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Gifted & Talented Education · South Carolina
Gifted Education in South Carolina: Universal Grade 2 Screening, Three-Dimension Eligibility, and Two Program Tracks — Academic and Artistic
South Carolina is one of a small number of states that tests every second grader for gifted eligibility. Regulation 43-220 establishes a precise three-dimension identification system across two tracks. Renzulli Learning supports Dimension C’s curiosity, creativity, and persistence characteristics — and delivers the depth, complexity, and creative thinking the regulation’s curriculum goals require.
~60,000
SC students identified as gifted and talented
~8%
of SC public school students in gifted programs
100%
of grade 2 students universally screened for eligibility
2 tracks
Academic G&T and Artistically G&T — separate identification and programming
South Carolina’s gifted education framework
Two Tracks, Three Dimensions, and One of the Nation’s Most Structured Identification Systems
South Carolina’s gifted education framework is established by SC Code Ann. § 59-29-170 and State Board of Education Regulation 43-220, enacted under the Education Improvement Act of 1984. Every district is required to provide programming for all identified gifted and talented students in grades 1–12 to qualify for state funding weighted at 0.30 of the base student cost.
The regulation defines gifted and talented students as those identified as “demonstrating high performance ability or potential in academic and/or artistic areas and therefore requiring educational programming beyond that normally provided by the general school programming.” Two distinct student populations are served under this definition:
Track 1
Academically Gifted & Talented
Identified through the three-dimension system (Dimensions A, B, C) using CogAT aptitude, Iowa Assessments achievement, and Performance Task Assessments. Universal grade 2 screening plus annual referral windows in grades 3–11.
- Academic disciplines: ELA, mathematics, science, social studies
- Service: special class, pull-out/resource, cluster grouping, independent study
- State funding: highest priority (grades 3–12 first)
Track 2
Artistically Gifted & Talented
Identified through a separate three-step process: referral/recommendation → audition/portfolio/demonstration → team evaluation. Arts areas under Regulation 43-220:
- Dance, Drama (Theatre), Music, Visual Arts
- Evaluation team: arts faculty/staff + administrator + community arts expert
- State funding: second priority after academic GT (grades 3–12)
Academic identification — two paths to eligibility
How South Carolina Identifies Academically Gifted Students: Auto-Qualify or Two-of-Three Dimensions
Regulation 43-220 offers two separate paths to academic gifted eligibility. A student needs only one path:
or
Path 1: Automatic Qualification
96th Percentile Composite Aptitude
Students who score at or above the 96th national age percentile composite on a state-approved aptitude test (for placement into grades 3–12), or the 98th national age percentile composite (for placement into grades 1–2), qualify automatically — with no second dimension required.
Immediate placement — no additional assessment neededPath 2: Two-of-Three Dimensions
Meet Any Two of Dimensions A, B, or C
Students who do not reach the automatic threshold must meet the criteria for two of the three dimensions outlined in Regulation 43-220. Each dimension has a specific threshold, a designated assessment instrument, and a distinct qualifying score. All three dimensions are described in detail below.
Must satisfy 2 of 3: Dim A + B, Dim A + C, or Dim B + C The three dimensions — Regulation 43-220
Dimensions A, B, and C: What Each Requires
Each dimension targets a different facet of academic giftedness. A student must meet either the auto-qualify threshold or at least two dimensions:
Dimension A
Reasoning Abilities
≥ 93rd %ile
national age percentile — one or more areas
High aptitude in verbal/linguistic, quantitative/mathematical, nonverbal reasoning, and/or a composite of the three. Partial qualification threshold; composite 96th+ = auto-qualify.
Primary instrument: CogAT (state-provided, grade 2) Dimension B
High Achievement
≥ 94th %ile
national percentile — reading and/or math
Demonstrated high achievement in reading and/or mathematical areas on nationally normed or SC statewide assessment instruments. See SCDE Best Practices Manual for approved subtest areas.
