South Carolina Department

of Education

Revised State Plan for Meeting

The Highly Qualified Teacher Goal

August 2006

NOTE: 2005-06 Non-HQ class numbers and percentages contained in this report
have been updated to reflect year-end data from the SASI data base that
links core academic classes to their teachers. The revised report includes
year-end data on groups of teachers and subjects. The updated report is
more accurate since it reflects final scheduling and incorporates
corrections made after error reports were provided to school districts
subsequent to the 135th-day.

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Requirement 1: The revised plan must provide a detailed analysis of the core academic
subject classes in the State that are currently not being taught by highly qualified
teachers. The analysis must, in particular, address schools that are not making adequate
yearly progress and whether or not these schools have more acute needs than do other
schools in attracting highly qualified teachers. The analysis must also identify the
districts and schools around the State where significant numbers of teachers do not meet
HQT standards, and examine whether or not there are particular hard-to-staff courses
frequently taught by non-highly qualified teachers.

Does the revised plan include an analysis of classes taught by teachers who are not highly
qualified? Is the analysis based on accurate classroom level data?

The South Carolina Department of Education (SDE) has developed a state-level data system to
collect, verify, and analyze the core academic classes taught by teachers who are not highly
qualified (HQ). The system ensures consistent application of definitions and standards and
involves merging information from the following two sources.

1. The Division of Educator Quality and Leadership (DEQL) maintains the teacher
certification database that contains elements relative to teachers’ meeting the criteria for
being HQ. Each teacher’s record includes education level, certification status, and
demonstration of content competency which has been verified at the state level. This
database identifies teachers who have met the three requirements to be HQ: a bachelor’s
degree or higher, full State certification, and demonstration of content competency.

2. The Division of School Enterprise Operations is responsible for the School

Administrative Student Information software (SASI). Through SASI, the SDE collects
class schedules for all public schools in the State. For each class, the schedules include a
teacher identifier and an activity code, which designates the grade level and subject area.
Districts are provided periodic reports to verify the accuracy of classroom level data.

The Office of Technology extracts the core content subject classes that require an HQ teacher.
The teacher identifier for each core class is matched to the separate HQ teacher file from the
certification database to determine which core content classes are not taught by HQ teachers.

In addition to establishing district and school percentages, the data are disaggregated by school
level (elementary/secondary), poverty level (low/high/neither), AYP (met/not met), minority
(high/not high), and activity code. This analysis allows the SDE to identify the schools that are
not making adequate yearly progress and whether these schools have more acute needs than do
other schools in attracting highly qualified teachers. This analysis also identifies the districts and
schools in which significant numbers of teachers do not meet HQ requirements and examines
whether there are particular hard-to-staff courses frequently taught by non-HQ teachers.

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Does the analysis focus on the staffing needs of schools that are not making AYP? Do these
schools have high percentages of classes taught by teachers who are not highly qualified?

Table 1 provides HQT data relative to schools not

making AYP. The overall State percentage of classes State Core Academic Classes
not taught by HQ teachers is 7.90 percent. The 15,730
Num ber of HQ
percentage of classes not taught by HQ teachers in Classes
schools that did not make AYP is 9.31, a difference of
Num ber of
1.41 percent. When the data for schools not making Non-HQ
AYP are disaggregated further, a larger gap is evident Classes
in non-HQ classes for high poverty schools and 183,284
secondary schools.

Table 1 – Schools Not Making AYP1

Classes Not Taught by HQ Teachers
School Type Total Number of
Core Classes Number Percentage
Elementary Schools 72,244 5,770 7.99
Secondary Schools 32,923 4,026 12.23
High-Poverty Schools 21,711 2,546 11.73
Low-Poverty Schools 31,042 2,237 7.21
All Schools Not 105,167 9,796 9.31
Making AYP

Does the analysis identify particular groups of teachers to which the State’s plan must pay
particular attention, such as special education teachers, mathematics or science teachers, or
multi-subject teachers in rural schools?

Analyses of the occurrence of specific courses not taught by HQ teachers reveal subject areas
and grade spans, hence groups of teachers, that warrant particular attention. When considering
aggregate data for broad certification areas, several areas emerge as having percentages of non-
HQ classes greater than 15 percent (i.e. special education, foreign languages in grades K-8, and
science in grades 9-12). Although specific courses representing other areas are identified in Table
5 as also having non-HQ percentages greater that 15 percent, aggregate data for the broad areas
such as the arts, foreign language in grades 9-12, and secondary areas other than science indicate
that the HQ percentages of these courses are not common to all courses within these disciplines.
This can often be attributed to courses that have low frequency. For example, the non-HQ
percentage for piano in grades 9-12 is approximately 53; however, the 79 piano classes across
the State are a small portion of those offered within the arts.

1
AYP status was determined by results on 2004-05 State reports cards required by the Education Accountability Act
of 1998. AYP data for 2005-06 will be available in December 2006.

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In addition to the groups of teachers established through 2005-06 data, the State also recognizes
middle grades as another area of concern. South Carolina is phasing in middle level certification
in the areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Since few colleges or
universities in the State have programs to prepare teachers for this certification and since those
that do offer such programs report low enrollments, a shortage is expected in 2008-09, the school
year in which middle level certification will be required. (The current system allows middle
grades to be taught by persons certified in elementary, middle, or secondary.) To determine the
possible impact of this change, the HQ percentages will be recalculated for seventh and eighth
grade courses in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies using 2008-09 standards
and year-end 2005-06 SASI data as soon as it is available.

Table 2: Groups of Teachers for Priority

Number of Percentage of
Number of Classes Grade Level Priority
Classes Non HQ Classes
HQ Status as Reported in 2005-06
Special Education Pre-K – 6 5,601 35.55 2
7–8 3,271 39.53 2
9 – 12 3,477 55.25 1
Foreign Language Pre-K – 6 3,181 19.59 3
7–8 978 15.85 3
Science 9 – 12 8,935 15.12 3
HQ Status as Reported in 2005-06 and Matched with 2008-09 Standards
English/Language Arts 7–8 5,331 40.95 1
Mathematics 7–8 4,070 41.20 1
Science 7–8 4,660 41.09 1
Social Studies 7–8 4,399 47.17 1

Priorities for schools were set using the following scale and will be used for Title II monitoring:
Priority 1 = 40 or higher percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ
Priority 2 = 25 – 40 percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ
Priority 3 = 15 – 25 percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ

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Does the analysis identify districts and schools around the State where significant numbers
of teachers do not meet HQT standards?

Districts District HQ Classes

As listed in Table 3 below, 13 of the State’s 85 regular 13
school districts had non-HQ class occurrence higher Districts w ith
than 15 percent. One special school district, S.C. < 15% Not HQ
Department of Juvenile Justice, also fell into this Districts w ith
category. > 15% Not HQ
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Table 3: Districts with Significant Numbers of Non-HQ Classes

District Priority District Priority
Allendale 3 Jasper 2
Bamberg 2 2 Lee 3
Barnwell 19 3 Marlboro 2
Clarendon 1 3 Orangeburg 3 3
Colleton 3 Orangeburg 4 3
Dillon 1 3 Williamsburg 3
Florence 4 3 Special Districts

S.C. Department of 1
Juvenile Justice

Priorities for schools were set using the following scale and will be used for Title II monitoring:
Priority 1 = 40 or higher percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ
Priority 2 = 25 – 40 percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ
Priority 3 = 15 – 25 percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ

Schools
The schools with the most significant number of classes taught by teachers who do not meet the
HQ requirements are located within the above listed districts and/or are schools identified for
school improvement under Title I. Approximately six percent of the State’s schools met these
criteria for the most significant number of non-HQ classes. The identified schools with a
designation of priority for technical assistance and monitoring are provided in Table 4.

