JCSD Assessment Descriptions
Pre-K- 2
birth through kindergarten. It helps teachers to observe children in the context of everyday
experiences, which is an effective way to learn what they know and can do. GOLD is based on 38
objectives for development and learning that include predictors of school success; teachers use them
to focus their observations as they gather information to make classroom decisions. The assessment
components are Language and Literacy (R), Social-Emotional, Physical, Cognitive, Mathematics,
Science and Technology Social Studies, Arts and English Language Acquisition. The assessment is
administered the first and last 45 days of the school district’s instructional calendar.
measures a child’s school readiness across multiple domains. Understanding a child’s school
readiness helps kindergarten teachers best meet the child’s needs, and it helps schools, families,
communities and policy makers know how best to support young children as they enter the K-12
environment. The KRA determines each child’s readiness level from an evaluation of four domains:
Social Foundations, Language/Literacy, Mathematics, and Physical Well-Being. The KRA provides a
snapshot of students’ abilities at the beginning of the school year. The assessment is administered
during the first 45 days of the school district’s instructional calendar.
education programs. The purpose of the Performance Task Assessment is to identify students on
Dimension C of the SBE Regulation 43-220. Students who meet the criteria for Dimension A
(aptitude) or Dimension B (achievement), but not both, must take the primary level in grade 2
and/or 3 and the intermediate level in grade 4 and/or 5.
verbal and nonverbal domains. At the primary level, both the verbal and nonverbal domains have 5
items. On the primary assessment, item types include problem solving, writing, analogies, verbal
relationships, and vocabulary. The types of items on the primary nonverbal include arithmetic
problem solving, logic, spatial problem solving, spatial manipulation, and spatial transformation.
Most of the tasks have a 15 – minute time limit although exceptions for this are noted for each task.
This assessment is administered mid-February through mid-March.
K-12
limited English proficient students in grades K through 12 to comply with the requirements of the No
Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 USC 6301 et seq. (2002). This assessment is administered through
the WIDA Consortium from mid-January through mid-March.
Alternate ACCESS for ELLs® is an assessment of English language proficiency for students in grades 1
through 12 who are classified as multilingual learners (MLs) and have significant cognitive disabilities
that prevent their meaningful participation in the ACCESS for ELLs® assessment. This assessment will
also be available for those students who meet the criteria for an alternate assessment. All students in
grades K-12 who are determined to have limited English proficiency - 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 each spring. This includes those students whose parents have waived
direct MLP services.
3-8
Career-Ready Standards. SC READY English language Arts (ELA) items are aligned with the 2015 South
Carolina College- and Career-Ready Standards for English Language Arts; the mathematics items are
aligned with the 2015 South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Standards for Mathematics. The
Spring 2022–2023 Grades 4 and 6 Science Assessment will assess the South Carolina Academic
Standards and Performance Indicators for Science 2014.
specify what schools are expected to teach and what students are expected to learn. Academic
standards also include indicators that are statements of the specific cognitive processes and the
content knowledge and skills that students must demonstrate to meet the grade-level standards. SC
READY test items are written to assess the content knowledge and skills described in the academic
standards and indicators. The assessments are administered within the last 20 instructional days.
education programs. The purpose of the Performance Task Assessment is to identify students on
Dimension C of the SBE Regulation 43-220. Students who meet the criteria for Dimension A
(aptitude) or Dimension B (achievement), but not both, must take the primary level in grade 2
and/or 3 and the intermediate level in grade 4 and/or 5.
verbal and nonverbal domains. At the primary level, both the verbal and nonverbal domains have 5
items. On the primary assessment, item types include problem solving, writing, analogies, verbal
relationships, and vocabulary. The types of items on the primary nonverbal include arithmetic
problem solving, logic, spatial problem solving, spatial manipulation, and spatial transformation.
Most of the tasks have a 15 – minute time limit although exceptions for this are noted for each task.
This assessment is administered mid-February through mid-March.
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.
delivers all alternate assessment tests, including in ELA and Math in grades 3-8; Science in grades 4
and 6; and High School End-of-Course tests in English 2, Algebra I, Biology I, and U.S. History and the
Constitution. The SC-Alt is administered to students who meet the participation guidelines for
alternate assessment. This assessment is administered from mid-March through mid-April.
6-12
End of Course Examination Program (EOCEP)
The End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) is a 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 encourages instruction in the specific standards for the courses, encourages
student achievement, and documents the level of students’ mastery of the academic standards.
