In collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE), WIN will lead delivery of research-based assessments measuring the foundational employability skills and soft skills each year of all eleventh grade students, spanning more than 80 school districts and 250 high schools statewide as required by state policy (SC Code § 59-18-325). Twelfth grade students also have the opportunity to take or retake the assessments. The results benchmark district and school advancement toward ensuring all students are career ready upon graduation. This year, school testing is scheduled for March 27-April 14.

Students who pass the assessments earn the South Carolina Work Ready Credential, demonstrating mastery of foundational math, reading, and data analysis skills, and the South Carolina Work Ready Essential Soft Skills Credential, validating mastery of professional skills including communicating effectively, conveying professionalism, promoting teamwork and collaboration, and thinking critically and solving problems. The credentials are endorsed by the National Work Readiness Council as tools for educators, workforce development professionals, and employers to determine students’ readiness for post-secondary education and technical training, apprenticeship, on-the-job training, and ultimately employment. 

The WIN-powered assessments used by the State of South Carolina have been developed in direct response to education, workforce, economic development, and business and industry demand for a common measure of students’ career readiness. WIN’s solutions are based on the U.S. Department of Labor O*NET Content Model Framework, which is widely recognized as the nation’s primary source of occupational data. The Work Ready assessments target the transferable career readiness skills that employers in South Carolina and nationwide commonly define as essential to gain and maintain employment across industries, in occupations from entry level to professional. The assessment learning objectives correlate to the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate, a set of standards for the career and life skills high school students should master by the time they graduate.

WIN was chosen as the state’s foundational career readiness partner through competitive bid, ranking as the preferred provider based on expertise and experience, technical approach, and value. “South Carolina Department of Education is a longtime partner of WIN,” said Teresa Chasteen, CEO of WIN Learning. “We are excited to continue our partnership to ensure that all South Carolina students graduate high school with the skills they need to succeed in their future careers.”