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 Table 4: Schools with Significant Numbers of Non-HQ Classes
District School Priority
Aiken Schofield Middle 3
A. L. Corbett Middle 3
Jackson Middle 3
Lloyd Kennedy Charter School 1
Allendale Allendale Elementary 3
Allendale Middle 3
Bamberg 2 Denmark Olar Elementary 3
Denmark Olar Middle 2
Denmark Olar High 2
Barnwell 19 Blackville-Hilda Jr. High 1
Blackville-Hilda High 2
Beaufort Whale Branch Middle 2
Charleston Baptist Hill High 2
Brentwood Middle 3
Haut Gap Middle 2
Memminger Elementary 2
R. D. Schroder Middle 3
Chesterfield Cheraw Primary 3
Clarendon 1 Scotts Branch Intermediate 3
Scotts Branch High 2
Colleton Colleton Middle 2
Colleton County High 3
Bells Elementary 2
Forest Circle Middle 2
Ruffin Middle 3
Darlington Brunson-Dargan Elementary 3
Dillon 1 Lake View High 1
Fairfield Fairfield Intermediate 3
Florence 4 Johnson Middle 2
Timmonsville High 2
Hampton 1 Ben Hazel Primary 3
Horry Aynor Middle 3
Jasper Jasper County High 1
Ridgeland Elementary 3
Ridgeland Middle 1

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 District School Priority
Lee Mt. Pleasant Middle 2
Lee Central High 2
MLD Higher Learning Academy 1
Marlboro Bennettsville Middle 1
Clio Elementary/Middle 2
Marlboro County High 1
McColl Elementary/Middle 3
Blenheim Elementary/Middle 2
Marlboro School of Discovery 2
McCormick McCormick Middle 3
Orangeburg 3 Holly Hill Middle 3
St. James-Gaillard Elementary 3
Elloree Elementary 3
Lake Marion High 2
Orangeburg 4 Carver Edisto Middle 3
Edisto High 3
Edisto Primary 2
Branchville High 3
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High 3
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler Elementary 3
Orangeburg 5 Robert E. Howard Middle 3
Richland 1 W. A. Perry Middle 2
Sumter 17 Chestnut Oaks Middle 3
Williamsburg Kingstree Jr. High 3
Kingstree High 2
D. P. Cooper Elementary 2
C. E. Murray High 2
Greeleyville Elementary 2
Chavis Elementary 3
Kingstree Elementary 2
St. Mark Elementary 2
C. E. Murray High Annex 3
Youth Academy Charter School 1
S. C. Department of Willow Lane School 1
Juvenile Justice Birchwood High 1

Priorities for schools were set using the following scale and will be used for Title II monitoring:
Priority 1 = 40 or higher percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ

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Priority 2 = 25 – 40 percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ
Priority 3 = 15 – 25 percent classes taught by teachers who are not HQ

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Does the analysis identify particular courses that are often taught by non-highly qualified
teachers?

Table 5 lists 55 specific subjects for which the occurrence of non-HQ teachers was greater than
15 percent. Data are not included in instances where courses were offered 10 or fewer times
across the State, which suggest innovative, pilot programs that do not represent statewide
shortages. By far, special education classes have the most significant percentages of classes
taught by teachers who are not HQ. This area, as well as foreign languages in grades K-8 and
science in grades 9-12, indicate broad areas of concern as discussed on page 4.

Table 5: Courses Taught by Non-HQ Teachers at a Frequency Greater than 15 Percent

SASI Course Title Number of Percentage of
Activity Classes Non –HQ
Code Classes
Grades PreK - 6
1525 Dance 273 15.38
1630 Latin 63 58.73
1650 Spanish 2562 22.05
1770 Multiage 105 19.05
1902 Educable Mental Disabilities 1643 44.61
1903 Specific Learning Disability 1673 29.05
1904 Emotional Disability 823 43.50
1905 Orthopedic Disability 73 60.27
1906 Visual Impairment 68 91.18
1907 Deafness or Hearing Impairment 167 36.53
1910 Preschool with Disability 356 16.01
1913 Autism 169 20.71
1916 Generic Cross-Categorical 624 24.04
Grades 7 - 8
2525 Dance 124 16.13
2620 German 39 30.77
2630 Latin 12 66.67
2630 Spanish 649 16.95
2902 Educable Mental Disabilities 814 45.58
2903 Specific Learning Disability 1303 35.07
2904 Emotional Disability 647 47.91
2905 Orthopedic Disability 29 34.48
2906 Visual Impairment 37 86.49
2907 Deafness or Hearing Impairment 73 50.68
2913 Autism 20 20.00
2916 Generic Cross-Categorical 348 20.69

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 SASI Course Title Number of Percentage of
Activity Classes Non –HQ
Code Classes
Grades 9 – 12
3141 Math for the Technologies 1 1452 16.67
3211 Physical Science 2592 24.38
3236 Chemistry for the Technologies 365 22.74
3243 Physics for the Technologies 1 103 15.53
3265 Earth Science 160 49.38
3277 Advanced Placement Environmental 18 16.67
Science
336C History of Americas HL-1 11 18.18
3365 Western Civilization 24 16.67
3375 AP Economics 31 22.58
3574 AP Art Studio Two Dimensional Design 13 23.08
3576 AP Music Theory 33 30.30
3631 Latin 1 88 35.23
3632 Latin 2 53 15.09
390A Alternative 1 High School Credit2 188 44.68
3902 Educable Mental Disabilities 960 55.52
3903 Specific Learning Disability 751 55.66
3904 Emotional Disability 419 54.42
3905 Orthopedic Disability 40 42.50
3906 Visual Impairment 98 83.67
3907 Deafness or Hearing Impairment 122 21.31
3916 Generic Cross-Categorical 892 59.64
4501 Dance 1 94 19.15
4502 Dance 2 49 24.49
4541 Instrumental Music: Piano 1 67 50.75
4542 Instrumental Music: Piano 2 12 66.67

2
Due to changes in State regulations, the Alternative 1 High School Credit course will be eliminated in 2006-07.

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 Requirement 2: The revised plan must provide information on HQT status in each
LEA and the steps the SEA will take to ensure that each LEA has plans in place to
assist teachers who are not highly qualified to attain HQT status as quickly as
possible.

Does the plan identify LEAs that have not met annual measurable objectives for HQT?

South Carolina’s Consolidated State Plan submitted in September 2003 identified target goals for
percentages of highly qualified teachers. All districts in the State met the annual measurable
objectives for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years. For the 2005-06 school year, the annual
measurable objective for all districts was consistent with the State’s goal to have 100 percent of
core academic classes taught by HQ teachers. Although preliminary data show that many
districts have come very close, none has met the 100 percent goal. Thirty-eight districts have
attained approximately 95 percent or greater, and the remaining 47 districts have made
significant progress.

Table 6: Districts’ Percent of Classes Taught by Teachers Who Are Not Highly Qualified
Total Number of Classes Not Taught by HQ Teachers
District Core Classes Number Percentage
Abbeville 1,064 56 5.26
Aiken 6,540 483 7.39
Allendale 514 100 19.46
Anderson 1 2,301 44 1.91
Anderson 2 694 8 1.15
Anderson 3 776 26 3.35
Anderson 4 777 3 .39
Anderson 5 2,623 110 4.19
Bamberg 1 566 41 7.24
Bamberg 2 307 77 25.08
Barnwell 19 355 72 20.28
Barnwell 29 304 20 6.58
Barnwell 45 713 6 .84
Beaufort 4,677 513 10.97
Berkeley 5,996 172 2.87
Calhoun 529 28 5.29
Charleston 13,848 1,387 10.02
Cherokee 2,615 121 4.63
Chester 1,568 48 3.06
Chesterfield 1,953 224 11.47

