1. education
2. school

MR. JOSEPH PYE
Superintendent
Dorchester
School
District Two
102 GREEN WAVE BOULEVARD SUMMERVILLE, SC 29483  (843) 873-2901
March 25, 2015
Dorchester District Two Parents:
The South Carolina General Assembly has passed legislation that affected the state’s accountability assessments for the
school year 2014-2015. In an effort to keep you informed, we have prepared a snapshot of the state required
assessments for this spring. The state has chosen to administer the ACT suite of assessments for English, writing,
reading, and math in Grades 3 through 8, and The ACT and WorkKeys for Grade 11. The state will continue to
administer SCPASS in science and social studies. Below is the testing schedule for this spring:
2014-2015 Assessment
ACT Aspire Writing
ACT Aspire English
ACT Aspire Reading
ACT Aspire Math
SCPASS Science
SCPASS Social Studies
The ACT
ACT WorkKeys
2014-2015 Testing Dates
April 28; Make-ups through May 13
April 28; Make-ups through May 13
April 29; Make-ups through May 13
April 30; Make-ups through May 13
May 7; Make-ups through May 15
May 8; Make-ups through May 15
April 28; Make-up on May 12
April 29; Make-up on May 13
Tested Grades
Grades 3 - 8
Grades 3 - 8
Grades 3 - 8
Grades 3 - 8
Grades 4 - 8
Grades 4 - 8
Grade 11 (students in 3rd year)
Grade 11 (students in 3rd year)
ACT’s longitudinal assessment system measures and monitors a student’s academic achievement over time. Parents
will be able to track student progress using comparable measures from grade to grade. The new tests will help teachers
identify where students are succeeding and where extra help or academic focus is needed. This will increase students’
chances of being ready for college and the workforce by the time they graduate. Moreover, information will be provided
that will help students identify and explore prospective careers early in their high school experience.
Through this comprehensive assessment system, Dorchester School District Two will have the ability to compare our
students’ performance to the performance of students across the nation. We also believe that monitoring and
communicating student academic progress in the context of post-secondary preparedness and success will help increase
graduation rates while solidifying a stronger, better equipped workforce. Finally, the improved understanding and
relevant connection for families and students to their academic achievement should increase the number and amount of
scholarships earned by graduating seniors. We invite you to visit the State Department of Education web site for
additional information on the new state testing program at http://www.ed.sc.gov/agency/pi/act/.
Help us make your student feel confident and comfortable as he/she tests this spring. Be sure your student goes to bed
early, gets a good night’s sleep, eats a good breakfast, and arrives at school on time. Please note that students are not
allowed to have cell phones, tablets, or other electronic communication devices in their possession during testing.
Thank you for your support in encouraging your student to put forth his/her best effort.
Sincerely,
Joseph R. Pye, Superintendent
Quality  Tradition  Vision