Testing Requirements for School Year 2025-2026 ESTF Students

All students in grades K–12 who received an ESTF award for the 2025-2026 school year must meet the testing requirement by completing an approved test for both reading and mathematics. Testing results must be submitted to SCDE by July 15, 2026.

Schools and families can choose from approved summative (annual), interim (three times a year), or college admissions tests.

  • K-2nd grade students can submit any test OR report cards from the beginning and end of year to show learning progress.

  • Students with disabilities who are exempt can submit a portfolio of work or report cards and documentation of their disability (e.g. IEP, 504, physician’s letter).

Summative (Annual) Tests

  • Iowa Assessment

    Traditional academic benchmark assessments aligned with Common Core Standards


    💵 Cost

    $40-$50

    📚 Grades Available

    K-12

    🔡 Subjects Tested

    Reading and Math

    🖥️ Test Format

    Online or Paper/Pencil

    ⏱️ Timing

    Timed (3-12), Untimed (K-2)

    📝 Question Type 

    Fixed

    📈 Accommodations 

    Multiple languages and screen reading

    Learn More



    Purchase

  • Stanford 10

    A broad academic snapshot that is not aligned to the Common Core Standards and is untimed


    💵 Cost

    $45-$55

    📚 Grades Available

    K-12

    🔡 Subjects Tested

    Reading and Math

    🖥️ Test Format

    Online or Paper/Pencil

    ⏱️ Timing

    Untimed for all grades

    📝 Question Type 

    Fixed

    📈 Accommodations 

    Can provide according to IEP or based on diagnosis

    Learn More

    Purchase

  • Classic Learning Test (CLT)

    Assessments that emphasize intellectual aptitude and achievement

    💵 Cost

    $39-$69

    📚 Grades Available

    3-12

    🔡 Subjects Tested

    Reading and Math

    🖥️ Test Format

    Online or Paper/Pencil

    ⏱️ Timing

    Timed

    📝 Question Type 

    Fixed

    📈 Accommodations 

    Available by request

    Learn More



    Purchase

Testing Requirements and Options by Student Type

  • Special needs students who are exempt from testing can turn in a portfolio of work or report cards and documentation of their disability (e.g. IEP, 504, physician’s letter).

  • Students in kindergarten through second grade can take any approved test or turn in a portfolio of work or report cards. The portfolio can be examples of homework or projects from the year.

  • If your child attends a public, private, charter, or online school:

    • The school will administer an approved test. 

    • Some schools will also submit test results to SCDE on behalf of ESTF families.

    • If you’re not sure whether your school will submit results on your behalf, where testing will happen, or how to get those scores, contact your school directly.

  • As a parent educating at home, you are responsible for arranging testing. You have a few options:

    • Use ESTF funds: You can use scholarship funds to purchase an approved test from any ESTF-approved assessment provider.

    • Pay out of pocket: You can purchase any of the approved tests. Some tests require multiple sessions during the year; others only require one at the end.

  • Students in grades 3-8th must take a nationally norm-referenced summative assessment (end of year) annually OR they can take formative assessments three times throughout the school year - at the beginning of the school year, at the end of the first semester (halfway through the school year), and at the end of the school year to show their progress.

    The South Carolina College and Career-Ready Assessments (SC Ready) is an ESTF-approved summative assessment for this grade range.

    NOTE: 8th graders CANNOT take the PSAT 8 to meet the ESTF testing requirement.

  • High schoolers (in grades 9th-12th) must take a department-approved, nationally-normed referenced assessment, formative assessment, or assessment that demonstrates the student’s college or career readiness.

FAQs

  • Unless you have confirmed your child’s school will submit your child’s test results on your behalf, you will need to submit your child’s scores to SCDE. Only ESTF-registered schools will submit test results. Otherwise, the responsibility falls to parents to ensure test completion and results submission.

    You can submit your test scores using this test submission form.

  • After test results are submitted, they are aggregated, made anonymous, and separated out by grade level. This is a General Assembly requirement to make sure participating students are still meeting state standards as a whole, but no individual student scores' are held to a specific benchmark.

  • Rather than taking an end of year test, you can test three times in the fall, winter and spring and submit all 3 tests:

    • NWEA MAP

    • i-Ready® Diagnostic

    • Renaissance - STAR (reading and math)

    • Instructure - Mastery View Predictive Assessments

  • Students in grades 9-12 can take and submit results from any of these college/career readiness tests at any time of year to meet the testing requirement.

    • SAT/PSAT (note: 8th graders CANNOT take the PSAT 8)

    • ACT/Pre-ACT

    • Advanced Placement (AP) exams, published by CollegeBoard

    • South Carolina Career Ready Test (WIN Work Ready)