The recently released SC READY data from students in grades 3-8 show that English Language Arts (ELA) scores have rebounded to pre-pandemic (2019) levels. Scores in mathematics improved from 2021 levels but remain alarming, especially for students from vulnerable subgroups.  

The following chart shows the percentage of 3rd grade students who scored Meets or Exceeds Expectations in English Language Arts by subgroup:

Demographic GroupNumber TestedPercentage Meets or Exceeds Expectations in ELA 3rd Grade
All Students 55,90548%
Hispanic or Latino6,75637%
Black or African American17,45330%
White27,00462%
Pupils in Poverty (PIP)35,31337%
Non-Pupils in Poverty (PIP)20,51268%

We celebrate the growth and improvement in student achievement as compared to 2021; the last three years have been challenging for students and families.  

The EOC has already identified several schools where more than half of students are demonstrating growth that places them on the path to college and career readiness, and plan to publicly recognize such schools for these improvements.  We also recognize that there is much work to be done; six in ten students in math and more than half of students in English Language Arts are not meeting grade level standards. It is ultimately up to each community to prepare their students to be college- and career-ready, and there is a role that each of us must play in making certain that all children achieve success. 

Read the Press Release from the SC Department of Education on Source: SCDE Press Release of Scores