South Carolina Department of Education Releases SC READY ELA and Math Assessment Data & EOCEP and Career Readiness Assessment Results
BCSD Experiences Continued Growth
BEAUFORT – The South Carolina Department of Education has released the 2024-2025 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics SC READY assessment data for students in grades 3-8. As the state and Beaufort County School District (BCSD) continue the mission to ensure that at least 75% of students are performing at or above grade level by 2030, these results highlight both successes and areas for continued focus.
"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," said SC Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver. "South Carolina recently distinguished itself on The Nation’s Report Card as one of the few states where students both maintained and moved forward."
The South Carolina Department of Education has also released the 2024-2025 results for the End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) and SC Career Readiness Assessments.
As a point of reference, BCSD serves over 21,000 students and has more than double the population of multilingual learners in comparison to the state. More than 23% of BCSD’s tested students were multilingual learners in contrast to less than 11% for the state. Districtwide, BCSD serves families who speak over 15 different languages.
BCSD highlights for SC READY, EOCEP, and SC Career Readiness Assessments:
- Overall, the district saw improvement in Math and ELA, exceeding the percentage of meets and exceeds from last year
- Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 exceeded the state in Math with meets and exceeds, with grades 3, 4, and 5 growing faster than the state
- Overall, the district scored about the same as the state for ELA SC Ready
- Our pupils in poverty outperformed the state in Math in grades, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7
- Overall, the district exceeded the state in Biology and US History EOCEPs
- Overall, BCSD scored even with or surpassed the state on all SC Career Readiness Assessments
BCSD SC READY ELA Scores Remain Strong Post-Pandemic; Math Shows Improvement
“Our SC READY scores indicate that our early interventions are working. ELA continues to be strong and steady, our math continues to rise,” said BCSD Superintendent Frank Rodriguez. “Of course, there is still work to be done.”
|
Subject |
% Meet/Exceeds 2021 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2022 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2023 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2024 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2025 |
|
ELA |
44.7 |
48.1 |
53 |
53.4 |
59 |
|
Math |
39.3 |
40.7 |
40 |
43 |
45 |
(Note: These scores reflect the performance of all students who sat for the tests, regardless of when they were enrolled.)
BCSD English Language Arts (ELA) Performance: With the highest score in district history on the current state assessment since its inception, SC READY ELA performance remains a bright spot for BCSD, with scores across grades 3-8 continuing to surpass pre-pandemic levels. Students meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA for the district stood at 59% in 2025, higher than 2024 achievement and significantly higher than the 44.7% recorded in 2021. This data underscores the steady improvement and sustained growth achieved over the past few years.
BCSD SC READY ELA summary by grade level
|
Grade Level |
% Meet/Exceeds 2021 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2022 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2023 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2024 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2025 |
|
3 |
46.8 |
48.2 |
50.6 |
53.2 |
59.7 |
|
4 |
51.1 |
52.8 |
55.6 |
56.4 |
63.3 |
|
5 |
43.3 |
48.3 |
56.8 |
53.5 |
61.7 |
|
6 |
41.7 |
48.7 |
55.7 |
55.1 |
54.9 |
|
7 |
43.8 |
43.2 |
49.6 |
52 |
58 |
|
8 |
41.5 |
47.5 |
50.8 |
50.2 |
54.8 |
Like the state, BCSD students in the early grades (3-5) continue to show relatively stronger performance in ELA than in higher grades (6-8), a trend that has remained consistent in recent years.
During the 2025-26 school year, BCSD will teach the state’s recently revised ELA content standards to ensure students in K-4 develop foundational skills and content knowledge, continue Language Essentials for Teachers of Ready and Spelling (LETRS) training aligned to the science of reading for K-3 teachers, offer summer reading camps for all 3rd grade students scoring in the Does Not Meet Category for SC READY as well as for 1st graders this summer, and 2nd graders the following summer.
