How to Become a Principal in South Carolina

South Carolina principal requirements, step by step

School Principal: Tier 1 (PK–Grade 12), advancing to Tier 2. Each requirement is stated as South Carolina Department of Education — Office of Educator Services publishes it, with the governing source cited.

1. 1

   Hold a master’s degree and a valid South Carolina Professional educator certificate

   Regulation 43-64 requires a master’s degree from an institution that meets State Board of Education accreditation requirements and a valid South Carolina Professional educator certificate before School Principal: Tier 1 (PK–Grade 12) is added.

   Source: ed.sc.gov

2. 2

   Complete a State Board-approved graduate principal preparation program

   Finish a graduate-level program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of school principals. Regulation 43-64 requires approved providers to align coursework and field experiences to PK–Grade 12 settings no later than September 1, 2026.

   Source: ed.sc.gov

3. 3

   Verify at least three years of educator experience

   Submit verification of at least three years of educator experience. The regulation uses the phrase “educator experience” for the Tier 1 principal field.

   Source: ed.sc.gov

4. 4

   Pass Praxis 5412 (146) or Praxis 6990 (151)

   SCDE’s 2026-27 subject area assessment list lets principal candidates take either Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision (5412), qualifying score 146, or the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (6990), qualifying score 151.

   Source: ed.sc.gov

5. 5

   Advance to Tier 2 through the Principal Induction Program and PADEPP

   To move from Tier 1 to Tier 2, complete the Principal Induction Program in your first year of employment as a principal and earn an overall Proficient or Exemplary rating on the PADEPP evaluation in your second year as principal.

   Source: ed.sc.gov

South Carolina rewrote its advanced-certification rule in 2025. Regulation 43-64, effective May 23, 2025, makes School Principal: Tier 1 a single PK–Grade 12 field instead of the older separate elementary and secondary principal fields. Educators who already hold School Principal: Elementary or Secondary may keep those fields, or add PK–12 by completing a graduate internship course in the complementary grade span or by serving one successful year as an assistant principal or principal in that span. A district can request a one-year permit in the complementary span while that year is served. Approved preparation providers must align coursework and field experiences to PK–12 settings no later than September 1, 2026.

The Tier 1 checklist has five parts: a master’s degree from an institution meeting State Board accreditation requirements, a valid South Carolina Professional educator certificate, a State Board-approved graduate principal preparation program, verification of at least three years of educator experience, and a qualifying assessment score. The regulation says “educator experience” rather than “teaching experience” and does not define it on the regulation page, so a candidate whose years are in counseling or another non-classroom role should confirm with SCDE before applying. SCDE’s 2026-27 list gives a choice of two Praxis tests: Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision (5412) at 146, or the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (6990) at 151.

Tier 2 is earned on the job, not in a program: the Principal Induction Program in the first year as principal, then an overall Proficient or Exemplary rating on the Program for Assisting, Developing, and Evaluating Principal Performance (PADEPP) in the second year. The Career Changers Alternative Principal Pathway (CCAPP) is the only route without a teaching certificate. It requires a master’s degree, three years of leadership experience in business, an agency, or the military, and a superintendent’s recommendation for an assistant principal job, followed by three years as an assistant principal on a one-year alternative certificate renewed annually. South Carolina’s row in the cross-state principal comparison shows its two-exam option next to other states.

South Carolina principal requirements at a glance

Required exams and fees

South Carolina uses Praxis Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision (5412) or the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (6990). Fees and cut scores appear only when published by the cited source (Regulation 43-64 effective May 23, 2025; assessments for 2026-27).

Institutions with educational leadership programs

The table lists educational leadership CIP codes and award levels from IPEDS. This extract reported no completion counts, so none are shown. An award conferred does not mean the program is approved to recommend candidates for School Principal: Tier 1 (PK–Grade 12), advancing to Tier 2. Verify approval with South Carolina Department of Education — Office of Educator Services.

Moving an administrator credential to South Carolina

Regulation 43-64 adds the principal field to a valid South Carolina Professional educator certificate, so an educator certified elsewhere first needs South Carolina Professional certification before the Tier 1 principal field can be added. Confirm out-of-state evaluation with the SCDE Office of Educator Services.

Official South Carolina reciprocity guidance