This information was produced by the staff of the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development (B-BC) at the University of Iowa (belinblank.org). The resources and information listed here are for informational purposes; there is no direct or implied endorsement by the B-BC. Services provided by the B-BC include programs for academically talented K-12 and college students, professional development for teachers, the Assessment and Counseling Clinic, the Acceleration Institute (accelerationinstitute.org), and graduate programs and research in gifted education.

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State Policies in South Carolina  

South Carolina does not have a state acceleration policy. LEA's make acceleration decisions.

Grade-based Acceleration

Early entrance to kindergartenState policy does not permit. South Carolina Code 59-63-20 states that "students may enter kindergarten in the public schools of this State if they will attain the age of five on or before September first of the applicable school year or have substantially initiated a public school kindergarten program in another state."
Early entrance to 1st gradeState policy does not permit. South Carolina Code 59-63-20 states that "students may not enter the first grade in the public schools of this State unless they will attain the age of six on or before September first of the applicable school year or have substantially initiated a first grade program in another state ... or have attended a public school kindergarten program for one full school year."
Whole-grade accelerationDecisions about whole grade acceleration are made at the local school district level. South Carolina Regulation calls for differentiation of the curriculum, and requires districts to "plan for and provide a comprehensive, aligned, and coordinated continuum of services that address the advanced learning needs of gifted and talented students." The Program Models outlines some options that may be available.
Early high school graduationSouth Carolina has state graduation requirements. It is not clear if students who met state and local graduation requirements would be permitted to graduate early.
Early entrance to collegeIf you know where to find this information, please e-mail us.

Content-based Acceleration

Dual or concurrent enrollment in community college, college, or universityState policy specifically permits dual enrollment in high school and college, and allows students to receive high school credit for college courses. Each LEA is responsible for determining the earliest grade/age for dual enrollment.
Middle school students permitted dual or concurrent enrollment in high school

State policy specifically permits dual enrollment in middle and high school, and allows students to receive high school credit for courses taken in middle school.
Advanced Placement®State policy permits. More information is available on the South Carolina Department of Education Advanced Placement webpage.
Talent SearchStudents in South Carolina may participate in a number of regional and national talent searches, including those offered by the University of Iowa's Belin-Blank Center and Johns Hopkins University's Center for Talented Youth.
Credit by examination/proficiency-based promotion

State policy does allow for districts to submit application for Proficiency Based systems.
Other forms of content-based acceleration

Typically left to LEAs to determine. If you know of state-level code, please e-mail us.

Additional Information

South Carolina Department of Education Gifted and Talented
South Carolina Department of Education
South Carolina Consortium for Gifted Education

The information presented on this page was compiled from a variety of resources, including the State of the States in Gifted Education 2020-2021 (a report by the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted and the National Association for Gifted Children), Websites, professional literature, and personal communication. The Acceleration Institute has not verified the accuracy of this information and does not warrant its accuracy or fitness of use for any purpose. Users should verify information prior to taking any action. Furthermore, the appearance of selected programs and/or resources does not imply an endorsement or affiliation. Programs and resources are highlighted for informational purposes only.