The South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessments (SC READY) program is a statewide assessment in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, science and social studies administered to students in grades 3–8 as required by the Education Accountability Act (EAA). The EAA was amended in 2018 to shorten testing by reducing the number of grade levels tested in social studies to grades 5 and 7 and for science to grades 4, 6, and 8.
For the 2024-25 school year, Proviso 1.72 of the General Appropriations Bill suspended testing of grade 8 in science and grades 5 and 7 in social studies. As a result, students will be assessed in grades 4 and 6 in science. SC READY social studies will not be assessed in grades 3-8 during the 2024-25 school year.
South Carolina Academic Standards
SC READY Assessment items measure student performance on the South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Standards. SC READY English language Arts (ELA) items are aligned with the 2024 South Carolina College- and Career- Ready Standards for English Language Arts; the mathematics items are aligned with the 2015 South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Standards for Mathematics. The Spring 2024-2025 Grades 4 and 6 Science Assessment will assess the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021.
The SC READY test items are aligned to the standards for each subject and grade level. Standards specify 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.
Student Participation
All students are required to participate in SC READY (grades 3-8 ELA and mathematics, and in grades 4 and 6 for science). These participation requirements do not include those students who qualify to participate in the South Carolina Alternate Assessments (SC-Alt) for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
Format of the Tests
South Carolina state law (SC Code Sections 1-1-696; 1-1-697; and, 1-1-698) mandates that all statewide assessments are administered in English. Foreign language translations of test items and response options are not allowed; however, translations of the test directions are permitted.
Each SC READY test is designed to be administered on a separate day (ELA Writing, ELA Reading, mathematics, and science).
- ELA Format
- The ELA test is composed of two sub tests - writing and reading.
- Mathematics Format
- For the 2025-2026 school year, Mathematics Part A and Mathematics Part B will be administered on consecutive days for grades 3 - 5. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, in grades 6 - 8, the order of the "calculator" and "no calculator" sections will change. Students will complete the "no calculator" section first, followed by the "calculator" section. These sections must be given in that order, which is the order they are presented in test booklets and online. The entire mathematics test for grades 6-8 is designed to be administered in a single school day.
- Science Format
- The science test is designed to be administered in one day.
Timing
The SC READY assessments are not timed. The estimated times are provided to assist with classroom scheduling.
Estimated Times for the SC READY Assessments for 2025-2026
| Grades |
Assessment |
Estimated Time |
| 3-8 |
ELA Writing |
1 hour, 40 minutes |
| 3-5 |
ELA Reading Part A & Part B |
Each 90 minutes |
| 6-8 |
ELA Reading |
90 minutes |
| 3-5 |
Mathematics Part A & Part B |
Each 60 Minutes |
| 6-8 |
Mathematics |
1 hour, 40 minutes |
| 4 and 6 |
Science |
90 minutes |
ELA, mathematics, and science assessments include test questions with varying degrees of difficulty.
- ELA
- The ELA test consists of selected-response (SR) items in grades 3-8, technology-enhanced (TE) items in grades 4-8, and evidence-based selected-response (EBSR) items in grades 5-8. The ELA test also includes a Text-Dependent Writing (TDW) item. The TDW items requires that students read a passage(s) and respond to a prompt or task while drawing upon the text(s) for their written responses.
- Mathematics
- The mathematics test contains selected response items (grades 3-8), multi-select items (grades 3-8), and technology-enhanced (grades 3-8) items. Technology-enhanced items include items such as drag and drop, hot spot, drop down list, keypad input, and constructed-response.
- Science
- The science test consists of SR, EBSR, and TE item types : drag and drop, hot spot (click to select), match interaction (click to select based on criteria), and text highlight. Constructed-response items are bar graph (click to generate bars on a graph), numeric response, and drop-down list. Tests also include stimulus sets consisting of a short passage that may contain a graph, map, diagram, etc. and three associated questions.
Online Testing Requirements
The Education Accountability Act (EAA) requires statewide tests to be administered online in grades 3-8. However, paper-based testing is available for students with disabilities who cannot take online assessments due to their disabilities as specified in their IEP or 504 plans, and for multilingual learners (MLs) if specified in their Individualized Language Acquisition Plan (ILAP).