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 Total Number of Classes Not Taught by HQ Teachers
District Core Classes Number Percentage
Abbeville 1,064 56 5.26
Clarendon 1 316 65 20.57
Clarendon 2 1,005 108 10.75
Clarendon 3 362 11 3.04
Colleton 1,987 348 17.51
Darlington 2,691 205 7.62
Dillon 1 256 45 17.58
Dillon 2 899 27 3.00
Dillon 3 396 48 12.12
Dorchester 2 4,433 144 3.25
Dorchester 4 639 66 10.33
Edgefield 1,338 64 4.78
Fairfield 1,302 66 5.07
Florence 1 3,023 335 11.08
Florence 2 252 21 8.33
Florence 3 986 39 3.96
Florence 4 382 78 20.42
Florence 5 443 7 1.58
Georgetown 2,880 319 11.08
Greenville 20,268 1,121 5.53
Greenwood 50 2,786 144 5.17
Greenwood 51 413 9 2.18
Greenwood 52 419 6 1.43
Hampton 1 769 26 3.38
Hampton 2 379 33 8.71
Horry 10,624 1,317 12.40
Jasper 818 252 30.81
Kershaw 2,600 191 7.35
Lancaster 3,012 363 12.05
Laurens 55 1,942 148 7.62
Laurens 56 760 17 2.24
Lee 730 131 17.95
Lexington 1 5,324 214 4.02
Lexington 2 2,645 138 5.22
Lexington 3 618 9 1.46
Lexington 4 949 75 7.90
Lexington 5 5,223 363 6.95

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 Total Number of Classes Not Taught by HQ Teachers
District
Core Classes Number Percentage
Abbeville 1,064 56 5.26
Marion 1 885 31 3.50
Marion 2 551 36 6.53
Marion 7 323 34 10.53
Marlboro 1,494 400 26.77
McCormick 335 43 12.84
Newberry 1,860 152 8.17
Oconee 3,201 343 10.72
Orangeburg 3 1,034 179 17.31
Orangeburg 4 1,268 232 18.30
Orangeburg 5 1,560 99 6.35
Pickens 5,375 154 2.87
Richland 1 9,918 1,147 11.56
Richland 2 6,425 255 3.97
Saluda 686 96 13.99
Spartanburg 1 1,214 26 2.14
Spartanburg 2 2,567 80 3.12
Spartanburg 3 848 20 2.36
Spartanburg 4 632 6 .95
Spartanburg 5 1,648 104 6.31
Spartanburg 6 3,533 382 10.81
Spartanburg 7 2,917 142 4.87
Sumter 2 2,782 223 8.02
Sumter 17 2,435 206 8.46
Union 1,233 82 6.65
Williamsburg 1,955 444 22.71
York 1 1,470 61 4.15
York 2 1,620 107 6.60
York 3 4,116 112 2.72
York 4 2,007 115 5.73
DJJ 155 80 51.61
Felton Lab 14 1 7.14
SCSDB 216 27 12.50
STATE TOTALS 199,014 15,730 7.90

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Does the plan include specific steps that will be taken by LEAs that have not met annual
measurable objectives?

Districts will use available resources, including Title II, Part A allocations, to ensure that teachers
of core academic subjects who have not met requirements become highly qualified as soon as
possible. Specific steps that districts have specified in their yearly plans include the following
ways to support teachers in meeting requirements:

• reimbursing for courses needed for full certification or for demonstration of content
mastery,

• offering study sessions for exam preparation,

• reimbursing for Praxis II content exams,

• conducting HOUSSE, as appropriate,

• providing support and stipends for National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards Certification above the support provided by the State, and

• stipulating in teacher contracts the necessary steps and timeline to meet HQ

requirements.

Districts are also reevaluating how teacher assignments are made. To the degree it is necessary
and educationally advantageous, districts and schools are reassigning teachers to classes for
which they are HQ. Since SASI data are essential in identifying classes taught by teachers who
are not HQ, districts must ensure that scheduling and teacher information entered at the school
level are complete and accurate. Classes are counted as not HQ if they cannot be matched to
HQ teachers because of incomplete data. We believe that collecting accurate data is as big a
challenge as having 100 percent of classes taught by highly qualified teachers.

Does the plan delineate specific steps the SEA will take to ensure that all LEAs have plans
in place to assist all non-HQ teachers to become HQ as quickly as possible?

Each district must present a plan and timeframe to accomplish the goal of having 100 percent of
core academic classes taught by HQ teachers in its Title II, Part A application. Districts must
offer appropriate methods for teachers to become HQ and must address all groups of teachers
who have not met requirements. Applications are not approved and funds are withheld until
districts are in full compliance with this expectation.

Data will be collected during the first semester of the 2006-07 school year to identify teachers
assigned to classes for which they are not HQ. This information will be utilized in the monitoring
process and in providing technical assistance to districts. The State will monitor LEAs for
individual documented plans for non-HQ teachers to become HQ as quickly as possible. Districts

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will also be required to attach a copy of the letter of notification sent to parents in instances in
which the non-HQ teacher is teaching a core academic class in a Title I setting.
Requirement 3: The revised plan must include information on the technical
assistance, programs, and services that the SEA will offer to assist LEAs in
successfully completing their HQT plans, particularly where large groups of teachers
are not highly qualified, and the resources the LEAs will use to meet their HQT goals.

Does the plan include a description of the technical assistance the SEA will provide to assist
LEAs in successfully carrying out their HQT plans?

State coordinators will continue initiatives to provide LEAs with technical assistance as follows:

Through Training
• Conduct annual regional workshops for district Title II coordinators.
• Conduct annual HQ 101 workshop and notebook of resources. The intended audience is
new Title II coordinators although veteran coordinators often participate as well.

Through Technology
• Collaborate with the Office of Technology to ensure accurate and complete SASI data at
the district and school levels.
• Review teacher files to verify content competency required for consideration in
applications for restricted alternative certificates.
• Maintain current information and relevant updated documents that provide increased
understanding of HQ teacher requirements on the DEQL Website.
• Provide preliminary data to districts on classes taught by non-HQ teachers, by schools
and classes, for verification of accuracy and completeness.
• Provide districts with on-line current information concerning the HQ status of individual
teachers and HQ reports for each school through the Certification Portal System.

Through On-Site Visits

• Visit districts and schools to provide technical assistance and for monitoring purposes.
Priority will be given to school districts and individual schools as indicated in the
response to Requirement 1. (See pages 5-7.)
• Conduct HQ awareness sessions for teacher groups upon request.

Through Continual Accessibility

• Respond consistently to inquiries from teachers and districts in a timely manner.
• Respond to teachers via telephone, e-mail, and in-person with information specific to
their needs for becoming HQ.
• Provide references and resources for exam information and preparation
• Distribute HQT guidance from ED to district Title II coordinators and personnel
administrators.

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• Revise and publish State guidance to comply with U.S. Department of Education
guidance.
• Present HQ and certification updates regularly to district personnel administrators at their
monthly meetings.
• Research the credentials of teachers for exams taken prior to the electronic system and for
academic majors or their equivalence.

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Does the plan indicate that the staffing and professional development needs of schools that
are not making AYP will be given high priority?

The State’s priority is that all students, regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status, be taught
by HQ teachers. The Title II, Part A application requires a plan and specific strategies for staffing
that comply with NCLB expectations. Districts must provide a rationale for class-size reduction
choices of schools, grade levels, and subjects as related to failure to make AYP. The plan must
also include documentation of scientifically-based research for professional development
initiatives.

South Carolina’s Education Accountability Act of 1998 requires that each district develop and
submit to the SDE a strategic plan. This plan includes an assurance that the district will, “target
Title II teacher quality funds to schools that have the lowest population of highly qualified
teachers or have the largest average class size or are identified for school improvement under the
specification in Title I, §1116(b)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA),
‘a local educational agency shall identify for school improvement any elementary school or
secondary school served under this part that fails, for two consecutive years, to make adequate
yearly progress as defined in the State’s plan under §1111(b)(2).’” Schools that receive report
card absolute ratings of below average or unsatisfactory receive funds for targeted school
improvement. Staffing initiatives that schools can choose to implement and that are supported
programmatically by the SDE include the following:
• Teacher Specialists,
• Curriculum Specialists,
• Principal Specialists,
• Principal Leaders, and
• District Instruction Facilitators.
Descriptions of these programs are provided in the response to Requirement 6. (See pages 31 - 32.)

Does the plan include a description of programs and services the SEA will provide to assist
teachers and LEAs in successfully meeting HQT goals?

