S.C. Code Ann. § 59-18-900 – Development of comprehensive annual report cards; academic performance ratings; promulgation of regulations

(A) The Education Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education, is directed to establish a comprehensive annual report card, its format, and an executive summary of the report card to report on the performance for the individual primary, elementary, middle, high schools, and school districts of the State. The comprehensive report card must be in a reader-friendly format, using graphics whenever possible, published on the state, district, and school website, and, upon request, printed by the school districts. The school's ratings on academic performance must be emphasized and an explanation of their significance for the school and the district also must be reported. The annual report card must serve at least five purposes:
1. (1) inform parents and the public about the school's performance;
2. (2) assist in addressing the strengths and weaknesses within a particular school;
3. (3) recognize schools with high performance;
4. (4) evaluate and focus resources on schools with low performance; and
5. (5) meet federal report card requirements.
(B) The Education Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education and a broad-based group of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, parents, business and industry persons, community leaders, and educators, shall determine the criteria for and establish five academic performance ratings of excellent, good, average, below average, and school/district at-risk. Schools and districts shall receive a rating for absolute and growth performance. Only the scores of students enrolled in the school at the time of the forty-five-day enrollment count shall be used to determine the absolute and growth ratings. Graduation rates must be used as an additional accountability measure for high schools and school districts. The Oversight Committee, working with the State Board of Education, shall establish three student performance indicators which will be those considered to be useful for assessing a school's overall performance and appropriate for the grade levels within the school.
The student performance levels are: Not Met, Met, and Exemplary. "Not Met" means that the student did not meet the grade level standard. "Met" means the student met the grade level standard. "Exemplary" means the student demonstrated exemplary performance in meeting the grade level standard. For purposes of reporting as required by federal statute, "proficiency" shall include students performing at Met or Exemplary.
(C) In setting the criteria for the academic performance ratings and the performance indicators, the Education Oversight Committee shall report the performance by subgroups of students in the school and schools similar in student characteristics. Criteria must use established guidelines for statistical analysis and build on current data-reporting practices.
(D) The comprehensive report card must include a comprehensive set of performance indicators with information on comparisons, trends, needs, and performance over time which is helpful to parents and the public in evaluating the school. Special efforts are to be made to ensure that the information contained in the report card is provided in an easily understood manner and a reader-friendly format. This information should also provide a context for the performance of the school. Where appropriate, the data should yield disaggregated results to schools and districts in planning for improvement. The report card should include information in such areas as programs and curriculum, school leadership, community and parent support, faculty qualifications, evaluations of the school by parents, teachers, and students. In addition, the report card must contain other criteria including, but not limited to, information on promotion and retention ratios, disciplinary climate, dropout ratios, dropout reduction data, student and teacher ratios, and attendance data.
(E) After reviewing the school's performance on statewide assessments, the principal, in conjunction with the School Improvement Council established in Section 59-20-60, must write an annual narrative of a school's progress in order to further inform parents and the community about the school and its operation. The narrative must be reviewed by the district superintendent or appropriate body for a local charter school. The narrative must cite factors or activities supporting progress and barriers which inhibit progress. The school's report card must be furnished to parents and the public no later than November fifteenth.
(F) The percentage of new trustees who have completed the orientation requirement provided in Section 59-19-45 must be reflected on the school district website.
(G) The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations outlining the procedures for data collection, data accuracy, data reporting, and consequences for failure to provide data required in this section.