Primary instrument: Iowa Assessments (state-provided, grade 2) Dimension C
Intellectual/Academic Performance
≥ 16
PTA verbal or nonverbal score (primary level)
High degree of interest, commitment, curiosity/inquiry, reflection, persistence/tenacity, and creative productive thinking. Open-ended problem-solving in verbal and nonverbal formats.
Primary instrument: SC Performance Task Assessments (PTA) Dimension C is where Renzulli Learning is most directly relevant: The characteristics that define Dimension C — curiosity/inquiry, reflection, persistence/tenacity in the face of challenge, and creative productive thinking — are precisely what the Renzulli Profiler, the Cebeci Test of Creativity (CTC), and the Executive Function Assessment measure and develop. These tools don’t replace the PTA, but they provide multi-source evidence of the Dimension C characteristics that inform the student’s overall eligibility profile and post-placement programming.
Grade 2 universal testing — a unique statewide feature
South Carolina’s Statewide Grade 2 Universal Gifted Screening
South Carolina is one of the few states that tests every second-grade student — not just those referred by teachers — for gifted eligibility. This is a mandated statewide screening, not a district option:
1
Universal Fall Screening (All Grade 2 Students)
All second graders take the state-provided CogAT (Dimension A: aptitude — verbal, quantitative, nonverbal) and Iowa Assessments (Dimension B: achievement in reading and math) in the fall of grade 2. No referral is needed; every student participates.
2
GIFT Software Analysis
Results are entered into GIFT (Gifted Identification Forms and Tasks), the SCDE’s state identification software. GIFT automatically identifies students who meet two-dimension eligibility (Dim A + B) or auto-qualify (96th/98th percentile composite) and flags those who meet only one dimension for secondary screening.
3
Performance Task Assessment — Dimension C (Secondary Screening)
Students who meet Dimension A or Dimension B but not both proceed to the Performance Task Assessment (PTA) for Dimension C. The PTA measures open-ended verbal and nonverbal problem-solving. A score of 16 on either the verbal or nonverbal component qualifies a student for Dimension C, completing the two-of-three requirement for placement into grade 3 programming.
4
Evaluation Placement Team & Ongoing Identification
An Evaluation Placement Team reviews eligibility data and makes placement decisions. Students not identified in grade 2 may be referred in grades 3–11 annually by parents, teachers, administrators, or themselves. Transfer students from other SC districts carry their identification; those from other states are evaluated by the Evaluation Placement Team.
Why universal screening matters: Research consistently shows that teacher-referral-only systems under-identify gifted students from low-income families, English Learners, and racial/ethnic minority groups. South Carolina’s universal grade 2 screening is specifically designed to find students who might otherwise be missed — ensuring that ability, not prior identification or teacher perception, drives the first screening. Regulation 43-220 requires that identification procedures “find students who display characteristics of the gifted and talented” from all student populations.
State funding and service priorities
How South Carolina Funds and Prioritizes Gifted Services
South Carolina funds gifted services at a weight of 0.30 of the base student cost per identified and served student. When funds are insufficient to serve all identified students, districts must serve students in this priority order:
1
Grades 3–12 academically identified gifted students not included in the state-funded Advanced Placement Program for 11th and 12th graders — served first
2
Grades 3–12 artistically gifted students in dance, drama, music, and visual arts — served after all Priority 1 students
3
Grades 1–2 academically and artistically gifted students — served last; SCDE currently funds programs starting at grade 3 in practice
Districts that cannot identify more than 40 students using state criteria receive a minimum of $15,000 annually. All state G&T funding must be used directly for gifted and talented expenditures and is subject to supplemental audit requirements.
Programming requirements
What Regulation 43-220 Requires of Gifted Programs
South Carolina’s regulation sets detailed curriculum and programming standards — not just identification criteria. Districts must:
Five-year district programming plan + annual progress reports: Districts submit a comprehensive G&T plan to SCDE every five years and provide annual progress updates. SCDE reviews each plan and provides written feedback. Plans must address differentiated curriculum, support services, programming models, teacher-pupil ratios, service time, and systematic assessment of student progress.
