) The State Department of Education annually shall publish on its website home page the report card to all schools and districts of the State no later than November fifteenth, for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 School Years. To further increase transparency and accountability, for the 2018-2019 School Year, the school's report card must be furnished to parents and the public no later than October first. For the 2019-2020 School Year, and every subsequent year, the school's report card must be furnished to parents and the public no later than September first. The home page report card must be capable of being downloaded into a portable document format (PDF) and must contain National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores or other national scores or comparisons, if available. The report card summary must be made available to all parents of the school and the school district."
Repeal
SECTION 15. Section 59-18-950 of the 1976 Code is repealed.
Time effective
SECTION 16. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 6th day of June, 2017.
Approved the 10th day of June, 2017.
This web page was last updated on June 23, 2017 at 2:24 PM