Assessment and Accreditation

National Accreditation, Recognition, and State Approval

Accreditation

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

The University of South Carolina Beaufort is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, and masters degrees. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of the University of South Carolina Beaufort may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Academic Program Accreditation

Department of Education
The Department of Education at USCB is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP), and approved by the South Carolina Department of Education, for a period of seven years, from 2022-2029.

All teacher preparation programs offered at USCB including the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education, the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education program, the Bachelor of Arts in Secondary English, and the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics are also accredited by the South Carolina Department of Education.

CAEP Accountability Measures

Measure 1: Completer Effectiveness & Impact on PreK-12 Learning and Development

MAP Scores
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP is a formative assessment system that measures what students know and informs teachers on what they are ready to learn next. The dynamic system adjusts to each student's performance while they are being assessed. The assessment is administered to students in grades K-8 three times per year in the areas of reading and mathematics. The data collected from the assessment assists teachers with developing meaningful instructional units specific to student needs.
1. Math MAP Scores AY 2021-2022**
2. Math MAP Scores AY 2020-2021*
3. Math MAP Scores AY 2019-2020*
4. Math MAP Scores AY 2018-2019
5. Math MAP Scores AY 2017-2018
6. Reading MAP Scores AY 2021-2022**
7. Reading MAP Scores AY 2020-2021*
8. Reading MAP Scores AY 2019-2020*
9. Reading MAP Scores AY 2018-2019
10. Reading MAP Scores AY 2017-2018
  
  **Due to the challenges of COVID-19 and personnel changes at the Beaufort County School District (BCSD), current MAP Data is unavailable. USCB is in the process of reaching out to district partners to compile and tabulate data, and the data for this measure are expected to become available to the public by November 30th.
  *MAP Scores are not available for AY 2019-2020 and AY 2020-2021
SC Ready Scores
The South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Assessments (SC READY) are statewide assessments in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. All students in grades 3–8 are required to take the SC READY except those students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the South Carolina Alternate Assessment (SC-Alt)
1. SC Ready: ELA and Math Scores AY 2021-2022**
2. SC Ready: ELA and Math Scores AY 2020-2021*
3. SC Ready: ELA and Math Scores AY 2019-2020*
4. SC Ready: ELA and Math Scores AY 2018-2019
5. SC Ready: ELA and Math Scores AY 2017-2018
  
  **Due to the challenges of COVID-19 and personnel changes at the Beaufort County School District (BCSD), current SC Ready is unavailable. USCB is in the process of reaching out to district partners to compile and tabulate data, and the data for this measure are expected to become available to the public by November 30th.
  *MAP Scores are not available for AY 2019-2020 and AY 2020-2021
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.
Indicators of Teaching Effectiveness (ADEPT Pass Rates)
The 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. 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.

Measure 2: Satisfaction of Employers and Stakeholders Involvement

Satisfaction of Employers
Program Impact Surveys are sent electronically to Administrators in an employing school once a year. Respondents are asked to evaluate USCB completers performance on a four-point scale from Strongly Agree (1) to Strongly Disagree (4).
Satisfaction of Completers
Program Impact Surveys are sent electronically to Completers once a year. Respondents are asked to evaluate their preparation on a four-point scale from Strongly Agree (1) to Strongly Disagree (4)

Measure 3: Candidate Competency at Completion

Graduation Rates
Ability of Completers to meet licensing and any additional state requirements
Title II Reporting

Measure 4: Ability of Completers to be Hired in Education Positions for which they have Prepared

Student Loan Default Rates and Other Consumer Information

Student Loan Default Rates are collected and reported by the US Department of Education (USDE), by institution, over a 3-year period.

University of South Carolina Beaufort
Student Loan Default Rate as reported by the USDE
USE CODE: 003450

Teaching Outside South Carolina

Teacher Candidates who wish to teach in a state other than South Carolina are subject to that state's licensure/certification requirements. The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) provides resources to navigate each state's licensure/certification requirements. Additional information related to out of state licensure/certification can be found on the NASDTEC website.