Curriculum goals requiring depth, complexity, creative and critical thinking: Programming must include goals and indicators that require students to demonstrate depth and complexity of knowledge, creative and critical thinking skills, and problem-solving skills. A confluent approach — blending acceleration and enrichment — must be used. Opportunities for the creation and critical consumption of information using technology are required.
GT teacher endorsement required: Every teacher of a state-funded gifted and talented course or class must hold an SCDE-approved gifted and talented teaching endorsement. SCDE supports endorsement through the GT Graduate Course Program Grant awarded to SC institutions of higher education. Teachers also receive 250 minutes per week of planning time and annual professional development on differentiated curriculum and gifted learner needs.
SCDE-approved programming models: The primary model for grades 3–12 is a special class (pull-out or dedicated class taught by a GT-endorsed teacher). Additional SCDE-approved models include cluster grouping, itinerant teacher, multiage classroom, independent study, consortium arrangements with other districts, and online courses. Alternative models require written SCDE approval.
Support services for personalized education: Programs must include support services facilitating student learning — including mentorships, online courses, independent study, assistive technologies, guidance, academic support, staff development, and competition opportunities. Support services are a required component of the five-year plan, not optional enrichments.
Platform tools
What Renzulli Learning Provides: Feature by Feature
Each tool addresses a specific Regulation 43-220 requirement or curriculum goal:
Cebeci Test of Creativity (CTC): A validated, scored creativity assessment. Directly supports Dimension C’s creative productive thinking characteristic — providing documented, scored creativity evidence that complements the Performance Task Assessment and strengthens the multi-source profile for students being evaluated on Dimension C. Also supports the curriculum requirement for creative and critical thinking goals.
Renzulli Profiler: A 20–30 minute interest and learning style inventory. Captures the curiosity, interests, and intellectual engagement that Dimension C describes as hallmarks of the intellectually advanced learner — providing the student profile data that GT teachers use to differentiate programming and that supports the SCDE’s Best Practices emphasis on identifying giftedness across all student populations.
Enrichment Database: Over 40,000 interest-matched, above-curriculum activities directly addressing Regulation 43-220’s curriculum goals of depth and complexity of knowledge, creative and critical thinking, and problem-solving. Provides the confluent approach the regulation requires — combining enrichment with acceleration — and generates the activity documentation districts need for annual SCDE plan progress reports.
Personal Success Plan (PSP): A student-driven goal and progress tracker generating exportable progress summaries. Provides the systematic assessment of student progress and programming effectiveness Regulation 43-220 requires — organized by enrichment goals, with timeline records that support the annual district plan progress reports SCDE reviews each year.
Project-Based Learning (PBL) Tools: SEM-based student investigations. Directly implements the independent study and inquiry-based support service Regulation 43-220’s programming plan requirements specify — generating authentic student products that demonstrate depth and complexity of knowledge and that serve as tangible evidence of gifted programming outcomes for SCDE plan reviews.
Executive Function Assessment: Assesses planning, self-regulation, and metacognition. Supports Dimension C’s persistence/tenacity characteristic and is particularly valuable for twice-exceptional students — providing functional performance data that GT teachers can use to personalize programming and to address the guidance and academic support components required by the five-year plan.
Leadership Assessment: Identifies leadership strengths and social influence capacities. Supports the guidance and personalized education support services Regulation 43-220’s programming plans must address — particularly for artistically gifted students whose strengths in performance and leadership require a different developmental lens than traditional academic programming.
