South Carolina
Teaching Standards and Leadership Standards
Teaching Standards
Is working with students with disabilities and meeting the needs of students with disabilities addressed in state teaching standards?
Two key elements of the ADEPT Performance Standards for Classroom-based Teachers specifically address the developmental needs of students with disabilities.
The teacher establishes appropriate standards-based long-range learning and developmental goals for all students. The teacher’s goals are aligned with relevant federal, state, and local requirements and reflect the applicable grad-level academic standards. For preschool children and students with severe disabilities, the teacher’s goals align with appropriate developmental and/or functional expectations. (1.B)
The teacher develops unit objectives that facilitate student achievement of appropriate academic standards and long-range learning and developmental goals. There is a clear connection between the unit objectives and grade-level academic standards (or, for preschool children or students with severe disabilities, between the unit objectives and appropriate developmental and/or functional expectations). (2.A)
Source: ADEPT Performance Standards for Classroom-based Teachers
School Leadership Standards
Is knowledge of working with students with disabilities included in leader standards?
State regulation 43-165.1 required the State Board of Education to adopt statewide performance standards and criteria. School districts are required to use these standards for the purpose of conducting evaluations and guiding professional development for school principals. The Board adopted the Performance Standards and Criteria for South Carolina Evaluation. While the standards and criteria do not specifically require knowledge of working with students with disabilities, each standard defines the school principals as “an educational leader who fosters the success of all students.”
Sources:
State regulation 43-165.1
Performance Standards and Criteria for South Carolina Principal Evaluation
Teacher and Principal Preparation
Teacher Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Required course work in teaching special education students/ diverse learners
The South Carolina State Board of Education requires that all teacher education programs meet the performance-based standards as established by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Standard four of the NCATE Unit Standards, states that
- Candidates learn to contextualize teaching and draw effectively on representations from the students’ own experiences and cultures. They challenge students toward cognitive complexity and engage all students, including English language learners and students with exceptionalities, through instructional conversation. (4.a)
- Candidates in conventional and distance learning programs interact with professional education faculty, faculty in other units, and school faculty from a broad range of diverse groups. Higher education and school faculty with whom candidates work throughout their preparation program are knowledgeable about and sensitive to preparing candidates to work with diverse students, including students with exceptionalities.(4.b)
Sources:
SC Code of Regulations Unannotated Article 6 43-90
NCATE Unit Standards
Clinical time in diverse settings/teaching special populations
Educator preparation programs and other school personnel preparation program must provide field experiences (also know as the practicum) that provide candidates with a variety of progressive experiences in multiple and diverse settings. All candidates must complete a minimum of 100 hours of field experiences prior to clinical practice (student teaching) at the initial undergraduate level. At the initial graduate level, all candidates must complete a minimum of 75 hours of files experiences prior to clinical practice.
Source: South Carolina Department of Education, Standards, Policies, and Procedures for South Carolina Educator Preparation Units
Teacher Preparation – Accountability
Quality of teacher preparation programs
South Carolina does collect some program-specific, objective data that reflect program performance. The state collects results from new teacher performance evaluations and requires at least a 95 percent pass rate. South Carolina posts Praxis II and evaluation pass rates on its website.
Source: 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in South Carolina, National Council on Teacher Quality
Principal Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Require course work in leading a school/district that serves special education students/diverse learners
State regulation 43-64 outlines the requirements for administrator certification. While all principal certifications require a master’s degree and the traditional Tier 1 certification for elementary and secondary school principals requires the completing of an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the training of principals and supervisors, the regulation does not specifically required course work in leading a school/district that serves special education students/diverse learners.
Source: DOE, Office of Educator Certification, South Carolina Educator Certification Manual, R 43-64(A)(B)(C)(D)
Principal Preparation – Accountability
Are programs reviewed based on outcomes of graduates’ success? Can school principals be linked back to institutions of higher education and preparation programs?
Our initial policy scan did not generate information about such principal/administrator program accountability.
Teacher and Principal Certification/Licensure
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Structure
Is a specific certificate, license or endorsement related to special education required?
South Carolina does not distinguish between elementary and secondary special education teachers. The state offers only a K-12 special education certification.
