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English Language Arts (ELA) Performance:
SCREADY ELA performance remains a bright spot, with scores across grades 3-8 continuing to surpass pre-pandemic levels. The weighted average of students meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA stood at 53% in 2024, consistent with 2023 achievement and significantly higher than the 45% recorded in 2019. This data underscores the steady improvement and sustained growth achieved over the past few years.
Students in the early grades (3-4) continue to show relatively stronger performance in ELA than higher grades, a trend that has remained consistent in recent years. This highlights the effectiveness of early literacy initiatives such as LETRS, which is grounded in the science of reading and focused on building foundational literacy skills. The Department will scale these programs statewide in 2024, helping to ensuring that every child can read by the end of third grade.
Mathematics Performance:
In mathematics, the data reveals a more troubling picture. There has been an improvement in scores from 2023 to 2024, with the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations rising from 41% to 42%. However, the overall performance still lags pre-pandemic levels (45% in 2019) and demands urgent and targeted intervention.
To address these challenges, the Department is launching the Palmetto Math Project, a comprehensive initiative to revitalize math instruction and outcomes across the state. This year, the Department will introduce new math standards across the state and select top-tier math instructional materials aligned with the new college and career-ready standards.
Additionally, the Palmetto Math Project will focus on providing intensive support to the lowest-performing schools, implementing targeted interventions for students, ensuring they receive the support they need to catch up, and offering training for teachers on the latest instructional strategies, enabling them to deliver more effective math instruction.
Reaching our 75% proficiency goal in math will require sustained effort and close collaboration among educators, students, and families. The Palmetto Math Project represents a critical step forward in this journey.
Districts Achieving the 75% Proficiency Goals: Several school districts have made significant strides in ensuring their students meet or exceed the state’s rigorous 75% proficiency goals in both ELA and Math.
York 04:
- ELA (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8): Met or surpassed the 75% proficiency goals.
- Math (Grade 3): Exceeded the 75% proficiency goal, with 76% of students meeting or exceeding standards.
Greenwood 52:
- Math (Grade 4): Outperformed the state’s proficiency target, with 76% of students meeting or exceeding standards.
Anderson 01:
- ELA (Grade 4): Successfully met the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement.
Anderson 04:
- ELA (Grade 6): Achieved the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement.
Highlighting Significant District Improvements: From 2019 to 2024, several school districts across South Carolina have demonstrated remarkable improvements in ELA and Math performance:
Anderson 02:
- ELA (Grade 5): Improved by +35 percentage points, with 69% of students now meeting or exceeding expectations.
- Math (Grade 5): Achieved a +22 percentage point increase, with 64% of students meeting or exceeding expectations.
Greenwood 52:
- Math (Grade 8): Demonstrated a +30 percentage point gain, with 48% of students meeting or exceeding expectations.
- ELA (Grade 6): Improved by +35 percentage points, with 74% of students now meeting or exceeding expectations.
Greenwood 50:
- Math (Grade 4): Achieved a +28 percentage point improvement, with 61% of students meeting or exceeding expectations.
- ELA (Grade 5): Demonstrated a +32 percentage point increase, with 62% of students meeting or exceeding expectations.
Dillon 03:
- Math (Grade 4): Improved by +23 percentage points, with 72% of students meeting or exceeding expectations.
- ELA (Grade 5): Achieved a +24 percentage point increase, with 51% of students meeting or exceeding expectations.
These districts exemplify the positive impact of targeted interventions and effective teaching strategies. Their success stories offer valuable insights into best practices that can be replicated across the state.
Looking Forward:
The South Carolina Department of Education remains committed to supporting students and educators as they continue to build on these gains. While the steady performance in ELA is encouraging, the focus will be on bringing Math scores back to and above pre-pandemic levels. With dedicated resources and a strategic approach, including initiatives like the Palmetto Literacy Project and now the Palmetto Math Project, the Department is confident in the continued improvement of student outcomes across the state.
State, school district, and school level data for the SC READY assessments can be accessed by visiting the SCDE website.