In addition to the services outlined on page 14, the SDE assists teachers and ensures that districts
will meet their highly qualified teacher goals through its support of a variety of programs and
services that focus on three areas: (1) ensuring that employed teachers meet requirements, (2)
recruiting a workforce of highly qualified teachers, and (3) retaining a workforce of highly
qualified teachers. (Web links are provided as resources for additional information.)

Ensuring That Employed Teachers Meet Requirements

• Project CREATE
The Centers for the Re-Education and Advancement of Teachers in Special Education
(CREATE) were initially funded in 2003 by the Office of Exceptional Children and now in
collaboration with the DEQL. The chief mission of Project CREATE is to reduce the
number of non-certified special education teachers employed in South Carolina public
schools, thereby enabling them to more effectively teach students with disabilites. Through

17
 a partnership with leading colleges and universities across the state that have approved
teacher preparation programs in special education, the project provides qualifying teachers
with course scholarships to fulfill add-on course requirements for special education.
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/ec/create/projectcreate_000.html

• ML-TEACH
Through a partnership between the University of South Carolina and DEQL, ML-TEACH
will ensure middle level teacher education, advancement, certification, and high-
qualification for all participants by coordinating coursework and professional development
experiences that are closely aligned with National Middle School Association (NMSA)
standards for teacher preparation. ML-TEACH will provide access to the coursework
needed to obtain middle level add-on certification and associated HQ status to all eligible
middle level teachers who are certified at the elementary or secondary level.

• MULTI-SUBJECT HOUSSE
South Carolina has instituted the use of a multi-subject HOUSSE in the areas of early
childhood, elementary, and special education. Teachers can demonstrate subject matter
knowledge in language arts, math, science, and social studies in less than one year through
an integrated approach, rather than with four separate subject plans as previously required.
scteachers.org/Adept/housse.cfm

• RESTRICTED ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATE

The restricted alternative certificate provides a route for teachers who are already fully
certified to add other areas to their credentials. Districts request the restricted certificate for
teachers who have demonstrated content competency in the area requested and have at least
12 semester hours toward certification requirements for the new area. Districts also sign
assurances that include their responsibility for these teachers in the following areas:

1. providing high quality professional development that is sustained, intensive, and

classroom-focused;

2. providing a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance

and regular ongoing support;

3. assuring that this alternative route to added areas of certification will not exceed
three years;

4. assuring satisfactory progress toward full certification as prescribed by the State

(six semester hours annually plus Praxis exam(s) within the three year period).

Recruiting a Workforce of Highly Qualified Teachers

• CERTIFICATION RECIPROCITY
The SDE signed the 2005-2010 NASDTEC Interstate Contract and currently has
reciprocity with more than 50 states, territories, and countries to provide a smooth
transition to South Carolina certification. Reciprocity has been extended to include

18
 acceptance of other states’ HOUSSE plans for the purpose of demonstrating content
mastery for becoming highly qualified.

• TEACHERS-TEACHERS.COM
Teachers-Teachers.com is an educational recruitment service that is free to teachers,
administrators, and other school personnel seeking positions. The site leads applicants
through the process of creating an electronic resume specifically geared toward appropriate
placement. The resume is immediately posted online for schools across the country to view.
Candidates are notified by e-mail of positions that match their criteria. Recruiters conduct
candidate searches electronically. Subscriptions to the service have been provided to school
districts in South Carolina by the DEQL.
www.teachers-teachers.com

• PROGRAM OF ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION FOR EDUCATORS (PACE)

The Program of Alternative Certification for Educators (PACE) is South Carolina’s
alternative route for initial certification. To address critical teaching shortages, the South
Carolina General Assembly provided for a conditional certification program as part of the
1984 Education Improvement Act. The purpose of the program is to enable degreed
individuals, who otherwise do not meet certification requirements, to gain employment in
the public schools in a critical need subject area teaching position and/or in a critical
geographic area where teacher shortages exist, as determined annually by the State Board
of Education.Eligible candidates are enrolled in a series of training seminars as well as
graduate courses which lead to their professional certification.. Candidate must complete
all requirements by the end of year three.
http://www.scteachers.org/cert/pace/overview.cfm

• INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS
International certificates are issued to applicants who are from a country other than the
United States and have completed at least a bachelor’s degree with a major in the teaching
field and have met all cultural/educational visa requirements. The certificate can be
renewed for up to two additional years at the request of the school district provided that the
teacher has met all certification examination requirements during the first year. The Office
of Educator Certification works closely with responsible officers and foreign country
representatives to provide appropriate certification and employment to international
teachers. These teachers often meet critical needs in hard-to-staff geographical and subject
areas, especially special education, secondary math and sciences, and foreign languages.

• TROOPS TO TEACHERS
Troops to Teachers, a cooperative project between ED and the SDE, assists retired and
separated members of the Armed Forces, as well as Guard and Reserve personnel with
obtaining certification and employment as teachers. Troops to Teachers provides support to
personnel who are making the transition to teaching and to the districts who hire them.
Eligible veterans may receive either a stipend of not more then $5,000 to assist in attaining
teacher certification or a $10,000 incentive grant bonus for participants who teach for three
years in a high needs school.
http://www.scteachers.org/troops/index.cfm.

19
 • CERRA
The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA) is the oldest
and most established teacher recruitment program in the country. The Center, established
by the Commission on Higher Education in December 1985 and funded by the South
Carolina General Assembly, has completed its 20th year of operation. CERRA was created
out of a concern for the quality of South Carolina’s teacher supply pool and a need for a
centralized teacher recruitment effort.

CERRA’s recruitment agenda is a comprehensive one in which the Center pursues a variety
of programs for increasing the number of students in the education pipeline and recruiting
certified teachers, including a marketing program to attract teachers for critical needs
subjects and locations partially using Title II, A funds. The CERRA Teacher Job Bank
allows districts to locate teacher candidates and advertise openings for positions. An
“Available Teaching Positions” vacancy list is maintained through the Job Bank and
teachers may directly participate by submitting an on-line application. Each summer
CERRA co-sponsors the South Carolina Teacher Expo for Teacher Recruitment. The Expo
brings together teachers looking for new professional opportunities and South Carolina
school districts looking for teachers. The Expo is advertised nationally and attracts teachers
from a number of states, as well as a large number of new and veteran in-state teachers.
http://www.cerra.org

• CALL ME MISTER
The Call Me MISTER program is an effort to address the critical shortage of African-
American male teachers, particularly in the State's lowest performing schools. The program
combines the special strengths and resources of Clemson University with the individualized
instructional programs offered by four historically black colleges: Benedict College, Claflin
University, Morris College, and South Carolina State University. Participants are selected
from under-served, socio-economically disadvantaged, and educationally at-risk
communities. The project provides tuition assistance, an academic support system to help
assure success, and a cohort system for social and cultural support.
http://www.callmemister.clemson.edu

Retaining a Workforce of Highly Qualified Teachers

• MENTORING
The DEQL and CERRA collaborated to develop State Induction and Mentoring Guidelines
and work together to promote and support mentor training. Based on the work of the New
Teacher Center, University of California-Santa Cruz, the Foundations for Mentoring
training supports quality learning opportunities to develop mentoring skills to work with
beginning teachers. CERRA also offers training for educators in cognitive coaching from
the Center of Cognitive Coaching, which is an instructional coaching model that is used by
advanced mentors with a variety of educators. Over 575 South Carolina educators have
completed the Foundation in Cognitive Coaching training. Every district has at least one
trained mentor from at least one of these programs.
http://www.scteachers.org/cert/mentoring.cfm

20
 • ADEPT
State Board of Education Regulation 43-205.1 stipulates that each school district must
develop and implement a plan to provide induction contract teachers with comprehensive
guidance and assistance throughout the school year. District induction plans must comply
with State Board of Education ADEPT Implementation Guidelines and must be approved
prior to implementation. In order to comply with this regulation, all South Carolina public
school districts have a written induction plan that includes professional development and
support systems for new teachers in that district. The DEQL ADEPT coordinator works
closely with the districts’ ADEPT coordinators.
http://www.scteachers.org/adept/index.cfm.