Source: 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in South Carolina, National Council on Teacher Quality
Teacher Certification – Examination
Does the state require teachers to pass a basic skills exam for initial certification? What are the pass rates on the exams? Does the state require Praxis II or more pedagogical assessment for licensure? Does it include anything about teaching diverse learners or special populations?
Applicants entering approved teacher preparation programs must take the Praxis I. Praxis II is required for each area of certification. The Principles of Learning and Teaching test is required for all K-12 certificates.
Source: South Carolina Test Requirements, ETS
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is professional development around working with special populations required to move from initial to a professional license?
Regulation 43-53 outlines the different types of certification and requirements for advancement. Regulation 43-51 outlines acceptable advanced degrees for the purpose of advancing a credential from one classification to another. The regulations do not outline required professional development in working with special populations to advance from an initial to a professional license.
Source: Education Certification Manuel, Regulation 43-51 I.A.1 and Regulation 43-53
Principal Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is prior teaching experience required to become a principal and/or a superintendent? Is specific coursework or other evidence required around working with special populations?
The state of South Carolina requires school leaders to obtain a master’s degree and pass a test.
Principals: Candidates must have a masters degree, a valid South Carolina Educator’s Professional Certificate at the elementary level or secondary level and minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education. Also required are at least three years teaching experience, including at least one year of teaching in grades pre-K–8 or 9-12 and completion of an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the training of elementary or secondary principals and supervisors.
Superintendents: Candidates must have a masters degree, a valid South Carolina Professional Certificate at the elementary, middle or secondary level and minimum qualifying score(s) on the area examination(s) required by the State Board of Education. Also required are at least three years of experience as a pre-k-12 or postsecondary teacher and two years as a school or school district administrator, post secondary administrator, or school business administrator. Candidates must complete an advanced program approved by the State Board of Education for the training of school superintendents.
Sources:
Operating in the Dark, George W. Bush Institute
DOE, Office of Educator Certification, South Carolina Educator Certification Manual, R 43-64(A)(B)(C)(D)
Administrator License Requirements, Portability, Waivers and Alternative Certification, ECS
Teacher and Principal Induction
Teacher Induction
Is mentoring required for all new teachers (special education) and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically address teaching diverse learners?
State law requires school districts to provide every new teacher with “a formalized induction program” during their first year of employment. [South Carolina Code of Laws (SCCL) Section 59-26-40]
Source: Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction (2012), New Teacher Center
Principal Induction
Is coaching/mentoring required for all new principals/administrators/ superintendents and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically serving diverse learners?
The state requires school districts to provide all first-year school principals with a formalized induction program State law requires every new “building level principal, director of a specialized education unit, or occupational education center director” to participate in the Principal Induction Program. [SCCL Section 59-24-80]
The Program seeks three outcomes for participants: (1) Professional Development — The program includes an orientation and follow-up sessions to provide training in instructional leadership, assessment and management skills essential to success in the principalship. If a participant meets all course requirements, he or she may earn six hours of recertification credit or one hundred-twenty (120) hours of renewal credit; (2) Support — Each participant is paired with an experienced principal who serves as a leadership coach throughout the induction year; and (3) Collegiality — Through the orientation, participants form a network for sharing resources and ideas. Principal Induction Program follow-up sessions during the induction year provide a forum for exchanging ideas and sharing effective leadership practices and strategies that impact their success as new leaders.
Source: Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction (2012), New Teacher Center
Teacher and Principal Professional Development Standards
Teacher Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for teacher PD?
Our initial policy scan did not generate information about professional development standards for teachers.
Principal Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for leadership PD?
Standard nine of the Performance Standards and Criteria for South Carolina Principal Evaluation requires school principals to foster the success of all students by “using available resources and opportunities for professional growth.” To achieve this goal, principals are expected to:
- Develop and implement an appropriate plan for professional development consistent with school and district goals.
- Establish and maintain a professional network with other administrators.
- Comply with district and state professional development requirements.
- Participate in staff development activities to understand the complex role of teaching and effective instructional practices
While the performance standards for principals state that principals are responsible of using available resources and opportunities for professional growth, our initial policy scan did not generate information about professional development standards for principals.
Source: Performance Standards and Criteria for South Carolina Principal Evaluation