Requirement-by-requirement
Regulation 43-220 & Renzulli Learning: Side by Side
SC Code Ann. § 59-29-170 Regulation 43-220 SCDE Best Practices Guidelines| South Carolina Requirement | Renzulli Learning Contribution |
|---|---|
| Dimension C: Creative Productive Thinking Curiosity/inquiry, reflection, persistence/tenacity, and creative productive thinking; measured via Performance Task Assessments (PTA) at primary and intermediate levels | The CTC provides a validated scored creativity measure that documents creative productive thinking. The Renzulli Profiler captures curiosity and interest engagement. The EFA documents persistence and self-regulation. Together these form a multi-source Dimension C evidence profile. |
| Universal Grade 2 Screening All second graders tested via CogAT + Iowa; GIFT software analyzes eligibility; students meeting one dimension proceed to PTA for Dimension C | Renzulli Learning tools are most relevant post-identification — enriching newly placed students immediately with interest-matched activities and capturing the curiosity and engagement profiles that inform personalized GT programming from grade 3 forward. |
| Curriculum Goals Depth and complexity of knowledge; creative and critical thinking; problem-solving skills; confluent approach (acceleration + enrichment); inquiry; technology integration | 40,000+ enrichment activities directly address the depth-complexity-creativity curriculum goals. PBL tools support inquiry and problem-solving. The enrichment database provides the acceleration-enrichment blend the confluent approach requires. Technology-based delivery integrates with SC’s technology use requirement. |
| Five-Year District Plan Comprehensive programming plan submitted to SCDE every 5 years; annual progress updates reviewed by SCDE; must document differentiated curriculum, support services, models, progress assessment | PSP progress summaries and enrichment activity logs generate the student performance and programming effectiveness documentation that annual SCDE plan reviews require — organized by student, by goal, and by time period. |
| Artistically Gifted Track Separate identification process: referral → audition/portfolio → evaluation team (arts faculty + admin + community expert); areas: dance, drama, music, visual arts | For artistically identified students, the Renzulli Profiler surfaces arts-connected interests that inform personalized enrichment beyond the audition process. PBL tools support the independent creative projects that artistically gifted programming requires. CTC contributes creativity data across both tracks. |
| Support Services Mentorships, independent study, online courses, assistive technology, guidance, academic support, staff development, competition opportunities required in programming plans | The enrichment database provides ready-to-use independent study content matched to student interests. The PSP structures the personalized goal and mentorship framework. PBL tools generate competition-ready products and portfolios. |
| Portability Students identified in any SC district eligible in any other SC district; out-of-state identified students eligible as determined by Evaluation Placement Team | Renzulli Learning’s web-based platform travels with the student — profiler data, enrichment history, and PSP progress records are accessible regardless of school or district, supporting seamless gifted service continuity for mobile families. |
From South Carolina educators
What Implementation Looks Like Across South Carolina Districts
“The grade 2 universal screening finds kids we definitely would have missed with teacher referrals alone. But then they walk into third grade GT and we often know almost nothing about them beyond their CogAT and Iowa scores. The Profiler changes that immediately — we know their interests, how they learn, what drives them — and we can build a program around who they actually are rather than just what their scores say.”GT Teacher · Midlands region South Carolina school district
For SCDE five-year plan submissions Regulation 43-220’s five-year plan requirement asks districts to document how programming addresses differentiated curriculum, support services, student progress, and programming effectiveness. PSP exports, enrichment activity logs, and CTC/Profiler student profiles give GT coordinators organized, specific evidence for each plan component — and the annual update SCDE requires each year.
For Dimension C identification support Students who meet Dimension A or B but not both need to demonstrate Dimension C characteristics through the PTA — but the PTA has a limited testing window. Having CTC scores, interest profile data, and EFA persistence indicators in the student file gives the Evaluation Placement Team a richer picture of whether a student on the Dimension C threshold genuinely shows the curiosity, commitment, and creative thinking the regulation describes.