Mathematics Performance: In mathematics, there has been an improvement in scores from 2024 to 2025 for the district, with the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations rising from 43% to 45%. Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 exceeded the State in Math with meets and exceeds, with grades 3, 4, and 5 growing faster than the state. Additionally, BCSD pupils in poverty outperformed the state in Math in grades, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
BCSD SC READY Math summary by grade level
|
Grade Level |
% Meet/Exceeds 2021 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2022 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2023 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2024 |
% Meet/Exceeds 2025 |
|
3 |
50.3 |
51.4 |
52.8 |
54.2 |
56.5 |
|
4 |
45.8 |
44.8 |
46.8 |
49.5 |
54.3 |
|
5 |
41.2 |
47.3 |
45.9 |
46.8 |
52.1 |
|
6 |
36.1 |
39.3 |
38.9 |
41.6 |
39.8 |
|
7 |
31 |
32.2 |
29.6 |
35.5 |
34.6 |
|
8 |
31.4 |
30.3 |
28.3 |
29.4 |
31.2 |
Reaching the 75% proficiency goal in math will require sustained effort and close collaboration among educators, students, and families. BCSD will provide targeted professional development for math teachers, with a focus on analyzing student data looking for patterns and trends for each student while utilizing formative assessments to make adjustments in real time for increased personalized learning.
The number of schools meeting or exceeding the district and state’s rigorous 75% proficiency goals in ELA and/or Math has increased by 33%:
Bluffton Elementary School
- ELA (Grade 4): Nearing the 75% proficiency goal
Coosa Elementary School
- ELA (Grades 3, 4, and 5): Surpassed the 75% proficiency goal
- Math (Grade 3 and 4): Nearing the 75% proficiency goal
Lady’s Island Elementary School
- ELA (Grade 5): Nearing the 75% proficiency goal
- Math (Grade 4): Nearing the 75% proficiency goal
Pritchardville Elementary School
- ELA (Grades 3, 4, and 5): Nearing the 75% proficiency goal
- Math (Grade 5): Surpassed the 75% proficiency goal
Okatie Elementary School
- ELA (Grade 3, 4, and 5): Nearing or surpassed the 75% proficiency goal
- Math (Grade 3 and 5): Nearing or surpassed the 75% proficiency goal
Red Cedar Elementary School
- ELA (Grades 3, 4, and 5): Nearing the 75% proficiency goal
- Math (Grade 3 and 4): Nearing the 75% proficiency goal
River Ridge Academy
- ELA (Grades 3, 4, and 5): Nearing or surpassed the 75% proficiency goal
- Math (Grade 3): Surpassed the 75% proficiency goal
Riverview Charter School
- ELA (Grades 3, 5, 7, and 8): Nearing or surpassed the 75% proficiency goal
Schools that demonstrated 10 or more percentage points of growth in one or more grade levels for ELA and/or Math:
- Beaufort Elementary School
- Beaufort Middle School
- Broad River Elementary School
- Hilton Head Island Elementary School
- Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts
- Joseph Shanklin Elementary School
- Lady’s Island Elementary School
- Lady’s Island Middle School
- Mossy Oaks Elementary School
- Okatie Elementary School
- Port Royal Elementary School
- Red Cedar Elementary School
- River Ridge Academy
- Riverview Charter School
- Robert Smalls Leadership Academy
- St. Helena Elementary School
- Whale Branch Elementary School
- Whale Branch Middle School
According to the state’s release, the Department of Education remains committed to supporting students and educators as they continue to build on gains. The most recent NAEP (Nation’s Report Card) results, released in January 2025, showed troubling national trends – reading scores declined again, and math recovery remained flat. Yet South Carolina stood out as one of the nation’s leading states for growth, a rare bright spot in an otherwise challenging national picture. In fact, when the Urban Institute adjusted all state’s scores to account for poverty, South Carolina’s performance ranked 8th in the nation.
State, school district, and school level data for the SC READY assessments can be accessed by visiting https://ed.sc.gov/data/test-scores/state-assessments/sc-ready/.
BCSD EOCEP and Career Readiness Assessment Results
The End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) is a statewide assessment program of end-of-course tests for gateway courses awarding units of credit in English/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Overall, the district exceeded the state in Biology and US History.
