South Carolina reports student progress on early literacy as national context shows declines

South Carolina students have shown continued improvement in reading and math according to the latest SC READY assessment results. The state is working toward a goal of having at least 75% of students performing at or above grade level by 2030. SC READY assessments are given to public school students in grades 3 through 8.

In English Language Arts (ELA), the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations rose from 53.7% in 2023 to 59.6% in 2025. Math scores also increased, with the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations going from 40.8% in 2023 to 43.9% in 2025.

State education officials attribute these gains to several initiatives, including improved teacher training, updated instructional materials, and clear academic standards. Early literacy remains a focus area; this year, more than six out of ten third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders read at or above grade level.

Students living in poverty and those with disabilities made gains across all grade levels, particularly in ELA proficiency and reductions in the lowest performance category. The strongest improvements were observed among third graders.

Efforts to align professional development for teachers with high-quality instructional materials and assessments are credited with supporting these achievements. Similar strategies used for reading are being expanded through the Palmetto Math Project to boost math outcomes statewide.

Nationally, South Carolina stands out amid declining trends elsewhere. According to recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results released in January 2025, most states saw declines or stagnation, but South Carolina was recognized as one of the leading states for growth when adjusting for poverty—ranking eighth nationally.

“These results are a powerful reflection of what’s possible when dedicated educators, focused and supportive leadership, and engaged families come together with a shared mission. South Carolina recently distinguished itself on The Nation’s Report Card as one of the few states where students both maintained and moved forward. With these new SC Ready results, we have confirmed that this nationally recognized ‘Southern Surge’ is now truly South Carolina’s Surge,” said State Superintendent Ellen Weaver.

She continued, “Reading is the foundation of all other learning, so I’m especially encouraged by the strong gains in early literacy. This is clear evidence that when we align our efforts from the Statehouse to the schoolhouse, we move the needle for kids. But we aren’t content to stop here. We are accelerating this work in both reading and math with urgency and purpose, because our students won’t get a second shot at their education and every one of them deserves the opportunity to reach their full God-given potential.”

“Our teachers and staff have gone above and beyond to support our students, and these results are a clear reflection of their dedication and hard work. I am equally proud of our students, whose determination and perseverance made this success possible. Together, they have shown what can be accomplished when a school community believes in one another and strives for excellence,” said Principal Thomas “TJ” DeVine,J.C.Lynch Elementary School.

“These results reflect the dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the support of our families. We are proud of the progress being made and remain committed to ensuring every child builds strong literacy skills that will carry them through school and beyond,” said Interim Superintendent Kasey Feagin, Florence County School District 3.

“These scores demonstrate that the focus and team effort on improving students reading proficiency is yielding real results. It also proves that poverty is not a life sentence - all children have the potential to learn and thrive and that is exciting,” said Senator Greg Hembree, District 28 (Horry and Dillon Counties) and Chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

“Today’s results are a victory for South Carolina’s students, teachers, and parents, whose hard work and alignment are driving real progress in reading and math. Early literacy gains are especially encouraging, proving that clear standards, strong teaching, and family support make a measurable difference. Our reforms are working, and together we will keep pressing toward our 2030 goal so every child has the opportunity to succeed and thrive,” said Representative Shannon S.Erickson,District124(Beaufort County)and ChairofHouseEducationandPublicWorksCommittee.

Several programs contributed to student performance: revised content standards now provide more coherence; over twenty thousand K–3 teachers completed LETRS training focused on evidence-based reading instruction; updates under Read To Succeed legislation emphasize proven literacy strategies; summer reading camps were expanded for struggling readers; while pilot schools launched targeted interventions under Palmetto Math Project starting spring 2025.

Some districts exceeded expectations: York4 had over eighty percent meeting ELA standards; Anderson4 reached seventy-seven percent; Anderson1 hit seventy-five percent.

Districts like McCormick (+14%), Colleton (+12%), Fairfield (+10%) showed significant ELA growth since last year.

Lee (+10%), Edgefield (+8%), McCormick (+5%) led improvements in math growth rates.

Full data sets by state,district,and school can be accessed online via the SC Department of Education's assessment data portal.

In addition,the Department released End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) results showing steady achievement overall: Algebra1 pass rates rose from forty-five percent(2023)to fifty-three percent(2025); English2 remained stable at seventy percent passing since last year; Biology1 pass rates slightly declined compared with last year but improved over time; U.S.History saw an increase from forty-four percent(2024)to forty-eight percent(2025).

Career readiness assessments showed mixed outcomes: career-ready ratings fell slightly across math,data,and reading components but soft skills ratings remained steady.Comprehensive EOCEPandcareer readiness assessment dataare available online.