The Current State of Education
The challenges are many and, unfortunately, South Carolina’s educational system is not meeting the needs of all students. We’re falling even further behind our peers around the country, a fact that we can’t ignore any longer. It’s time to get real about education and that starts with the cold, hard facts.
Statistics, Rankings, and Data
#44
SC’s 2022 ranking for 4th Grade Reading on the “Nation’s Report Card.”
Source: NAEP Release, National Center for Education Statistics
22%
Percentage of SC students who performed at or above NAEP Proficient level in 8th grade math.
37%
The percentage of SC kindergartners considered “ready” based on the 2023 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment.
Source: 22-24 CERDEP Annual Report Summary
45%
percent of SC 5th graders did not meet grade level standards in English Language Arts in 2023, compared to 52% in 2022.
Source: 2023 SC READY Scores
32%
The percentage of SC 8th graders meeting or exceeding grade level standards in Mathematics.
Source: 2023 SC READY Scores
64%
percent of SC African American 8th grade students did not meet grade level standards in English Language Arts, compared to 71% in 2022.
Source: 2023 SC READY Scores
42%
The percentage of SC 3rd graders who are also Pupils in Poverty and meeting or exceeding grade level standards in Mathematics.
Source: 2023 SC READY Scores