A B O U T
TransformSC, an education initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness, is a collaboration of business leaders, educators, students, parents and policy makers transforming the public education system so that every student graduates prepared for careers, college and citizenship. TransformSC schools and districts are designing, launching, promoting and proving transformative practices in the classroom. Currently there are 37 schools from 19 districts as well as 3 entire districts in the TransformSC network. New schools and districts will be added during 2016.
For more information, contact TransformSC Director Peggy Torrey.
T R A N S F O R M S C S C H O O L S A N D D I S T R I C T S
TransformSC Schools and Districts
L E A D E R S H I P
State President of BB&T
State President of AT&T
DR. PEGGY TORREY
Director of Education and Workforce Initiatives, South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
H O W T O J O I N
Are you transforming teaching and learning in your school or district? We want you to be a part of our network!
Contact us today to learn about how to join TransformSC!
D A T A S N A P S H O T
P R O F I L E O F T H E G R A D U A T E
H O W I S A T R A N S F O R M E D C L A S S R O O M
D I F F E R E N T ?
TransformSC has identified four innovative practices that help students achieve the knowledge, skills and characteristics in the Profile of the Graduate. Schools and districts that participate in TransformSC implement some or all of these characteristics in a new model of learning designed to meet the needs of the students in their community.
- Real-world learning. Project-based learning integrates traditional subjects (math, English/language arts, science, social studies, etc.) in the form of a real-world problem for students to solve. Students are engaged in content relevant to them while also learning skills and characteristics like problem solving, critical thinking and teamwork listed on the Profile.
- Anytime, anywhere instruction. Blended learning, a hybrid of face-to-face and digital instruction, gives teachers the capability to instruct students anytime, anywhere. Digital content adapts to students where they are in their learning, allowing teachers the flexibility to design instruction for individual students, and students receive more individual attention.
- Real-time information. With full integration of technology in the classroom, teachers, parents and students have the ability to continuously assess student progress. Parents no longer have to wait on report cards or parent-teacher conferences to understand how their child is progressing and teachers can use frequent feedback to continually monitor and adapt instruction.
- Students advance when ready. The combination of real-time information and the flexibility of digital content means that students can progress based on competency. If students struggle, they are given more time and support. If students learn quickly, they are allowed to advance. Students in the same classroom may move at different paces based on their level of learning.
A C T I O N T E A M S
TransformSC has six Action Teams with members from participating schools, higher education and other education experts. Action Team meetings are a time for educators to celebrate success and collaborate to develop best practices. The meetings are hosted by businesses around the state allowing educators to experience the future work environments of their students.
Four Action Teams continue to explore the innovative practices and provide on-going input and involvement with TransformSC staff. They have developed research bases and lists of resources for the practice, defined the practice, and developed rubrics for use by schools to measure practice implementation. They review evaluation data related to the practice and report regularly to the Steering Committee on the efficacy of the practice for transforming PK-12.
An additional Action Team is focused on the culture of innovation. This team has developed a research base around the necessity for a culture of innovation, defined ‘culture of innovation,’ and developed a rubric for all schools applying to join the network to use to assess degree of change in their schools and communities.
The Higher Education Action Team, new in 2016, is studying and working on the impact of K-12 transformation on higher education.
All of the Action Teams work with TransformSC staff to extend transformation and develop policies and practices for the continuing work. For example, the groups have developed guidelines for matching current schools/districts to mentor those new to the network, templates and suggestions for school visits and mentoring relationships, etc.
TransformSC partners with the Education Oversight Committee, The Riley Institute and others to evaluate TransformSC Schools and Districts. Currently evaluations of project-based learning, Montessori, and competency-based progression are underway as are polls of parents, students and teachers participating in schools involved in the network.
Evaluation. TransformSC schools and districts submit progress reports and continuation in the network will be based on progress and results.
E A R L Y R E S U L T S
TransformSC was officially launched in May 2013, and the schools and districts were selected in August 2013. At the end of TransformSC’s first year, there are promising results:
Four districts inducted into the national League of Innovative Schools: Lexington District One, Spartanburg District Seven, Horry County Schools and York District Three