May 19, 2020
ACCOUNTABILITY
Interoperability Standards in State Reporting and Communication
AUDIENCE: District Superintendents, Information Technology Leaders, Report Card/Accountability Coordinators
CONTACT: Dan Ralyea, [email protected]

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) provides state sponsored student information systems as a support for districts and a uniform source for student data. The utility of that data can be increased by allowing multiple data sources to share data across systems. Building the connectors that facilitate that sharing is a limiting factor in the effective use of data at the state and district levels. To mitigate the costs associated with sharing data across systems, the SCDE is adopting a series of interoperability standards for data exchange that will save the state and school districts time and money and improve data quality.


EARLY LEARNING AND LITERACY
2019–20 Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Required Reporting
AUDIENCE: District Superintendents, Instructional Leaders, Read to Succeed Coordinators
CONTACT: Quincie Moore, [email protected] , 803-737-3150

Act 213 requires all districts and charter schools to report data on the implementation of MTSS and universal screening procedures. The South Carolina Department of Education will combine this data to present to the State Board of Education and General Assembly. These district reports are due to the SCDE by June 30, 2020. 


EDUCATOR LEADERSHIP
Special Areas Evaluation Pilot and Training Opportunities
AUDIENCE: District Superintendents
CONTACT: Beverly Flythe, [email protected] , 803-896-0318

To ensure districts are ready for the transition to a new special areas evaluation process, the Office of Educator Effectiveness and Leadership Development will provide evaluator and train-the-trainer sessions beginning summer 2020. Evaluator training will be available in online modules for each special area model; however, evaluators will need district approval to register.


FINANCE
Carryforward Authority
AUDIENCE: District Superintendents, Business Officials

The South Carolina General Assembly has adopted a Continuing Resolution to continue the operation of state government in Fiscal Year 2021 at the Fiscal Year 2020 appropriation levels.

Based upon this authority, school districts will be allowed to carry forward, for an additional year, all state funding appropriated in Fiscal Year 2019. Districts will now have until June 30, 2021, to expend all general fund, EIA, and lottery funds allocated in Fiscal Year 2019.

Carryforward Authority  PDF (131 KB)

STANDARDS AND LEARNING
Instructional Delivery of Erin’s Law During School Closure
AUDIENCE: District Superintendents, Instructional Leaders
CONTACT: Anne Pressley, [email protected] , 803-734-8574 or Sherrie Beaver, [email protected] , 803-734-6267

Section 59-32-20 requires instruction in sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention, with separate units appropriate for each age level from four-year-old kindergarten through twelfth grade, which is often referred to as Erin’s Law. The below linked memorandum is provides guidance to schools that were not able to provide this instruction prior to the school closure.

Social Studies Instruction and Assessment in 2020–21
AUDIENCE: Instructional Leaders, Test Coordinators

To support effective implementation of the 2019 South Carolina Social Studies College and Career Ready Standards, school districts will have the option to delay their implementation until the 2021–22 academic year or to proceed with their implementation in 2020–21. Districts who opt to implement the 2019 standards during 2020–21 may do so with the exception of United States History and the Constitution.


South Carolina Department of Education