BCSD EOCEP Summary
|
Course |
% Passing (A-C) 2024 |
% Passing (A-C) 2025 |
|
Algebra 1 |
53% |
46% |
|
English 2 |
71% |
70% |
|
Biology 1 |
53% |
48% |
|
U.S. History |
46% |
50% |
Key EOCEP Highlights:
Algebra 1:
- The passing rate (grades A-C) decreased from 53% in 2024 to 46% in 2025. This decline is attributed to the fact that BCSD placed significantly more students in Algebra 1 in preparation for the state’s 2025-2026 pathway changing the order of courses and to provide students with more math opportunities. Specifically, BCSD tested 400 more students in Algebra 1 while the state tested 3,500 less, statistically leading to decreased scores for BCSD in comparison to the state.
- Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, and Whale Branch middle schools surpassed the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the Algebra 1 EOCEP at 100% while H.E. McCracken Middle and River Ridge Academy were at 98%.
English 2:
- The passing rate remained relatively stable at 70%, down 1% from last year, indicating relatively stable student performance and understanding in literacy skills.
- Beaufort, Hilton Head Island, and May River high schools are nearing the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the English 2 EOCEP.
Biology 1:
- Although the passing rate declined from 53% in 2024 to 48% in 2025, BCSD did outperform the state. Additionally, BCSD continues to expand live science opportunities for younger students to deepen the prerequisite knowledge required for upper-level, secondary science standards.
U.S. History and the Constitution:
- The passing rate increased from 46.4% to 50% this year, indicating increased student performance in understanding U.S. history and constitutional principles. BCSD’s continued focus on the progression of standards this school year will be paramount at building students’ understanding of historical knowledge through increased use of primary and secondary sources.
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.
BCSD Career Readiness Assessment Summary
|
Assessment |
Career Ready 2024 (Levels 3-5) |
Career Ready 2025 (Levels 3-5) |
|
Math |
60 % |
52% |
|
Data |
71% |
67% |
|
Reading |
73% |
68% |
Soft Skills Assessment Summary
|
Assessment |
Career Ready 2024 |
Career Ready 2025 |
|
Soft Skills |
70% |
71% |
Overall, BCSD scored even with or surpassed the state. Although a significant number of South Carolina and BCSD students are building the foundational skills necessary for success in college, careers, and life, progress is still needed to achieve the goal of having 75% of students meet the standard for career readiness as both the state and BCSD saw declines for 2025.
Achieving the 75% Proficiency Goals on Career Readiness Assessment: Some schools have demonstrated exceptional commitment to preparing their students for career readiness by nearing the state’s rigorous 75% proficiency goal in the following areas:
Data:
- Beaufort, Hilton Head, and Bluffton high schools are nearing the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the Data Career Readiness Assessment.
Reading:
- Beaufort, Bluffton, Hilton Head, and May River high schools are nearing the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the Reading Career Readiness Assessment.
Soft Skills Assessment
- Bluffton, Beaufort, Hilton Head Island, and May River high schools achieved the state’s 75% proficiency goal for student achievement on the Soft Skills Assessment.
As part of preparing students for college earlier, BCSD will be continuing to use districtwide PSAT scores to identify students prior to high school for dual enrollment programming to start their 9th grade year through partnerships like BCSD Tides that is offered in collaboration with The Technical College of the Lowcountry.
Careerwise, “At BCSD we continue to work with our career facilitators to offer students opportunities at worksites while also aligning SC industry certifications to major CTE pathways so students can become credentialed,” said Chief Instructional Services Officer, Dr. Mary Stratos. “We have had great success with our credentialed students finding immediate employment upon graduation.”
As per the SC Department of Education, “Reading is the foundation of all other learning, so I’m especially encouraged by the strong gains in early literacy” said Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver. “This is clear evidence that when we align our efforts from the Statehouse to the schoolhouse, we move the needle for kids.”
State, School District, and School Level Data for EOCEP and Career Readiness assessments can be accessed by visiting EOCEP assessment data and Career Readiness.