Annual Reporting Measures (CAEP Component 5.4 | A.5.4)

 

 

The College of Education at the University of South Carolina (USC) is accredited through the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP) Accreditation System, and approved by the South Carolina Department of Education, for a period of seven years, from 2024-2031. The next accreditation and state review is scheduled for Fall 2031. All educator preparation programs (EPP) offered at USC are recognized by their respective Specialized Professional Association or the South Carolina Department of Education.

Based upon the data reflected in our annual measures, the EPP at USC is producing highly qualified educators who have a positive impact on K-12 student learning and are prepared to meet the demands of the profession for which they have been prepared. 

 

Completer Effectiveness. (R4.1) 

Completer impact in contributing to PK-12 student-learning growth

Teacher SLO Scores

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) requires one Student Learning Objective (SLO) be created annually as part of a teacher’s evaluation. The SLO serves to measure the impact of teaching performance on student growth, determined by the teacher’s ability to set appropriate goals for student learning and development, accurately measure and analyze student growth, and to plan, implement, and adjust instruction to ensure maximum student progress.

USC Completer scores are provided for AY 2024-2025, 2023-2024, 2022-2023, 2021-2022, 2020-2021, and 2019-2020. Scores are provided by certification area and total number of Completers evaluated. Completers are evaluated on a 4-level scale from Exemplary to Unsatisfactory. The majority of USC Completers were evaluated as either Exemplary or Proficient on their SLO. In a few instances, Completers were evaluated as Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory.

Read the Completer SLO Report [pdf]

 

Completer Effectiveness in Applying Professional Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

The South Carolina Teaching Standards 4.0 (SCTS 4.0) rubric is based on sets of performance standards designed and validated by the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) and establishes the expectations for what classroom-based teachers are to know, be able to do, and carry out as an integral part of their practice. These expectations, called the SCTS Indicators, are the foundation for good teaching and are designed to grow classroom- based teachers throughout their career continuum, beginning with teacher preparation and continuing through induction, high-stakes performance evaluations, and ongoing professional growth and development. Teachers are evaluated on a four-point rubric from Exemplary (4 points) to Unsatisfactory (1 point). A classroom-based teacher’s proficiency in each of the standards is expected to occur developmentally and to increase continuously throughout the entirety of the teaching career.

Aggregate USC Completer scores on the SCTS 4.0 evaluation are provided for AY 2024-2025, 2023-2024, 2022-2023, 2021-2022, 2020-2021, and 2019-2020. Statewide performance scores are provided for comparison purposes. USC Completers performed on par with or better than other teachers evaluated during the same academic year. Further, on average, Completers were evaluated as Proficient or higher on most, if not all, of the performance indicators.

View the Expanded ADEPT District Scores [pdf]

 

Satisfaction of Employers and Stakeholder Involvement (R4.2, R5.3, RA4.1)

Completer and Employer Satisfaction surveys were revised during AY 2025-2026. The revised surveys are being piloted in Spring 2026 with recent Completers and Employers. Data obtained from the piloted surveys will be used to finalize the revised surveys for future dissemination. The results that follow are from the last administration of the EPPs Complete and Employer Satisfaction surveys.

Initial Programs

Employers/school leadership were sent a survey where they reported their satisfaction with the preparedness of USC initial program graduates. Conclusions regarding USC initial graduates include:

• Over half of all respondents rated USC Completers as either Prepared or Very Well Prepared in the following areas:
  • Ability to teach students with diverse backgrounds
  • Alignment of teaching with state standards
  • Assessment of student learning
  • Collaboration with school-based colleagues
  • Content/subject matter
  • Development of a safe learning environment
  • Family and community engagement
  • Instructional and Pedagogical content knowledge
  • Teaching students with disabilities
• 89% of respondents felt that USC graduates met or exceeded expectations for overall job performance
• 95% of respondents felt that USC graduates were either more effective or significantly more effective to perform at the same or better levels than graduates from other institutions
• 100% of respondents said they would hire another USC graduate as an employee based on their experiences with recent USC graduates

View the Initial Employer Survey

 

Advanced Programs

Employers/district leadership were sent a survey where they reported their satisfaction with the preparedness of USC advanced program graduates. Conclusions regarding USC advanced graduates include:

• 100% of respondents felt that USC graduates were either prepared or very well prepared to:
  • Act in an open and transparent manner
  • Manage school resources effectively and efficiently to support school vision
  • Promote effectiveness in serving all students well
  • Work with staff to solve school or department problems
  • Promote trusting relationships
  • Effectively communicate and engage with families and caregivers
  • Develop and formulate a school-level ethical leadership platform
  • Propose designs and implementation strategies for improving the impact of academic and non-academic practices, resources, and services that support student learning
  • Interpret data from formative and summative assessments fu use in educational planning
  • Cultivate collaboration among staff and families in support of student learning and success
  • Observe teaching in a variety of classrooms and provide teaching staff with actionable feedback to support improvement
• 100% of respondents felt that USC graduates were prepared or very well prepared as school/district leaders
• 100% of respondents said they would hire another USC graduate based on their experience with recent USC graduates

