Page 45 - Student Handbook- Bethune Elementary 2018-2019_Neat

SC PASS- SOUTH CAROLINA PALMETTO ASSESSMENT OF STATE STANDARDS: The South Carolina
Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS) is a statewide assessment administered to students in grades
four through eight. All students in these grade levels are required to take the SCPASS except those who qualify for
the South Carolina Alternate Assessment (SC-Alt). SCPASS includes tests in two subjects: science and social
studies.

SC READY- SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE AND CAREER-READY ASSESSMENTS: The South Carolina
College-and Career-Ready Assessments (SC READY) are statewide assessments in English language arts (ELA)
and mathematics that will meet all of the requirements of Acts 155 and 200, the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), and the Assessments
Peer Review guidance.
All students in grades 3–8 are required to take the SC READY except those who qualify for the South Carolina
National Center and State Collaborative (SC-NCSC).

SOUTH CAROLINA ACADEMIC STANDARDS: Standards outline 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. ELA and mathematics standards and supporting documents are available on the South
Carolina Department of Education website: http://ed.sc.gov/instruction/standards-learning/

KNOW THE STANDARDS

There are six key reasons why parents should be familiar with South Carolina's academic standards:
1. Standards set clear, high expectations for student achievement. Standards tell what students need to do in order
to progress through school on grade level.
2. Standards guide efforts to measure student achievement. Results of tests on grade-level academic standards
show if students have learned and teachers have taught for mastery.
3. Standards promote educational equity for all. Instruction in every school in the state is based on the same
academic standards.
4. Standards inform parents about the academic expectations for their child. Standards give parents more specific
information for helping their child at home.
5. Standards enable parents to participate more actively in parent/teacher conferences. Knowledge of the
academic standards helps parents understand more about what their child is learning and what they can do at each
grade level.
6. Standards help parents see how the current grade level expectations are related to successive years’
expectations.

SMOKE FREE: In accordance with Board Policy GBED, all Kershaw County schools are smoke-free facilities.
Tobacco use includes smokeless tobacco products as well as other products. We ask that parents and visitors
adhere to this policy while in school or in our car rider line. Please do not smoke on campus including in the car rider
area. Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated as we wish to model healthy behavior for our students.

SPECIAL SERVICES: Our school has a Response to Intervention (RTI) team which accepts referrals/suggestions
from parents and teachers concerning students who are experiencing educational and/or behavioral difficulties.
Students whose disabilities meet state and federal guidelines will be offered special education services as
determined by an IEP (individualized education plan) committee consisting of the child’s parents and school
personnel. Please contact your child’s teacher, guidance counselor, or administrator to communicate a parent
concern.