Development News for Simpsonville, South Carolina

South Carolina Updates Teacher Certification Exams and Requirements

Updates were provided regarding changes to certification assessment programs. A recommendation will be made to the State Board in June to adopt Praxis 5091 as an additional option for physical education certification. This assessment is similar to Praxis 5095 but lacks constructed response questions, making it slightly cheaper and faster to score. It is used in more states than 5095. The chosen passing score is 152, aligning with North Carolina's standard. If approved, it will be available starting July 1. Candidates applying for PE certification are advised to wait until after July 1 if possible. Additionally, changes are being implemented for reading assessments and elementary education certification, requiring a reading assessment for early childhood, elementary, and special education fields starting September 1, 2026, as mandated by the Read to Succeed Act. The cut scores for the literacy teacher endorsement are increasing from 159 to 165 for Praxis 5205 and Pearson 890. For initial certification in early childhood and elementary education, new assessment categories will be introduced, including specific reading exams (Praxis 5205 or Pearson 890) with slightly lower passing scores than for endorsements. The Praxis 5000 series for elementary education will be discontinued after August 31, 2027, with a recommendation to transition to the Praxis 8000 series, which is STEPS enabled. The 7811 series for content knowledge will be eliminated August 31, 2024. Bundling options for elementary exams are being developed.

SC Dept of Education Surveys Employers and Completers for Ed Prep Report Card

The South Carolina Department of Education is reminding Educational Preparation Providers (EPPs) about employer and completer surveys sent out in late May, approximately three weeks prior to the meeting. These surveys align with the Ed Prep report card and aim to gather satisfaction data. The data collected will not be shared publicly at a disaggregated level to protect candidate anonymity. Reminders are currently being sent, and further information will be provided as data is collected. This initiative is intended to support EPPs with CAPE Standard 4 and annual assurance data collection.