Gateway courses in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies will be defined by
the State Board of Education. EOCEP examination scores count 20 percent in the calculation of the
student’s final grade in gateway courses. Defined gateway courses currently include Algebra 1,
Intermediate Algebra, Biology 1, English 2, and United States History and the Constitution, or courses
with other names and activity codes in which the academic standards corresponding to these subjects
are taught.
Grade 10 Assessments
The Education Accountability Act requires that high schools offer PSAT or PreACT 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. PSAT/NMSQT are administered in October. PSAT 10 are administered midFebruary & mid-March.
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a standardized test co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Eighth grade students are eligible to take
the PSAT/NMSQT assessment to be considered for the South Carolina Junior Scholars program free of
charge. All 10th graders are eligible to take the PSAT/NMSQT free of charge. Other students may take
the PSAT/NMSQT for a nominal fee. Eleventh graders, PSAT scores are used to identify National Merit
Scholarships and award merit scholarships. As in the SAT, there are two sections: Math and Evidence Based Reading and Writing. Each section is scored on a 160 to 760 – point scale. The highest possible
PSAT/NMSQT score is 1520. The assessment is administered in October.
College Entrance Assessments- Districts must offer all eleventh-grade students the opportunity to take the ACT or the SAT college entrance assessment. Eleventh grade students are students in the third year of high school after their initial enrollment in the ninth grade. Fall and Spring administrations are completely separate.
ACT
The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in English, Mathematics, Reading and Science. The ACT Plus Writing includes the four subject area tests plus a 30-minute writing test. ACT results are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. For more information, visit http://www.act.org/.
SAT
The SAT is a product of the College Board that tests the subject matter learned by students in high school and how well they apply that knowledge—the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in college. The SAT is a globally-recognized college admission test used to measure a high school student's readiness for college
and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. The fall administration will be a paper-based assessment. The Spring assessment will be the first online
assessment of this test.. For more information, visit sat.collegeboard.org.
Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
Advanced Placement (AP) Exams are standardized exams designed to measure how well high school
students have mastered the content and skills of a specific AP course. AP examinations are administered each year in May and represent the culmination of a rigorous, college-level (AP) course. Most AP courses have an end-of year exam, but a few courses have different ways to assess what students have learned. Students that score well on the test may earn college placement and credit. AP courses utilize college-level curricula developed by the College Board for high schools
Civics Assessment
The James B. Edwards Civics Education Initiative requires student complete a test of civics knowledge. To meet this expectation, a locally-developed assessment of U.S. history, government, and civics is embedded in the District’s United States Government course. This assessment includes the nature, purpose, principles and structure of United States constitutional democracy, the principles, operations and documents of United States government, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Successful completion of the assessment is not a graduation requirement for students.
The test of civics knowledge occurs when students are enrolled in a U.S. Government course.
Each public school (including charters) must report the percentage of students required to
take the test who scored at or above the passing score to the Education Oversight
Committee, who will, in turn, reflect the results on school and district report cards.
South Carolina Career Ready Test
The South Carolina Career Ready Test is a career readiness assessment administered to all eleventh-grade students to measure the most common skills that employers define as foundational for career
readiness. Students are assessed in four key areas: Soft Skills Assessment, Math Assessment, Reading
Assessment and Data Assessment. Districts must administer The South Carolina Career Ready Test to
all 11th grade students based on 9GR. Eleventh-grade students are students in the third year of high
school after their initial enrollment in the ninth grade. Students in the 12th grade may take this
assessment in the spring as well. This assessment is administered in the fall for 12th grade students
beginning October 30th through November 10th. The assessment is administered in the Spring to both
11th and 12th grade students from mid-March until mid-April. Schools will provide a test date and
emergency/make-up date.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation’s Report Card, was
first administered in 1969 and 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. Standard administration practices are implemented to provide a common measure of student
achievement. Teachers, principals, parents, policymakers, and researchers all use NAEP results to
assess progress and develop ways to improve education in the United States. State-level results
provide information about student achievement in South Carolina, while also allowing for comparisons
between our state and other states, regions, and the nation. 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. First,
schools are selected to be representative of schools statewide on the basis of characteristics such as
school location, minority enrollment, level of school achievement, and average income of the
geographic area. Then, within each school, students are randomly selected to participate. Each
participating student represents hundreds of other similar students.