• NBPTS CERTIFICATION SUPPORT

South Carolina has one of the largest statewide populations of teachers who have achieved
certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), due
largely to the substantial investment the State has made in this process. The State has
supported this advanced certification for 4,444 teachers, ranking it third in the nation after
North Carolina and Florida. Over the years, the General Assembly has increased the salary
supplement for NBPTS teachers to the current level of $7,500 per year for the life of the
certificate. In addition, up-front $2,300 loans have been approved for teachers seeking
NBPTS, half of which is forgiven with no interest when a scorable portfolio is submitted
and the remainder forgiven upon certification. NBPTS teachers are exempt from taking six
semester hours for certification renewal during the ten-year life of the certificate.

• RETIRED TEACHER INCENTIVES

Members of South Carolina Retirement System who are eligible for service retirement may
elect to participate in the Teacher and Employee Retention program (TERI). TERI allows a
teacher to work for up to five years as a retiree, while accumulating a retirement annuity
and drawing salary as a full-time employee. At the end of the program, the participant can
choose to receive their retirement as an IRA, 401K rollover or lump sum distribution.

Legislation was amended to lift the earning limitation of $50,000 on teachers and other
State employees who choose to reenter their professions subsequent to retirement. Fully
retired teachers may reenter the workforce and receive full teaching salary and full State
retirement benefits simultaneously.

Does the plan specifically address the needs of any subgroups of teachers identified in
Requirement 1?

As documented in the response to Requirement 1, several subgroups of teachers warrant

particular attention in assisting them in attaining highly qualified status. (See pages 4, 8-9.)
Programs to offer this support address teachers in the following areas:
• special education,
• foreign languages in grades K-8,
• science in grades 9-12, and
• middle level language arts, math, science and social studies.

21
Special education teachers are consistently less likely to be highly qualified for their teaching
assignments. Exams required for certification are not acceptable for demonstrating content
mastery, so new teachers must take an additional exam after they are fully certified. Veteran
teachers must take an additional exam or complete HOUSSE. The problem is complicated by
accreditation requirements for specific areas of certification for different classifications of special
education. Classes are identified, for data collection purposes, by the highest percent of students
that are part of the teacher’s class load, which can be a changing variable. For example, a special
education teacher certified in the area of learning disabled may be assigned a class load that
includes more educable mentally handicapped than learning disabled students. The teacher is
then not properly certified and not highly qualified for the teaching assignment. The State issues
credentials for twelve special education areas.

The SDE has implemented four initiatives, all previously described, to address the needs of
special education teachers. (See pages 15-18 for descriptions and web links.)

1. The restricted alternative certificate allows a veteran special education teacher whose
credential is not acceptable for the teaching assignment to add the appropriate area or a
more flexible classification.

2. Project CREATE supports veteran teachers in obtaining the coursework necessary to add
areas of special education to their credentials.

3. PACE includes provisions to earn initial certification in special education for the
emotionally disabled.

4. Implementation of a multi-subject HOUSSE has expedited the process for special

education teachers to demonstrate content knowledge of language arts, math, science, and
social studies, which is critical in self-contained learning environments.

Foreign language teachers in grades K-8 are another subgroup of teachers who are more likely
to be identified as teaching classes for which they are not highly qualified. Elementary foreign
language teachers, beginning with the 2005-06 school year, must be certified and highly
qualified in the specific foreign language. Currently many of these teachers are highly qualified
in early childhood or elementary education, rather than in the foreign language. The restricted
alternative certificate offers the opportunity for elementary foreign language teachers to
participate in the alternative route to full certification and HQ status.

Secondary science teachers are a subgroup likely to be non-HQ for the classes they instruct.
Teachers who are HQ in biology and instructing physical science, for example, are not properly
certified for their class assignment since that specific course requires certification in science,
chemistry, or physics. Veteran science instructors who are not HQ for their assignments benefit
from the restricted alternative certificate. The PACE program provides an alternative route for
certification to non-educators with science degrees who want to enter the teaching profession.

Seventh and eighth grade teachers of language arts, math, science, and social studies have
been identified as a subgroup more likely to be identified as not highly qualified in the future.

22
South Carolina has initiated the requirement for middle level certification that will be mandatory
for seventh and eighth grade teachers of core academic subjects by the end of 2007-08. Three
initiatives address the needs for HQ middle level teachers. ML-TEACH and the restricted
alternative certificate are appropriate for teachers who are elementary or secondary certified and
need to add middle level certification (See page 16.) Additionally, as a member of the Southern
Regional Education Board, South Carolina participates in the Making Middle Grades Work. One
of the purposes of this initiative is to ensure that students are taught by HQ teachers who hold a
content major or minor in the subject(s) they teach.
http://www.sreb.org/programs/MiddleGrades/background/backgroundindex.asp

Does the plan include a description of how the State will use its available funds (e.g., Title I,
Part A; Title II, Part A, including the portion that goes to the State agency for higher
education; other Federal and State funds, as appropriate) to address the needs of teachers
who are not highly qualified?

State and federal funds support projects and services, as described above, that address the needs
of teachers who are not highly qualified. Title II, Part A state-level activity monies partially fund
Project CREATE. Title II, Part A administrative funds support the ML-TEACH initiative. State
funds support related initiatives that include PACE and Troops to Teachers. The State reimburses
application expenses and pays stipends to teachers who attain National Board Certification. The
S.C. Commission on Higher Education works in conjunction with DEQL to identify priorities
and criteria for funding the Improving Teacher Quality State Grants to State Agencies for Higher
Education (SAHEs). The Commission administers the application and review process and
provides technical assistance to grantees.
http://www.che.sc.gov

The Education Lottery Teaching Scholarships, funded through the South Carolina Education
Lottery Act, support classroom teachers in their efforts to improve their content knowledge by
completing coursework and degree programs. Teachers who hold a professional certificate and
teach in the public schools of the state are awarded grants not to exceed $1000 per year to attend
the state’s public and independent colleges and universities for the purposes of upgrading
existing core content area skills or obtaining a master’s degree in the teacher’s core content area.
The enabling legislation prioritizes these fields by stipulating that if there are insufficient funds
in the education lottery account to provide the grant to each eligible recipient for a particular
year, priority must be given to those classroom teachers whose teaching areas are critical need
subject areas as defined by the State Board of Education.

Does the plan for the use of available funds indicate that priority will be given to the
staffing and professional development needs of schools that are not making AYP?

Currently, funds are available to support most of the initiatives included in this report in all
districts that choose to participate. When that is not the case, plans are implemented to prioritize
services and programs for those that do not make adequately yearly progress. Specific to schools
not making AYP, the Education Accountability Act mandates intervention and assistance to

23
schools rated below average or unsatisfactory on report cards. Funds are allocated to give the
lowest-performing schools priority. (See page 28)

24
Requirement 4: The revised plan must describe how the SEA will work with LEAs that
fail to reach the 100 percent HQT goal by the end of the 2006-07 school year.

Does the plan indicate how the SEA will monitor LEA compliance with the LEAs’ HQT
plans described in Requirement 2 and hold LEAs accountable for fulfilling their plans?

The Title II, Part A grant application includes a requirement for districts to explain their plan and
timeframe for meeting the 100 percent goal. State coordinators do not approve grant applications
or allocate funds until sufficient information is provided. Coordinators review plans and
budgeted activities to ensure that teachers are given the resources needed for them to become
highly qualified.

The State will utilize its data collection to monitor districts for compliance in fulfilling their
documented plans for each teacher of core academic subjects to become HQ. Periodic reports of
classes taught by teachers who are not HQ will be generated by the DEQL in collaboration with
the Office of Technology. Coordinators will review the data and schedule monitoring visits to
districts, giving priority to those that do not make AYP. Districts will provide appropriate
documentation of plans and progress toward meeting the 100 percent goal. A plan for corrective
action will be mandated for districts that do not fulfill their plans and make sufficient progress.

