Act 204
Overview
On July 1, a new South Carolina law, Act 204, took effect. The law changes how school districts report student grades and establishes new requirements for how students may access opportunities to improve a grade or recover credit after struggling in a course.
These changes affect three key areas: grading, content recovery, and credit recovery. Below is an overview of what has changed, what it means for students and families, and what you can do to help your students stay on track.
Key Terms
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Grading: Grading is the process used to measure and report a student’s academic performance based on the work they complete and their demonstrated mastery of course standards.
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Grade Floor: A grade floor is a policy that sets the lowest grade a student can receive for a grading period, even if the grade the student actually earned is lower. For example, with a grade floor of 50, a student who earns a 35 would receive a 50 as the reported grade for that grading period.
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Content Recovery: Content recovery is an opportunity for a student who is currently enrolled in a course to improve a failing grade by demonstrating greater mastery of course standards. The student remains enrolled in the course and is responsible for completing all course requirements.
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Credit Recovery: Credit recovery is an opportunity for an eligible student who has already failed a credit-bearing course to earn the course credit through an abbreviated course focused on essential standards and skills. Credit recovery allows the student to earn the credit without retaking the entire course.
Understanding the Changes
| Prior to Act 2024 of 2026 | July 1, 2026 and Onward | |
|---|---|---|
| Grading | Richland One applied a recovery grade, or grade floor, of 50 to all end-of-reporting-period grades on student report cards. | Minimum grade assignments are no longer permitted. Students must receive the grade they earn, even when the grade is exceptionally low or difficult to recover from. |
| Content Recovery | Students could participate in grade-improvement activities, commonly referred to as content recovery, to improve a current failing grade while enrolled in the course. Students were required to receive teacher and/or administrator approval and understood that content recovery could not raise a grade above 60. | Students must continue to meet all previous eligibility requirements and demonstrate substantial participation by completing at least 80% of all graded assignments, submitting assignments in a timely manner during the grading period in which they seek content recovery, and demonstrating increased mastery of course standards. The maximum grade a student can earn through content recovery remains 60. |
| Credit Recovery | Students were eligible for credit recovery if they had previously failed a credit-bearing course, met attendance requirements, obtained parent and administrator permission, and understood that successful completion would not improve their current GPA. | Students must continue to meet all previous eligibility requirements and provide evidence of substantial participation in the original course through the timely submission of graded assignments. Students who complete less than 80% of the graded assignments are not eligible for credit recovery and must retake the entire course. |
How to Help Students Stay on Track
With these new requirements, it is more important than ever to monitor grades early and often, understand the recovery process, and ask questions as soon as concerns arise. Please don’t wait until the end of the semester or school year to reach out. We are a team, and the earlier we identify a concern, the more opportunities we have to work together to support your student.
In the coming weeks, we will provide several ways to learn more and ask questions, including information on a dedicated website, frequently asked questions, TalkingPoints messages, and in-person family listening session opportunities.
In the meantime, if you have questions about how these changes may affect your child, please contact your student’s school administration. You are also welcome to contact the Office of Secondary Education by emailing kevin.hasinger@richlandone.org. By staying informed, communicating early, and working together, we can help our students stay on track and be successful.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Act 204
- What is Act 204 of 2026?
- What is the biggest change families need to know?
- What is a grade floor (recovery floor)?
- Does the grade floor in Richland One still exist?
- Why is this important?
- What is the key takeaway on Act 204 of 2026?
- What is content recovery?
- Can content recovery raise a grade to any score?
- What is credit recovery?
- What new requirements must students meet for content or credit recovery?
- What if a student does not complete 80% of graded assignments?
- What counts as a graded assignment?
- Why does assignment completion matter so much now?
- Does the National Collegiate Athletic Association accept credits earned through credit recovery?