Everything you need to prepare for South Carolina READY, SCPASS, and EOCEP assessments

It’s hard to believe that the SC READY, SCPASS, and EOCEP are just a few months away! With such broad concerns as ensuring that your students know the grade- or course-specific material and are feeling confident they have the right mindset and testing strategies, we know that testing time can be extremely stressful for all involved. We’re hoping to help lighten the load (even if only a little bit) by curating all the best testing resources we could get our hands on.

Testing Materials from the SC Department of Education

Making sense of testing resources can be overwhelming. To ensure that you’re able to take advantage of all the free resources the SC DOE has to offer, we have compiled the best places to start.

Testing Calendar, Two Ways (Web or PDF)
Check out a compiled list of dates for all assessments offered by the SC DOE.

South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessments (SC READY) Resources
These online assessments for grades 3–8 ELA and math will kick off before you know it. Examine details for test administration, understand cut score ranges, and review testing blueprints and sample items.

South Carolina Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS) Resources
For students in grades 4, 6, and 8 science and students in grades 5 and 7 social studies, these assessments are required. Get comfortable with the format, items, scoring, and procedures associated with these tests.

End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) Resources
This online information hub offers testing dates, blueprints, sample items, and scoring guidelines all in one place.

Tips and Tricks for Success

It’s safe to say that testing means something a little different to everybody. For teachers and administrators, testing procedures and academic understanding come first. For parents and students, trying to calm those testing nerves might be priority number one. In any case, we’ve organized testing tips and tricks for the many different groups who have testing on the brain.

For District Administrators
Like it or not, we all know test scores matter a great deal. Prior to test day, review 8 Last-Minute Steps Districts Can Take to Improve Test Scores.

For Principals and Teachers
Testing often falls most heavily on building-level personnel. Check out our 10 Classroom and School Tips to Improve Test Scores.

For Parents
Send home a test-taking checklist for parents and students to review together, such that come test day, learners feel ready to do their best. Grab one for elementary or secondary students.

For Students
Supporting students through test season often means helping them manage the stress associated with this time of year. Dig into our 6 Tips for Teachers to Help Students Manage Stress.

Practice That Ensures Students Are Test READY

There is something unique about testing of any kind that requires students to recall information they’ve previously learned and apply it to answer the question at hand. If your students don’t have experience with this—whether it’s through low-stakes formative assessment or high-stakes summative tests—they may struggle on test day.

Fortunately, with sustained and regular practice, your students will grow familiar retrieving information and similarly be able to show you what they know by way of assessment so that you can adjust instruction up until test day. Check out the following resources to get started.

5 Proven Ways to Get the Most Out of Practice Testing
The old adage “practice makes perfect” is a familiar turn of phrase for a reason. Ensure that you’re getting the most out of every minute your students are spending on practice testing.

3 Ways Online Practice Can Support Your Test Prep Program
As you are considering different options to ensure that your students have achieved standards proficiency, it’s critical that you have a program that’s aligned to the South Carolina standards, including College- and Career-Ready Standards, Academic Standards and Performance Indicators (science), and Academic Standards (social studies). Consider this and other benefits of using an online program.

Start your FREE trial of Study Island
A recent study, validated by Marzano Research, confirms that when students spend just 30 minutes a week practicing in Study Island, they achieve significant academic gains. Check out the programs offered in South Carolina.