Does the plan show how technical assistance from the SEA to help LEAs meet the 100
percent HQT goal will be targeted toward LEAs and schools that are not making AYP?

Data collected on classes taught by teachers who are not HQ will be combined with data on
schools and districts that do not make AYP to determine the schedule for monitoring and
technical assistance visits. Priority will be given to districts and schools that do not meet AYP
and that have the greatest percent of classes taught by non-HQ teachers.

Does the plan describe how the SEA will monitor whether LEAs attain 100 percent HQT in
each LEA and school:
1• in the percentage of highly qualified teachers at each LEA and school; and
2• in the percentage of teachers who are receiving high-quality professional
development to enable such teachers to become highly qualified and successful
classroom teachers?

Highly Qualified Teachers

Data will be collected during the first semester of the 2006-07 school year to identify teachers
assigned to classes for which they are not HQ. This information will be utilized in the monitoring
process and in providing technical assistance to districts. The State will monitor LEAs for
individual documented plans for non-HQ teachers to become HQ as quickly as possible. Districts

25
will also be required to attach a copy of the letter of notification sent to parents in instances in
which the non-HQ teacher is teaching a core academic class in a Title I setting.

26
High-Quality Professional Development

The State’s certificate renewal system ensures that all teachers receive high-quality professional
development that supports their current professional growth and development plans. A South
Carolina educator's professional certificate is valid for five years. In order to be eligible for
certificate renewal, the educator must earn a minimum of 120 renewal credits that
• directly relate to the educator's professional growth and development plan;
• support the goals of the employing public school district; and
• promote student achievement, as required by State Board of Education Regulation 43-
205.1, Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Professional Teaching and Regulation
43-165.1, Program for Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Principal Performance.

The district strategic plans required by South Carolina’s Education Accountability Act of 1998
mandate elements that assure that teachers receive high-quality professional development.
Districts must attest that they provide staff development training for teachers and administrators
in the teaching techniques and strategies needed for the improvement of student academic
performance. This training must be aligned with the National Staff Development Council’s
Standards for Staff Development. Professional development to provide students with the
opportunity to meet challenging state and local student academic achievement standards must be
addressed in the needs assessment as well.
http://www.nsdc.org/standards/index.cfm

The State supports initiatives to make high-quality professional development accessible to all
districts, schools, and individual teachers. South Carolina supports many face-to-face and on-line
opportunities for teachers to increase their subject matter knowledge and to become highly
qualified. (Web links are provided as resources for additional information.)

South Carolina: Teaching, Learning, and Connecting is a SDE Web resource with South
Carolina’s standards as its core. It provides teachers with a fully searchable database of South
Carolina standards, lesson plans, and professional development and assessment resources as well
as a lesson plan builder, Slate. The objectives for Slate include the following:
1. build high quality lessons/units aligned to the South Carolina standards,
2. store and share lessons/units,
3. serve as a professional development resource to assist teachers in identifying
and developing the components of a standards-based lesson/unit,
4. save and edit lessons/units in teachers’ own personnel workspace, and
5. obtain a peer review and evaluation of a lesson/unit plan using specific criteria.

South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV) provides access to the PBS TeacherLine, which
offers professional development through standards-based courses, supportive and collaborative
learning communities, and exemplary Internet-based resources. More than 90 courses, developed
by leading educational producers in alignment with national standards, focus on mathematics,
reading, instructional technology, instructional strategies, science, and curriculum mapping.
Courses are facilitated by specially trained educators, combining the best of face-to-face
professional development with the best of online instructional design.
http://www.scetv.org/education/pbs_teacherline/index.cfm

27
The South Carolina Partnership for Distance Education is a collaborative organization with the
purpose of increasing access to education for all the State’s citizens through the use of
technology. Its members include public and independent higher education institutions, preK-12
school districts, public libraries, governmental agencies, businesses and industries, and health
care organizations. All of these groups are involved in developing and utilizing distance
education courses. The new digital capabilities allow all of the partners to maximize resources
through a “PreK - Lifetime” approach.
http://www.desc.info/

The South Carolina Reading Initiative, administered by the Governor’s Institute of Reading, is an
intensive staff development effort carried out through study groups of teachers and
administrators in participating schools across the State. Led by a literacy coach, teams meet to
conduct systematic inquiry into reading research and practice and to discuss related issues and
questions that arise in their classrooms. The initiative’s major goals include developing structures
within individual schools so that educators can engage in an independent and ongoing process of
change.
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/cso/english_la/GRI.html

The SDE Office of Curriculum and Standards provides statewide leadership for Reading First, a
national initiative to help every young child become a successful reader. Its goals include staff
development that enables and motivates teachers to understand and implement scientifically-
based reading programs, strategies, skills, and assessments in their classrooms.
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/offices/cso/english_la/ReadingFirst.html

Because South Carolina is one of sixteen participating states in the Southern Regional Education
Board (SREB), residents may participate in the SREB Academic Common Market/Electronic
Campus for distance learning programs at significant savings. The Teacher Center is an SREB-
State online resource for educators.
http://www.sreb.org

Consistent with ESEA §2141, does the plan include technical assistance or corrective
actions that the SEA will apply if LEAs fail to meet HQT and AYP goals?

Technical Assistance

The SDE’s Title II, A coordinators will continue to provide on-going technical assistance to
districts and schools that do not meach HQT goals. Teacher quality initiatives are also in place to
address the staffing needs in districts and schools. The assistance and programs are multifaceted
and described in the response to Requirement 3. (See pages 14-21.)

Technical assistance as related to AYP is addressed by the State’s Education Accountability Act
of 1998, which mandates that the State address failure to meet expected progress on report card
ratings through an external review process. Dependent on the school’s size and rating, each
external review team is comprised of two to four members. Members include superintendents,
principals, and other educational leaders outside the district being reviewed; respected retired

28
educators; higher education representatives; parents; business representatives; and SDE staff.
They are charged with
• examining all aspects of school operations;
• interviewing stakeholders;
• reviewing documentation;
• working with district offices, school staff, and local boards;
• identifying needed support; and
• reporting needed changes and/or recommendations.

Upon a review of the recommendations, the SDE delineates the activities, support, services, and
technical assistance it will make available to support the school's plan and sustain improvement
over time.

Corrective Actions

Data will be collected during the first semester of the 2006-07 school year and compared to year-
end data for 2005-06 to identify school districts and individual schools that have not made
sufficient progress toward meeting the HQT goal. These districts and schools will be prioritized
for on-site monitoring visits. At this time, districts must present plans and timeframes for each
individual teacher to become HQ. Districts will also be required to attach a copy of the letter of
notification sent to parents in instances in which the non-HQ teacher is teaching a core academic
class in a Title I setting.

29
Requirement 5: The revised plan must explain how and when the SEA will complete the
HOUSSE process for teachers not new to the profession who were hired prior to the end
of the 2005-06 school year, and how the SEA will limit the use of HOUSSE procedures for
teachers hired after the end of the 2005-06 school year to multi-subject secondary
teachers in rural schools eligible for additional flexibility, and multi-subject special
education who are highly qualified in language arts, mathematics, or science at the time
of hire.

Does the plan describe how and when the SEA will complete the HOUSSE process for all
teachers not new to the profession who were hired before the end of the 2005-06 school year?

The vast majority of teachers who are eligible to demonstrate content competency through
HOUSSE have already done so. South Carolina will use HOUSSE after the 2005-06 school year
in a very limited manner. Consistent with USED Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Non-
Regulatory Guidance (August 3, 2005), HOUSSE will continue to be offered under
circumstances such as the following:

• Veteran teachers who seek to rejoin the teaching force after a break in service (e.g.,
retirement, extended family or medical leave),
• Veteran international teachers who have not taken validated content exams in their
countries of origin,
• Veteran teachers who are fully certified in multiple subjects and are needed to teach a
subject for which they have not yet demonstrated content competency,
• Out-of-state veteran teachers who receive South Carolina certification through reciprocity
but do not have a content exam, academic major, or documentation of HOUSSE to
demonstrate content competency,
• Veteran teachers who are teaching multiple subjects who have not completed the
HOUSSE process. These typically are teachers who are certified in early childhood,
elementary, or special education and are teaching in self-contained settings and thus must
demonstrate content competency in four subjects (i.e., language arts, math, science, and
social studies), and
• Teachers who are fully certified in areas for which no Praxis content exam is available
(e.g., dance) or the available exam has not been validated for the State (e.g., Latin).
Validation of available exams is difficult in areas in which few teachers are available to
participate in the standard setting process.