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SCDE releases 2024 End of Course and Career Readiness assessment results
The EOCEP and Career Readiness assessment results highlight progress and areas of improvement.
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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The South Carolina Department of Education has released the 2023-2024 results for the End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) and SC Career Readiness Assessments, showcasing improvements in student performance across several key subjects.
While some areas require continued focus, the overall trends indicate growth in South Carolina’s education outcomes, advancing the state’s goal of having at least 75% of students meet the standard for college or career readiness.
EOCEP: End-of-Course Examination Program
The End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) is a statewide assessment program of end-of-course tests for gateway courses awarded units of credit in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. These assessments are critical for ensuring that students are prepared for the academic challenges of college and the demands of the modern workforce.
EOCEP Statewide Summary
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Key EOCEP Highlights:
o The passing rate (grades A-C) improved from 45% in 2023 to 51% in 2024, reflecting a notable increase in students achieving higher grades.
o Spartanburg 2 and Greenwood 52 achieved the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the Algebra 1 EOCEP.
o Williamsburg improved Algebra 1 results by 45 percentage points, and Greenwood 52 by 35 percentage points, from 2023 to 2024.
o Passing rates increased from 67% in 2023 to 70% in 2024, showcasing continued improvement in literacy skills among students.
o The following districts achieved the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the English 2 EOCEP:
- York 4, Lexington/Richland 5, Anderson 3, York 2, SC Public Charter School District, Limestone Charter Association, Spartanburg 4, Spartanburg 3, Spartanburg 1, Anderson 1, Lexington 1, Dorchester 2, Anderson 4, Spartanburg 2, Greenwood 52.
o Calhoun improved English 2 EOCEP results by +19 percentage points.
o The passing rate rose from 43% in 2023 to 47% in 2024, indicating growing student comprehension of biological concepts.
o York 4 achieved the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the Biology 1 EOCEP.
o Greenwood 51 improved Biology 1 EOCEP results by 25 percentage points, and Williamsburg by 20 percentage points, from 2023 to 2024.
- U.S. History and the Constitution:
o The passing rate remained relatively stable, with a slight decrease of 1% in 2023 to 2024, indicating stable student performance in understanding U.S. history and constitutional principles.
o York 4 achieved the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the U.S. History and the Constitution EOCEP.
o Spartanburg 3 improved U.S. History and the Constitution EOCEP results by 18 percentage points.
SC Career Readiness Assessment
The South Carolina Career Ready Test is administered to all eleventh-grade students to measure the skills that employers define as foundational for career readiness. These assessments play a key role in ensuring that students are equipped with the necessary competencies to thrive in the workforce and their future careers.
Career Readiness Assessment Summary:
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Soft Skills Assessment Summary:
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While a significant number of South Carolina students are building the foundational skills necessary for success in college, careers, and life, progress is still needed to achieve the state's goal of having 75% of students meet the standard for career readiness.
Districts Achieving the 75% Proficiency Goals on Career Readiness Assessment:
Several school districts have demonstrated exceptional commitment to preparing their students for career readiness by achieving the state’s rigorous 75% proficiency goal in the following areas:
- Math: York 4.
- Data: York 4, York 2, Lexington 5, Anderson 4, Lexington 1, Spartanburg 4, Abbeville, Kershaw, Horry, and Pickens.
- Reading: York 4, Lexington 5, York 2, Lexington 1, Spartanburg 4, Abbeville, Anderson 2, Anderson 4, Horry, Anderson 1, Kershaw, SC Public Charter School, Dillon 3, Charter Institute at Erskine, and Spartanburg 5.
Quote from Superintendent of Education: “Our students will never get a second chance at their education: our mission is urgent. While I am heartened by the promising progress made on the EOCEP Algebra 1, English 2, and Biology 1 tests, looking ahead, I am particularly motivated to work with local educators to address persistent gaps in civic understanding and meaningful career readiness,” said Superintendent Ellen Weaver. "Working together, we will make college and career readiness a promise fulfilled, equipping students with the skills they need for their first job and laying the foundation for a hope-filled future of life-long learning and opportunity.”
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