The State Board of Education, through the State Department of Education, shall:

1. (a) Establish statewide educational objectives in the basic skills for kindergarten through grade twelve and establish minimum standards of student achievement for readiness and Grades 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 11. The term 'basic skills' shall include mathematics and the communication skills of reading and writing. The minimum standards for readiness and Grades 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 11 shall be designed to reflect the level of skill mastery, as determined by the State Board of Education, each student is expected to have attained at the various grades.

2. (b)

   1. (1) Establish a state basic skills assessment program that shall include the administration to all public school students at the beginning of grade one a readiness test that will be designed to measure a student's readiness to begin the formal school curriculum. The results of the readiness test shall be used to provide appropriate developmental activities in the first grade.
   2. (2) Provide for the administration of the readiness test at the beginning of the school year in grade one. Based on the results of the test, the school district shall advise the parents of any student not indicating readiness for first grade work to secure a complete physical examination for that child. Such advice by the school district shall contain information about local governmental health services that are available.

3. (c)

   1. (1) As a part of the basic skills assessment program, develop or select criterion-referenced tests that can measure student achievement in reading and mathematics in grades one, two and three against the standard established for each of those respective grades.
   2. (2) Cause to be administered the tests provided for herein to all public school students at the end of grades one, two and three. The purpose of the tests shall be that of diagnosis of student deficiencies and that of an aid in determining instruction needed by the student in achieving the minimum statewide standard established for each respective grade.

4. (d)

   1. (1) As a part of the basic skills assessment program, develop or select criterion-referenced tests that can measure student achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in grades six and eight against the standard established for each of those respective grades.
   2. (2) Cause to be administered the test provided for grade six to all public school students at the end of grade six and shall cause to be administered the test provided for grade eight to all public school students at the end of grade eight. The purpose of the tests shall be that of diagnosis of student deficiencies and that of an aid in determining instruction needed by the student in achieving the minimum statewide standard established for each respective grade.
5. (e) Develop or select, and field test, tests that will measure student achievement in the basic skills areas of reading, writing, and mathematics at the end of grade 11 which shall include items requiring the application of school skills to life situations. The field test shall be conducted for the purpose of establishing the reliability and validity of the test.

6. (f) Beginning in the school year 1981-82 and continuing through the school year 1984-85, administer the test specified in item (e) of this section to all students in grade eleven for the purpose of collecting baseline data. The Department of Education shall use the baseline data for the purpose of program assessment and shall provide assistance to those schools or districts in which the data indicate that program adjustment or modification is most needed due to inordinate numbers of children not passing the test. The State Board of Education shall use the baseline data for the purpose of determining the high school credentials to be awarded students not meeting the minimum achievement scores. Beginning with the school year 1985-86, the eleventh grade examination may be no longer administered and the board shall cause to be administered an exit examination to all tenth grade students. Local school districts shall establish remedial programs to assist those students who do not pass the examination. Passage of this exit examination is a condition for the receipt of a state high school diploma for those students who otherwise meet the requirements for the diploma during the school year 1989-90 and thereafter. Additionally, during the school year 1989-90 and thereafter individuals participating in adult education programs must pass the exit examination as an additional requirement for the receipt of a state high school diploma. Failure to pass the examination obligates the student to enroll in a remedial program. Students who do not pass the examination in the tenth grade must retake the test in the eleventh grade and may retake the test twice in the twelfth grade, thereby providing students with four opportunities to pass the exit examination. If an individual exits the school system at the end of the twelfth grade without having passed the exit examination, he shall be awarded an appropriate State certificate indicating the number of credits earned and grades completed or may be offered the opportunity to:

   1. (1) accept a certificate indicating the number of credits earned and grades completed instead of a diploma;
   2. (2) return in the fall as a senior if he is under the maximum age for attending high school, fully enroll in school, and retake the exit examination twice if necessary in the same manner it is offered to other seniors;
   3. (3) enroll in the summer school exit exam program established below; or

   4. (4) enroll in adult education.

      For a student who has failed to pass the exit examination after four chances and who certifies that his military, educational, or other career goals must be placed on hold as a result of his failure to pass the exit exam, a summer testing of the exit exam following a remediation program in summer school after the student's twelfth grade year may be offered to allow these students to move forward with their career in a timely manner. If the student fails the exit exam following this summer program, he must then be offered the options (1), (2), or (4) referred to above. All costs related to the summer school program and summer testing of the exit exam must be paid by the student.

7. (g) Use utmost care to insure that to the maximum extent feasible, within existing knowledge and technology cultural bias is eliminated in the tests administered as a part of the basic skills assessment program.
8. (h) Purchase and distribute necessary materials for the assessment program and train state and local staff and teachers to administer the tests in the assessment program and to interpret the results of those tests.
9. (i) Provide for the security and integrity of the tests that are administered under the assessment program.
10. (j) Revise and update the tests administered under the assessment program as deemed appropriate by the department.
11. (k) Render advice and aid to school districts concerning their curricula and the assessment program.
12. (l) Report the results of the program annually to the Governor, the General Assembly, the school districts and to the general public, together with any recommendations of the South Carolina Basic Skills Advisory Commission created pursuant to Section 59-30-20.
13. (m) Consult with such commission concerning the implementation of, or major changes to, the provisions of this chapter.
14. (n) Provide school districts with information concerning basic instructional programs which have been demonstrated to be effective in developing readiness skills or in the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. The Department of Education shall encourage school districts to adopt programs that are determined to be appropriate to the needs of their students.

15. (o) Provide appropriate office space, staff, equipment and supplies to the Basic Skills Advisory Commission.

    Establish statewide educational objectives in science for grades one through eight and establish minimum standards of student achievement for grades three, six, and eight. The State Board of Education, through the Department of Education, also shall develop and field-test, as part of the Basic Skills Assessment Program, criterion-referenced tests that will measure student achievement in science in grades three, six, and eight against the standards established for each of these respective grades and cause to be administered the tests provided for herein to all public school students at the end of grades three, six, and eight. The purpose of the test is that of diagnosis of student deficiencies and that of an aid in determining instruction needed by the student in achieving the minimum statewide standard established for each respective grade.