School districts have been advised that HOUSSE will be available on only a limited basis
beginning with the 2006-07 school year. South Carolina will respond promptly in the event that
the U.S. Department of Education issues future guidance requiring changes in the above policy.

30
Does the plan describe how the State will limit the use of HOUSSE after the end of the
2005-06 school year to the following situations:

1• Multi-subject secondary teachers in rural schools who, if HQ in one subject at the

time of hire, may use HOUSSE to demonstrate competence in additional subjects within
three years of the date of hire; or
2
3Not applicable. No school district in South Carolina meets the federal definition of rural.

4• Multi-subject special education teachers who are new to the profession, if HQ in

language arts, mathematics, or science at the time of hire, may use HOUSSE to
demonstrate competence in additional subjects within two years of the date of hire.

South Carolina elects not to use this provision except as these teachers may fall into one
of the circumstances outlined above in the previous section.

31
Requirement 6: The revised plan must include a copy of the State’s written “equity plan”
for ensuring that poor or minority children are not taught by inexperienced, unqualified,
or out-of-field teachers at higher rates than are other children.

Does the revised plan include a written equity plan?

The State’s equity plan has two prongs. The first prong is legislative. The South Carolina
Education Accountability Act of 1998 (EAA) creates the foundation of programs and services
administered by the Office of School Quality. Strategies implemented and supported by the
DEQL complement initiatives of the EAA and comprise the second prong.

The purpose of the EAA is to establish a performance-based accountability system for public
education which focuses on improving teaching and learning so that students are equipped with a
strong academic foundation. Provisions focus on eliminating the achievement gap and targeting
resources to low-performing schools. These low-performing schools typically have percentages
of poor or minority children greater than the State average. Because this legislation preceded
NCLB, terms such as “highly qualified teachers” and “equity” are not referenced. The purpose of
the legislation, however, is consistent with the spirit of NCLB.

Schools rated below average or unsatisfactory on the annual State report card must create an
improvement plan. Upon a review of the revised plan to ensure it contains sufficiently high
standards and expectations for improvement, the SDE delineates the activities, support, services,
and technical assistance it will make available to support the school's plan and sustain
improvement over time.

The EAA authorizes a declaration of a state of emergency in schools rated below average that do
not satisfactorily implement approved recommendations. The state superintendent, after
consulting with the external review committee and with the approval of the State Board of
Education, is granted the authority to take any of the following actions:
1. furnish continuing advice and technical assistance in implementing the
recommendations of the State Board of Education;
2. declare a state of emergency in the school and replace the school's principal; or
3. declare a state of emergency in the school and assume management of the school.

Initiatives and strategies implemented and supported by the DEQL comprise the second prong of
the State’s plan to ensure that all students are taught by teachers who are highly qualified. These
services and programs address training, recruitment, and retention of HQ teachers, and the
professional development necessary to give teachers the skills they need to be effective.

Technical assistance and monitoring will be based on data collection that identifies, by school
and district, specific classes taught by teachers who are not highly qualified. Although the
ultimate goal is for every child to be taught by a teacher who is highly qualified, priority will be
given to districts and schools with high minority, high poverty populations that and do not meet
adequate yearly progress.

32
Does the plan identify where inequities in teacher assignment exist?

Based on preliminary data, there is a higher occurrence of non-HQ classes in both schools
identified as high poverty and those in the highest quartile of minority enrollment.

Table 7: Occurrence of Non-HQ Classes in High Poverty and High Minority Schools
Classes Not Taught by HQ Teachers
Total Number
School Type of Core Classes Number Number
All Schools 199,014 15,730 7.90
High Poverty Schools 37,379 3,908 10.46
High Minority Schools 30,416 3,310 10.88

Does the plan delineate specific strategies for addressing inequity in teacher assignment?

Strategies to address inequity in teacher assignments and ensure equitable distribution of highly
qualified and experienced teachers are provided for in South Carolina legislation and DEQL
initiatives.

Strategy: Offer financial incentives to encourage teachers to work in high-need schools.

The South Carolina Teacher Loan Program was established to entice talented and qualified
students into the teaching profession. Eligibility requirements include ranking in the top 40
percent of one’s high school graduating class and performing at or above the State average on a
college entrance exam. Career changers and teachers in the alternative certification program may
participate. Available loan amounts range from $1,000 annually to an aggregate maximum of
$60,000. This loan is cancelled by teaching in South Carolina public schools in an area of critical
need, which may be geographical or subject area. The cancellation rate is twenty percent or
$3000, whichever is greater, for each full year of teaching in a critical subject or critical
geographic area. For teachers of both a critical subject and a critical geographic area, loans are
cancelled at the rate of thirty-three percent or $5,000, whichever is greater, for each year of full
time teaching.
http://www.scstudentloan.org

Strategy: Pay for performance.

The South Carolina Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) is an initiative to attract, retain,
develop and motivate talented people to the teaching profession. One of the four elements of
TAP is Performance-Based Compensation. Teachers are compensated according to their roles
and responsibilities, their performance in the classroom, and the performance of their students.
The ultimate goal of this project is to develop policies, practices, and procedures which will be
implemented in all of South Carolina’s public schools.

33
Strategy: Require and fund mentoring and induction programs to give teachers the
support that they need to succeed and remain in challenging schools.

The DEQL and CERRA collaborated to develop State Induction and Mentoring Guidelines and
work together to promote and support mentor training. Based on the work of the New Teacher
Center, University of California-Santa Cruz, the Foundations for Mentoring training supports
quality learning opportunities to develop mentoring skills to work with beginning teachers.
CERRA also offers training for educators in cognitive coaching from the Center of Cognitive
Coaching, which is an instructional coaching model that is used by advanced mentors with a
variety of educators. Over 575 South Carolina educators have completed the Foundation in
Cognitive Coaching training. Every district has at least one trained mentor from at least one of
these programs.
http://www.scteachers.org/cert/mentoring.cfm

Mentoring is also an integral component of ADEPT. State Board of Education Regulation 43-
205.1 stipulates that each school district must develop and implement a plan to provide induction
contract teachers with comprehensive guidance and assistance throughout the school year.
District induction plans must comply with State Board of Education ADEPT Implementation
Guidelines and must be approved prior to implementation. In order to comply with this
regulation, all South Carolina public school districts have a written induction plan that includes
professional development and support systems for new teachers in that district. The DEQL
ADEPT coordinator works closely with the districts’ ADEPT coordinators.
http://www.scteachers.org/adept/index.cfm.

Strategy: Support the development of high-quality alternative route programs to create a

pool of teachers specifically for high-need schools.

The Program of Alternative Certification for Educators (PACE) is South Carolina’s alternative
route for initial certification. The purpose of the program is to enable degreed individuals, who
otherwise do not meet certification requirements, to gain employment in the public schools in a
critical need subject area teaching position and/or in a critical geographic area where teacher
shortages exist, as determined annually by the State Board of Education.Eligible candidates are
enrolled in a series of training seminars as well as graduate courses which lead to their
professional certification.. Candidate must complete all requirements by the end of year three.
http://www.scteachers.org/cert/pace/overview.cfm

The restricted alternative certificate provides a route for teachers who are already fully certified
to add other areas to their credentials. Districts request the restricted certificate for teachers who
have demonstrated content competency in the area requested and have at least 12 semester hours
toward certification requirements for the new area. Districts also sign assurances that include
their responsibility for these teachers in the following areas:

1. providing high quality professional development that is sustained, intensive, and

classroom-focused;

34
 2. providing a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance
and regular ongoing support;

3. assuring that this alternative route to added areas of certification will not exceed
three years;

4. assuring satisfactory progress toward full certification as prescribed by the State (six
semester hours annually plus Praxis exam(s) within the three year period).

