The South Carolina Department of Education has released the latest English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics SCREADY assessment data for students in grades 3-8. As the state continues its mission to ensure that at least 75% of students are performing at or above grade level, these results highlight both successes and areas for continued focus.

State-Level Summary: ELA and Math SCREADY Performance

Subject	% Meet/Exceeds 2019	% Meet/Exceeds 2023	% Meet/Exceeds 2024
ELA	45%	53%	53%
Math	45%	41%	42%

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.

1. 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.
2. Greenwood 52:
   • Math (Grade 4): Outperformed the state’s proficiency target, with 76% of students meeting or exceeding standards.
3. Anderson 01:
   • ELA (Grade 4): Successfully met the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement.
4. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 State 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.

Quote from Superintendent of Education: "We are so encouraged by the progress made in many districts, particularly in ELA, and we are committed to partnering with local education leaders to grow and sustain that progress and address our challenges in Math," said Superintendent Ellen Weaver. "Our laser focus remains on providing a strong academic foundation in the fundamentals to ensure that every South Carolina student has the opportunity to meet their full potential."

State, school district, and school level data for the SC READY assessments can be accessed by visiting the SCDE website.