South Carolina Department of Education Releases End-of-Course and Career Readiness Assessments

Press Release

Today, the South Carolina Department of Education released statewide public school results for Ready to Work (R2W) and the End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) assessment tests taken for high school courses in school year 2021-22.

“We acknowledge the growth and improvement shown in the results as compared to 2021, but we also recognize that there is significant work to be done,” said State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman. “Preparing students to meet college- and career- readiness standards must not just be an aspiration in our state. It’s a responsibility that all of us must play a role in, as we pursue meaningful solutions. This is just one measure of student performance that we will use to guide the work ahead. We will build on the progress and look forward to exploring and pursuing meaningful actions that will make an impact on student achievement.”

Several initiatives have been implemented on the state and local level, including a Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) professional learning program and a partnership with the South Carolina State Library to provide free online tutoring for South Carolina students through federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. ESSER funds have also been used to create a new Instruction Hub, a digital library for all teachers to provide access to high-quality, effective resources aligned to the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready standards.

End-of-Course Examination Program

The End-of-Course Examination Program provides tests in high school core courses and for courses taken in middle school for high school credit. The EOCEP tests the following subject areas: Algebra 1; English 2; US History and the Constitution; and Biology 1.

The EOCEP encourages instruction in the specific academic standards for the courses, encourages student achievement, and documents the level of students’ mastery of the academic standards. Additionally, EOCEP examination scores count 20 percent in the calculation of the student’s final grade in gateway courses.

The mean score for Algebra increased from 65.84 in 2021 to 68.12 in 2022, nearly returning to the pre-pandemic mean scores of 68.34. Biology and U.S. History means scores also increased in 2022 but were lower than in 2019, while English 2 mean scores were nearly identical at 76.54 in 2021 and 76.52 in 2022.

EOCEP data by subject showed mixed results. While the number of students scoring F decreased in all subjects but U.S. History, the percentage of F scores remains significant in Algebra (34.01%), Biology (42.52%) and U.S. History and the Constitution (43.55%). Nearly 16% of students taking the English 2 EOCEP exam scored F.

Ready to Work

Ready to Work (R2W), which is administered through WIN Learning, is a career-readiness assessment that was administered to all 11th-grade students for the first time in the spring of 2018 to determine student achievement in three key subjects: Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information.

R2W also includes the Essential Soft Skills assessment that provides information about a student’s skills in areas such as problem solving, goal setting, decision-making, and self-direction. These skills play a vital role in workplace success.

Of the 6,616 students tested in 2021-2022, 62.2 percent earned certificates. R2W provides a customized credential that shows a student’s ability to perform complex tasks and their qualifications for a broad range of jobs. There are four certificate levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. To earn a Bronze certificate, the student must score a minimum of 3 on all assessments (Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information). For Silver a minimum of 4 is required, for Gold a minimum of 5 is required, and for Platinum a minimum of 6 is required.

The SCDE did not administer statewide WorkKeys assessment examinations last year, but they were administered at the district level. State, School District, and School Level Data for End-of-Course and Career Readiness assessments can be accessed by visiting:

End-of-Course Examination Program

Ready to Work

WorkKeys

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