Strategy: Rehire retired teachers.

Members of South Carolina Retirement System who are eligible for service retirement may elect
to participate in the Teacher and Employee Retention program (TERI). TERI allows a teacher to
work for up to five years as a retiree, while accumulating a retirement annuity and drawing
salary as a full-time employee. At the end of the program, the participant can choose to receive
their retirement as an IRA, 401K rollover or lump sum distribution.

Legislation was amended to lift the earning limitation of $50,000 on teachers and other State
employees who choose to reenter their professions subsequent to retirement. Fully retired
teachers may reenter the workforce and receive full teaching salary and full State retirement
benefits simultaneously.

Strategy: Improve administrative support and leadership.

The EAA provides funds and programmatic support for staff to address needs in low-performing
schools. The following administrative positions are included:

1. Principal Specialists may be hired for a school designated as unsatisfactory if the

district board of trustees chooses to replace the principal of that school. The principal
specialist will assist the school in gaining knowledge of best practices and well-
validated alternatives in carrying out the recommendations of the review team. The
specialist will demonstrate effective leadership for improving classroom practices,
assist in the analyses of assessment data, work with individual members of the faculty
emphasizing needed changes in classroom instructional strategies based upon
analyses of assessment data, and support teachers in acquiring new skills designed to
increase academic performance. The principal specialists hired in such schools will
receive their salary and a supplement equal to 1.25 times the supplement amount
calculated for teachers. The salary and supplement are to be paid by the State for two
years.

2. Principal Leaders are employed in situations in which the district board of trustees
does not choose to replace a principal. The principal leader works with the building
principal, school staff, central office, and the local board of trustees to build local
capacity, improve student performance, and increase the rate of student progress in
that school.

35
36
Strategy: Provide intensive professional development in core academic content to teachers
currently working in high-need schools.

The EAA provides funds and programmatic support for staff to address needs in low-performing
schools. The following professional development positions are included:

1. Teacher Specialists are experienced, exemplary educators committed to improving

teaching and learning who partner with classroom teachers to provide support and
training, and to serve as a resource needed to help the teacher improve instructional
skills. Teacher specialists assist classroom teachers by
• demonstrating effective teaching and serving as a coach to improve
instruction,
• assisting the faculty in gaining knowledge and in implementing best
instructional practices,
• assisting school teams in analyzing test data to identify patterns and
instructional deficiencies,
• developing strategies to address instructional deficiencies, and
• providing support and training for needed changes in instructional practices.

2. Curriculum Specialists and District Instruction Facilitators provide technical

assistance and instructional support in curriculum planning and alignment,
professional Development, and student performance.

Does the plan provide evidence for the probable success of the strategies it includes?

Evidence for the probable success of the above strategies is grounded in well-researched and
documented studies. Bibliographical citations accompany each synopsis of global findings.

Strategy: Offer financial incentives to encourage teachers to work in high-need schools.

Compensation is one of many job variables that matter to teachers, and it can be adjusted to
attract teachers to more challenging assignments. Teachers are more likely to accept assignments
in settings that do not have strong records of success if they are compensated for the academic
gains they help achieve. Several studies have underscored salary as a factor when potential
employees choose whether or not to accept a particular assignment.

Prince, C. (2003). Higher pay in hard-to-staff schools: The case for financial incentives.
Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Kirby, S., Naftel, S., & Berends, M. (1999). Staffing at-risk school districts in Texas:
Problems and prospects, pp. 57-58. Santa Monica, CA: RAND.
www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1083/index.html.

37
Strategy: Require and fund mentoring and induction programs to give teachers the
support that they need to succeed and remain in challenging schools.

Teacher turnover is highest in high-poverty schools and contributes to lower levels of student
achievement, as much as 50 percent higher than in other settings. Hard-to-staff schools struggle
to recruit and keep high-quality teachers because they often fail to provide effective training,
valuable induction programs, and a generally supportive teaching environment. This statistic can
be offset by induction and mentoring programs, which are attributed to teachers being twice as
likely to remain in the profession as those who did not have these resources.

Center for Teaching Quality. (2006, June). “Why mentoring and induction matters and what
must be done for new teachers.” Teaching Quality Across the Nation: Best Practices &
Policies, 5(2).

“Alliance for Excellent Education. (2004). Tapping the potential: Retaining and developing
high-quality new teachers. Washington, DC: Author.
http://www.all4ed.org/files/archive/publications/TappingThePotential/TappingThePotential.p
df

Villar, A. (2004). Measuring the benefits and costs of mentor-based induction: A value-added
assessment of new teacher effectiveness linked to student achievement. Santa Cruz, CA: New
Teacher Center.

Strategy: Support the development of high-quality alternative route programs to create a

pool of teachers specifically for high-need schools.

Studies that have examined the effectiveness of alternative route teachers are mixed. Some
suggest that they are less effective than those who have gone through traditional four-year
teacher preparation programs. Research does show that alternative routes are adding to the ranks
of certified teachers by attracting people who would not have entered teaching otherwise. Studies
have also concluded that alternative routes attract candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Jacobson, L. “Alternative routes attracting unlikely candidates,” Education Week, February

23, 2005. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/02/23/24altern.h24.html

Viadero, D. “Teachers from alternate routes scrutinized,” Education Week, September 28,
2005. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/09/28/05alternate.h25.html

Strategy: Rehire retired teachers.

High-need schools have a disproportionate share of inexperienced teachers who are new to the
school and new to the profession. Numerous studies have confirmed that teaching experience is
directly linked to teacher effectiveness. As stated in Teaching Inequality: How Poor and
Minority Students Are Shortchanged on Teacher Quality:

38
 The evidence is incontrovertible that experience increases teacher effectiveness. Most
research suggests that teachers are considerably more effective after completing two years.
Murnane was one of the first to document the relationship between experience and student
achievement; controlling for other factors, teacher effectiveness escalated in the first three
years of teaching. Similarly, Rivkin, Hanushek, and Kain reported that beginning teachers in
mathematics and second- and third-year teachers perform significantly worse than more
experienced teachers. In a recent study of teachers in New York City, researchers found that
as teachers gained experience in their first three or four years, student performance increased.
http://www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/010DBD9F-CED8-4D2B-9E0D-
91B446746ED3/0/TQReportJune2006.pdf

Strategy: Improve administrative support and leadership.

One of the most frequently cited reasons that teachers give for moving away from certain schools
is weak leadership and lack of administrative support. High-need schools have a disproportionate
share of principals who are inexperienced and have little teaching experience themselves.

The National Council of Staff Development has extensive resources available that
substantiate the importance of school leadership for professional development and positive
school change.
http://www.nsdc.org/standards/leadership.cfm

Strategy: Provide intensive professional development in core academic content to teachers

currently working in high-need schools.

Research has identified strong relationships between teachers’ content knowledge and student
achievement, particularly in math and science. Evidence suggests that teachers who leave
schools with high concentrations of poor and minority students are more likely to be highly-
skilled than those who remain. While states may be able to attract some new teachers to high-
need schools, states must also be prepared to build the knowledge, skills, and abilities of teachers
who remain in these schools. Intensive professional development to build the skills of teachers
already working in high-need schools so that they become highly effective is another way that
states can ensure an equitable distribution of teachers.

The National Council of Staff Development has extensive resources available that validate
the NSDC Standards for Professional Development.
http://www.nsdc.org/standards/leadership.cfm

Does the plan indicate that the SEA will examine the issue of equitable teacher assignment
when it monitors LEAs, and how this will be done?

The Title II, Part A application will be revised in 2006-07 to include district plans for equitable
teacher assignment. The State will use available data that identify classes taught by teachers who

39
are not highly qualified, average teaching experience of teachers, and retention rate for teachers
in districts and schools. Technical assistance and monitoring visits will be prioritized for high
poverty and high minority districts and schools with the greatest percent of classes taught by
teachers who are not highly qualified.

40