Empowering students to achieve success after high school is fundamental to the South Carolina Department of Education’s (SCDE) mission. For seven years, South Carolina students have been able to request their high school transcripts to be sent electronically through the state’s relationship with Parchment, a leading academic credentials management system. The new 2015-16 SCDE eTranscript Initiative will enable current students and their families to send free digital transcripts to institutions of higher education across South Carolina and the nation.

“A streamlined admissions process is critical to the continued success of our students,” said Molly Spearman, South Carolina State Superintendent of Education. “Our relationship with Parchment has simplified the application process and eliminated the cost for our students.”

Since SCDE’s relationship with Parchment began in 2008, Parchment has delivered more than 354,000 academic credentials on behalf of South Carolina students. Prior agreements limited students to sending eTranscripts only to higher education institutions within South Carolina. The new agreement with Parchment allows students to send eTranscripts to more than 3,400 higher education institutions, organizations, and accreditation groups throughout the United States.

“It is exciting to expand our relationship with the South Carolina Department of Education,” said Dr. Matthew Pittinsky, Parchment CEO. “Our growing relationship demonstrates the commitment of Superintendent Spearman and the Department to empowering the state’s learners to achieve success in their academic careers.”