The Technology Technical Assistance Proviso (Proviso 1.57) in the General Appropriations Bill for FY 2025–26 allows districts and public charter schools to request a waiver from the State Board of Education (SBE) to administer the tests on paper. Additionally, districts may complete a waiver request to administer the SC READY TDW (text dependent writing) test on paper for third-and fourth-grade students. Additional information on the waivers was provided to districts in the Waivers for SC READY for 2025-26 Memorandum. The deadline to submit waiver requests is August 15, 2025. All WAIVER REQUESTS should be submitted using the Waiver Request Form.
Test Window for 2025-26
- Online Test Window: Last twenty (20) days of school as determined by the district’s instructional calendar.
- Paper Test Window: First 10 days of each district’s twenty-day testing window as determined by the district’s instructional calendar.
- ALL paper testing for SC READY must be completed by the 10th day of the district’s twenty-day window. A district that receives a waiver for both paper testing and to extend the testing window, may administer paper tests in the first ten days of their standard twenty-day window as well as in the additional days granted by waiver prior to that window
- All grade 3 ELA tests must be administered during the first week of the test window to support the accelerated reporting schedule (for the preliminary rosters).
- ALL answer documents containing students’ responses must be shipped overnight to the contractor within three days of the completion of paper testing but shipped no later than May 30 for arrival on June 2.
Key Dates for 2025-26
Dates will be added as information becomes available. Please note that dates are subject to change.
| Event |
Date |
| Technology Coordinator Webinar |
August 13, 2025 |
| Precode Data Collection (print file) |
February 11, 2026 |
| Precode Data Collection (update file) |
February 25, 2026 |
| DRC INSIGHT Ordering Window |
January 5 - January 23, 2026 |
| Pretest Workshop Webinar for DTCs |
March 4, 2026 |
| Pretest Workshop Webinar for STCs |
March 12 or March 19, 2026 |
| Student and Test Management available for online testing |
March 26, 2026 |
| Test materials arrive in districts |
March 26, 2026 |
| Additional Materials Window |
March 27 - May 28, 2026 |
| Online Testing Window |
The last twenty (20) school days as determined by the district's instructional calendar. |
| Paper Testing Window |
The first ten (10) school days of each district's twenty-day testing window as determined by the district's instructional calendar. |
| Third Grade |
All 3rd grade ELA testing must be completed in the first five days of the testing window. |
| Deadline for Scorable Materials Return |
May 30, 2026 |
| Data Files, ISRs, Rosters, and Summaries posted to DRC INSIGHT Portal |
On or before July 15, 2026 |
| Districts receive printed ISRs, student labels, and User Guides |
On or before July 30, 2026 |
Reporting of SC READY Results
SC READY test results are reported in terms of scale scores, performance levels, and performance by standard. Performance levels reflect the continuum of knowledge and skills exhibited by students and are useful for evaluating a school’s overall performance.
The SC READY test results are one of the measures used in calculating the Report Card Absolute Ratings, Growth Ratings, and federal accountability status. Test results are provided on the Test Scores web page each year once the embargo is lifted and the state data is released. Districts may release score results for individual students to schools, teachers, parents, and students as soon as the reports—including ISRs—are available. Individual student results are not embargoed prior to the state release of summary results.
Embargo and Release of SC READY Results
All summary test score data for each statewide assessment program is embargoed until the SCDE’s public release for that program. Summary data may be shared with district and school staff members (e.g., district office personnel, school principals, etc.) who understand that the data are not to be shared publicly until after the official statewide release.
The embargo extends to local school boards because data presented to a local board becomes public information under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. Districts should ensure that staff members understand that embargoed information cannot be shared with members of the media, school board members, or social media. Informal conversations with individual board members are acceptable.
Test results are provided on the Test Scores Webpage each year once the embargo is lifted and the state data is released.
Performance Levels
For SC READY (grades 3-8 ELA and mathematics; grades 4 and 6 science), educators have developed four performance levels to describe student mastery and command of the knowledge and skills outlined in the South Carolina Standards. The four performance levels for SC READY are Does Not Meet Expectations, Approaches Expectations, Meets Expectations, and Exceeds Expectations.
SC READY Performance Level Scale Score Cuts for 2025-26
The following tables display the scale score ranges that correspond to the four overall performance levels for grades 3–8 in ELA and math and grades 4 & 6 for science.
