(A) The State Superintendent of Education shall ensure every student entering publicly funded prekindergarten and kindergarten will be administered a board-approved readiness assessment within the first forty-five days of school. The approved assessments of academic readiness must be aligned with first and second grade standards for English/language arts and mathematics. The purpose of the assessment is to provide teachers and parents or guardians with information to address the readiness needs of each student by identifying early language and literacy development, physical well-being, and cognitive development to inform and assist appropriate instruction for each child. The results of the assessment and the developmental intervention strategies recommended to address the child's identified needs must be provided, in writing, to the parent or guardian. Reading instructional strategies and developmental activities for children whose oral language skills are assessed to be below the norm of their peers in the State must be aligned with the district's reading proficiency plan for addressing the readiness needs of each student. The results of each assessment with the date of when the assessment was administered must be reported to the department. (B) A district superintendent or charter school authorizer may submit a request to the department to waive the minimum one hundred eighty-day school attendance requirement for kindergarten and South Carolina Child Early Reading Development and Education Program (CERDEP) students for the purpose of scheduling readiness assessments. Upon approval of the waiver request, the approved school may allow kindergarten and CERDEP students to be administered the assessments during a shortened school day within the first five days of the academic year. Effect of Amendment 2024 Act No. 114, SECTION 5, rewrote the section.
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