Frequently asked questions
South Carolina Gifted Education: Common Questions
South Carolina offers two paths to academic gifted eligibility under Regulation 43-220. Path 1: Automatic qualification — students scoring at or above the 96th national age percentile composite on a state-approved aptitude test (grades 3–12) or 98th percentile (grades 1–2) qualify immediately. Path 2: Two-of-three dimensions — Dimension A (≥93rd percentile aptitude: CogAT verbal, quantitative, nonverbal, or composite), Dimension B (≥94th percentile achievement in reading and/or math: Iowa Assessments), and/or Dimension C (Intellectual/Academic Performance via Performance Task Assessments: curiosity, reflection, persistence, creative productive thinking; PTA score ≥16 verbal or nonverbal).
Under SC Code Ann. § 59-29-170 and Regulation 43-220, all second-grade students are administered the CogAT (Dimension A aptitude) and Iowa Assessments (Dimension B achievement) in the fall of second grade — regardless of referral. Results are entered into the GIFT software (Gifted Identification Forms and Tasks), which automatically identifies students meeting two-dimension eligibility and flags those meeting only one dimension for secondary Performance Task Assessment screening (Dimension C). Students not identified in grade 2 may be nominated annually in grades 3–11 by parents, teachers, administrators, or themselves.
Dimension C (Intellectual/Academic Performance) captures students who demonstrate curiosity/inquiry, reflection, persistence/tenacity, and creative productive thinking. The primary assessment tool is the Performance Task Assessment (PTA) — an open-ended problem-solving test with verbal and nonverbal formats. At the primary level (grades 2–3), a score of 16 or above on either the verbal or nonverbal PTA component qualifies for Dimension C. Students who meet Dimension A or B but not both are referred to the PTA for a Dimension C pathway to eligibility. Private test results cannot be used for dimension eligibility determination.
South Carolina’s artistically gifted track under Regulation 43-220 covers dance, drama, music, and visual arts. The process is: (1) Referral/recommendation — from any source; (2) Assessment — audition, portfolio, or demonstration using an SCDE-approved instrument measuring creativity and expressive qualities; (3) Evaluation by a team including an arts faculty/district staff member, an administrator, and a community member with expertise in the arts area. Students are ranked and placed based on results. Districts must identify artistically gifted students from all student populations and train staff in characteristics of the artistically gifted.
Regulation 43-220 requires: a five-year district programming plan with annual SCDE progress reports; curriculum with goals requiring depth and complexity of knowledge, creative and critical thinking, and problem-solving; a confluent approach blending acceleration and enrichment; SCDE-approved programming models (primarily special class for grades 3–12); support services including mentorships, independent study, and guidance; 250 minutes of weekly teacher planning time; annual GT professional development; and SCDE-approved GT teaching endorsement for all state-funded GT teachers.
Yes. Regulation 43-220 explicitly provides that students identified in one South Carolina school district are eligible for gifted and talented services in any South Carolina school district — they do not need to re-test. Students from other states who have met statewide (not local) gifted identification criteria are eligible for South Carolina G&T services as determined appropriate by the receiving district’s Evaluation Placement Team.
Official sources
South Carolina Gifted & Talented Education Resources
All compliance decisions should reference these primary SCDE sources. Renzulli Learning is designed to complement — not replace — South Carolina’s state identification procedures and your district’s Evaluation Placement Team processes.
- SCDE — Gifted and Talented Program Hub (rules, Best Practices Guidelines, teacher endorsement, program approval)
- SCDE — Gifted and Talented Program: Grade 2 Universal Testing (CogAT, Iowa, PTA, GIFT software)
- SC Code Ann. Regulation 43-220 — Gifted and Talented (full regulation text via LII)
- SC Code Ann. § 59-29-170 — Programs for Gifted and Talented Students (statutory authority and funding)
- SCDE — Gifted and Talented Best Practices Guidelines: Identification
- SCDE — Gifted and Talented Assessment Program for Grade 2 (detailed testing procedures)
Explore Renzulli Learning’s gifted education alignment for neighboring states:
Ready to See Renzulli Learning in Your South Carolina District?
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