The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed  into law in December of 2015.  This law was designed to ensure that all children have an opportunity to obtain a quality education. Under this law, as a parent or guardian of a student in the School District of Oconee County, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers and instructional assistants who instruct your child.  Federal law allows you to ask for certain information about your child’s classroom teachers and requires us to give you this information in a timely manner.

The following information must be provided to parents upon request:

(i)    Whether the teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.

(ii)    Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.

(iii)    The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.

(iv)    Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

You may obtain teacher qualification information at the State Department of Education website:

Educator Qualifications Search Tool

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Federal law concerning the education of students with disabilities, requires schools to provide you, the parents of a child with a disability, with a notice containing a full explanation of the procedural safeguards available under IDEA and U.S. Department of Education regulations. More information can be found on our Special Education Services page.

Procedural Safeguards

Section 23-3-535 of the 1976 Code of Laws of South Carolina requires school districts to provide provide access to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Sex Offender Registry.  

SLED Sex Offender Registry

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. §1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of students’ education records. Districts are required to notify parents of their rights annual.  The School District of Oconee County provides this notification through school handbooks. 

To learn more about FERPA, please visit the US Department of Education's site:

Family Education Rights & Privacy Act 

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) of 1978, 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1232h(c), is a federal law that affords certain rights to parents of minor students with regard to surveys that ask questions of a personal nature.  It seeks to ensure that schools and contractors make instructional materials available for inspection by parents if those materials will be used in connection with an ED-funded survey, analysis or evaluation in which their children participate. Districts are required to notify parents of their rights annual.  The School District of Oconee County provides this notification through school handbooks. 

To learn more about PPRA, please visit the US Department of Education's site:

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment

In order to maintain an appropriate educational climate, it may be necessary to apply disciplinary sanctions to students, including their removal from the learning environment. These sanctions will occur only for good cause and in accordance with applicable state and federal law. The following regulations are designed to protect all members of the educational community in the exercising of their rights and responsibilities. These regulations are effective during the following times and places:

• on school grounds before, during or after school hours
• on school grounds at any other time when the school is being used by a school group
• off the school grounds at any school and/or school-related activity, function, or event
• on a school bus, school vehicle, or at a school bus stop
• at any time or in any place (including off school grounds and during non-school hours) where student conduct has a direct effect on the school's ability to maintain an orderly and safe learning environment

Behavior Code Handbook- English          Behavior Code Handbook - Spanish

Students and parents are encouraged to become familiar with the rules and regulations contained in this booklet. If you have any questions, please talk with your building level administrator or call the District Hearing Officer.

In determining whether a student has violated the discipline code, the principal or his/her designee will consider all the facts and circumstances of the particular situation and may consider, but will not be limited to, verbal and/or written statements of admission; witness statements from others; video surveillance, et al.

The School District of Oconee County provides an Athletic Policy Handbook that applies to all student athletes and sports within the School District of Oconee County.  The district will follow all rules, requirements and guidelines provided by the South Carolina High School League, the governing body of  high school athletics in South Carolina.  For more information on athletics programs, please visit the athletics page of the school your student attends.

Athletic Handbook

The Elevate Oconee handbook is an overview of the 1:1 technology program and rules. This handbook supersedes all previous handbooks or other documents that address the same subject matter as the policies and rules contained in this handbook. In addition, the School District of Oconee County reserves the right to modify or alter this handbook at any time.

Elevate Oconee Technology Handbook

SC 43-170 was passed by the State Board of Education in June 2024 with an effective date of August 1, 2025.  Please see the link below for a brief executive summary of the regulation

Regulation 43-170 Executive Summary

Regulation 43-170 Full Text

As part of the regulation, each district board shall maintain at all times on its website a complete, current list or catalog of all books and other materials that are available to students through any of a district’s libraries or media centers. This list or catalog shall be regularly updated and prominently displayed on each districts’ website to ensure that this information is current, and readily accessible to students, their families, and other interested parties.  To view materials available within SDOC schools, please use the link below.

SDOC Destiny Catalog

Additionally, beginning August 1, 2024, a parent or legal guardian of any student who attends a school within a school district and who has made a good faith effort to address their concerns regarding non-compliance with this regulation with school level or district level staff shall have the right to file a complaint requesting that specifically identified existing instructional material be discontinued for any grade level or age group and/or removed by the district board from all district schools and/or should be subject to a requirement of parental consent for some or all grade levels or age groups.  To file a complaint, please complete the form linked below.

Instructional Materials Complaint Form

The completed form should be emailed to the SDOC Instruction Department at abpatterson@sdoc.org

Additionally, separate from the list or catalog required by the preceding paragraph, a complete list of the Instructional Materials that are used in or available to a student in any given class, course, or program that is offered, supported, or sponsored by a public school, or that are otherwise made available by any public school employee to a student on school premises, shall be provided upon reasonable request by any parent or legal guardian of a student in the district.  To request a list of materials, please contact the principal of your student's school.