View the Advanced Employer Survey

 

Candidate Competency at Completion (R3.3): Initial and Advanced

Over the reporting period, USC Completers demonstrated an above 80% pass rate on all certification exams. USC results are like statewide results across the academic years reported. These results demonstrate that USC Completers are competent at program completion to meet the entry requirements of their selected area of teaching and/or leadership. Data for individual certification exams can be found by clicking on the link titled "Read the Praxis Exams Result data."

 

Initial Licensure Programs	Number Taking Assessment - Institutional Results	Number Passing Assessment - Institutional Results	Institutional Pass Rate	Number Taking Assessment - Statewide Results	Number Passing Assessment - Statewide Results	Statewide Pass rate
All Program Completers, 2024-2025	165	143	87%	1349	1217	90%
All Initial Program Completers, 2023-2024	216	188	87%	1562	1403	90%
All Initial Program Completers, 2022-2023	228	201	88%	1472	1347	92%

 

Ability of completers to meet licensing (certification) and any additional state requirements; Title II (advanced programs)

Program Name	Number Taking Assessment - Institutional Results	Number Passing Assessment - Institutional Results	Institutional Pass Rate	Number Taking Assessment - Statewide Results	Number Passing Assessment - Statewide Results	Statewide Pass Rate
Ed Leadership: Administration & Supervision (5412), AY 2024-2025	21	20	95.24%	238	255	94.54%
Ed Leadership: Administration & Supervision (5412), AY 2023-2024	15	15	100%	216	209	97%
Ed Leadership: Administration & Supervision (5412), AY 2022-2023	23	23	100%	256	252	98%

 

Read the Praxis Exams Result data [pdf]

 

Ability of Completers to be Hired: Initial and Advanced

Educators must be recommended for certification through their EPP to be eligible for positions within South Carolina schools. Educators must complete all program and certification requirements to be recommended for certification to the South Carolina Department of Education.

 

Completers and Recommendations for Certification

Initial Certificate Programs	2020-2021	2021-2022	2022-2023	2023-2024	2024-2025
Enrolled Candidates	990	1051	976	965	1048
Completers	310	257	242	240	201
Completers Recommended for Certification	308	209	208	191	158
Percentage of Completers Recommended for Certification	99.4%	81.3%	86.0%	80.0%	78.6%

 

Advanced Programs	2020-2021	2021-2022	2022-2023	2023-2024	2024-2025
Enrolled Candidates	177	184	132	101	125
Completers	80	67	76	43	31
Completers Recommended for Certification	78	66	74	41	31
Percentage of Completers Recommended for Certification	97.5%	98.5%	97.4%	95.3%	100.0%

 

Expanded ADEPT SCTS 4.0 and PADEPP Evaluation Results

Data was obtained from the South Carolina Department of Education. This data reflects the ability of USC Completers to be employed in and meet qualifications of education positions for which they have been prepared. Completers of USC’s initial educator preparation programs that are employed in South Carolina public school districts are evaluated via Expanded ADEPT: SCTS 4.0. (South Carolina Teaching Standards 4.0). Completers of USC’s advanced programs that are employed as administrators are evaluated via PADEPP (Program for Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Principal Performance). Evaluation data indicates that, largely, Completers of USC’s initial and advanced preparation programs are meeting the performance criteria for their area of certification.

 

Initial Programs

Program Result	2020-2021		2021-2022		2022-2023		2023-2024		2024-2025
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Met	222	27.8	254	95.1	202	95.7	208	95.4	178	96.2
Not Met	0	0.0	2	0.7	1	0.5	2	0.9	0	0.0
Incomplete	5	2.2	10	3.7	8	3.8	8	3.7	7	3.8
Unknown	0	0.0	1	0.4	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0.0
Total	227	100.0	267	100.0	211	100.0	218	100.0	185	100.0

 

Advanced Programs

Program Result	2020-2021		2021-2022		2022-2023		2023-2024		2024-2025
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Exemplary	14	46.7	16	48.5	70	47.0	72	47.1	66	41.3
Proficient	16	53.3	16	48.5	75	50.3	80	52.3	93	58.1
Needs Improvement	0	0.0	1	3.0	4	2.7	1	0.6	1	0.6
Unsatisfactory	0	0.0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0.0
Total	30	100.0	33	100.0	149	100.0	153	100.0	160	100.0

This information is publicly available on our website and reviewed and discussed annually by constituents within our quality assurance system. Publicly available data from our peer aspirant institutions and other EPPs in the state are reviewed and discussed for comparative purposes.