The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) announces that the 2025–26 Request for Proposals for the Arts Curricular Innovation Grants (ACIG)—Distinguished Arts Program grant is now available online. Approximately $700,000 in funding will be distributed on a competitive basis and the deadline to apply is April 28, 2025.

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) announces that the 2025–26 Request for Proposals for the Arts Curricular Innovation Grants (ACIG)— Arts Enhancement Program (AEP) grant is now available online. Approximately $350,000 in funding will be distributed on a competitive basis and the deadline to apply is April 21, 2025.

In partnership with SC Economics, the Office of Career and Technical Education is offering a multi-day professional learning experience to credential teachers for the 0.5-unit Personal Finance course (5141)—a requirement for graduation.

As school districts initiate the teacher contracting process for the 2025-26 School Year, we wish to remind you of the pertinent South Carolina laws regulating this process. This memorandum specifically addresses the critical deadlines for notifications regarding teacher employment.

The Office of Assessment and Standards (OAS) is searching for a group of educators representing our state to participate in standard setting meetings this summer. Standard setting is a process used to define performance standards and the cut scores that correspond to those levels.

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) announces that the 2025–26 Request
for Proposals for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) subgrant program is now available online. $3–$4 million in funding will be distributed on a competitive basis and the deadline to apply is May 5, 2025.

South Carolina schools experienced an unprecedented combination of extreme weather
this school year, and some communities are still recovering from the impact of Hurricane
Helene. We recognize that districts have had to make difficult decisions about ensuring
student safety and meeting requirements for instructional time.

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is hosting a Accessible Educational Materials Informational Day session on March 18, 2025 for school districts to gain insights into CAST Quality Indicators for Accessible Educational Materials (AEM), technologies, and review SCDE support options for school districts.

This memorandum provides information on the expansion of the South Carolina CERDEP, as detailed in the Read to Succeed Act (Section 59-156-120) and Proviso 1.47.

The new year has commenced with a whirlwind of K-12 education-related activity in Washington. We recognize that policy shifts at the national level naturally generate questions from parents and educators across the state.

Since September 2023, the Office of School Facilities (OSF) has worked to implement several initiatives to improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of its processes and procedures.

Over the last few months, the State Board of Education has ruled on seventeen books pursuant to Regulation 43-170. The State Board has issued written orders regarding eleven books, and the other six were ruled on at last week’s State Board meeting and written orders are pending.

The Office of Assessment and Standards Science Team is excited to announce the release of the Middle and High School Bundling Guides for Science a new resource to support teachers of science in their instructional planning.

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) announces that the 2025–30 Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) Programs competitive subgrants is now available online.

The Division of College, Career, and Military Readiness has renamed and updated leadership roles in two of our offices to align with the South Carolina Department of Education’s newest strategic plan and organizational chart.

The Office of Assessment and Standards Science Standards Team is excited to offer Office Hours for Spring 2025. These sessions are designed for teachers of science. Each session will kick off with 15 minutes of facilitated learning centered around a science instructional practice, resource, or planning strategy.

The National Youth Science Camp (NYS Camp) is accepting nominations of current high school juniors or seniors for its 2025 in-person camp in the Monongahela National Forest of West Virginia. The NYS Camp is designed to honor and challenge future leaders through engagement with STEAM professionals and exciting outdoor activities. Two students from South Carolina will be selected to attend.

The Office of Leadership Effectiveness will offer a free one-day professional learning opportunity designed to focus on women in leadership roles. We are offering a full day of learning, collaboration, and mentoring with the goal of inspiring women leading education around the state.

The Office of Leadership Effectiveness will offer free professional learning sessions for districts interested in learning more about collective teacher and principal leadership and the Collective Leadership Initiative (CLI).

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) announces the launch of the Hope Tour, first stop Columbia, SC. The purpose of the tour is to introduce additional elements to existing curriculum that will foster meaningful dialogue and inspire action to unite schools, classrooms, and communities.

The recent cybersecurity breach affecting one of our school districts underscores the growing cybersecurity threats facing our schools and the critical need for proactive measures to safeguard our systems and sensitive data.

The South Carolina Department of Education is pleased to recognize high school seniors
who will be entering the military or attending a military service academy with a red, white,
and blue honor cord to be worn during graduation ceremonies. Thank you for participating
in this program to honor the commitment these students are making to serve our country.

The English Language Arts Standards Team in the Office of Assessment and Standards is offering asynchronous professional learning modules to support the understanding and implementation of the 2024 South Carolina College- and Career-Ready ELA Standards.
Participants can earn recertification credit for each module completed.

Section 59-32-20(B) of the South Carolina Code of Laws was amended in June 2014
(H.4061, Act 293) to read that the State Board of Education through the South Carolina
Department of Education (SCDE) shall support districts in providing age-appropriate
instruction in sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention to all students in four year old kindergarten, where offered, through twelfth grade.