ELA Vertical Scale Score Ranges
| Grade |
Does Not Meet |
Approaches |
Meets |
Exceeds |
| 3 |
100-359 |
360-453 |
454-540 |
541-825 |
| 4 |
100-419 |
420-490 |
491-602 |
603-850 |
| 5 |
100-464 |
465-524 |
525-631 |
632-875 |
| 6 |
100-470 |
471-550 |
551-645 |
646-900 |
| 7 |
100-509 |
510-567 |
568-663 |
664-925 |
| 8 |
100-526 |
527-593 |
594-686 |
687-950 |
Scale scores for mathematics will be provided after Standards Setting is completed in June 2026
Science Scale Score Ranges
| Grade |
Does Not Meet |
Approaches |
Meets |
Exceeds |
| 4 |
100-447 |
448-505 |
506-585 |
586-850 |
| 6 |
100-460 |
461-523 |
524-606 |
607-900 |
The Office of Assessment and Standards conducted a series of committee meetings composed of South Carolina educators to review the item data. The data review report presents the findings of the review committee for each school year.
Test Blueprints
The test blueprint for each subject specifies the total number of points on each grade-level test, as well as the approximate number of points per reporting category or domain. Reporting categories group similar standards within each content area. The possible number of items for each reporting category can be found in the test blueprint.
Sample Questions, Tutorials, and Online Tools Training (OTT)
Samples of test questions from previous years are available on the Quick Links for Teachers webpage.
Online Testing Video Tutorials, with step-by-step instructions on how to use the online testing system are available to districts on the DRC INSIGHT Portal. The Tutorials are under the Tutorial and Training section. Schools should review these tutorials with students in advance of testing.
The Online Tools Training (OTT) module on the DRC INSIGHT Portal simulates the testing environment and allows students to practice using the testing software and the tools available to students during testing, such as the highlighter, magnifier, and Desmos calculator. Schools should review the OTT with students in advance of testing. A DRC INSIGHT account is not needed to access the OTT.
The writing component of the ELA test will be a Text-Dependent Writing Item (TDW). This item requires that students read a passage or passages and then write a response to the task or prompt relating to that specific passage(s).
- Students in grades 3-4 will write “To Convey an Experience.”
- Students in grades 5-6 will write “To Persuade through Argument.”
- Students in grades 7-8 will write either “To Inform” or “To Persuade through Argument.”
When completing the TDW response, students testing online and on paper are provided a copy of a writer’s checklist to help them plan, write, and proofread their response, as well as scratch paper on which to write a rough draft of their TDW response.
The TDW item is scored with a holistic rubric that has a point range of 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest).
Samples of TDW items with student responses will be released soon.
SC READY Requirements for Calculator Use
The SC READY mathematics tests for grades 6, 7, and 8 will be divided into two sections to be administered in one day. The first section is a "calculator" section; the second is a “no- calculator” section.
Students are allowed to use calculators only during the calculator section of the grades 6–8 mathematics tests. Calculators are not permitted during the grades 3–5 mathematics tests or during the “no-calculator” section of the grades 6–8 mathematics tests. For further information, please review the SC READY Requirements for Calculator Use in 2024-25.
The SC READY Information for Parents Webpage includes translated documents such as the SC READY Student and Parent Assessment Brochure, Writer's Checklist, and Sample Individual Student Reports. These documents are translated into ten different languages. These assessment documents are available for parents and/or guardians in alternate formats, such as large print, Braille, languages other than English, and oral translation. Additional resources such as information regarding FERPA, Personally Identifiable Information, and Lexile and Quantile measures are also provided on this webpage.
Parents with disabilities and parents who may not speak or read English may request alternate formats of these documents or request other accommodations by completing the Student and Parent Resources Alternate Request Form, or by contacting ResourceRequests@ed.sc.gov.
Information for DTCs, STCs, and TAs
Archival information and documents for District Test Coordinators, School Test Coordinators, and Test Administrators are located on the SC READY Information for DTCs, STCs, and TAs Webpage.
The Lexile Framework® for Reading, commonly referred to as the Lexile Framework, has been linked with the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessments (SC READY) in English Language Arts for grades 3-8. More information about the Lexile Framework can be found at Lexile.com.
Similarly, the Quantile Framework® for Mathematics has been linked with the SC READY for grades 3-8 and Algebra 1 on the End-of-Course Examination Program. For more information about the Quantile Framework, use this link: An Introduction to the Quantile Framework for Mathematics.
Students in South Carolina receive Lexile and Quantile measures on their Individual Student Reports and from a variety of different tests and programs used by local schools. Schools and districts receive Lexile and Quantile measures on the assessment data files. With Lexile and Quantile measures, educators and parents can support student learning.
