COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina released annual school report cards Monday in Columbia showing continued gains, with 90 percent of the 1,295 public schools that received ratings landing average or higher and the number of excellent schools rising to 320 from 259 in 2022.
The South Carolina Department of Education presented the results at the State House. Officials said 50 more schools earned an excellent rating this year while fewer schools received unsatisfactory marks, and nearly a quarter of elementary schools improved their overall rating from last year.
State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver said high expectations paired with high support are working, pointing to elementary reading and math foundations as the path to secondary success. She also noted the number of third graders in the lowest reading category has been cut in half over two years.
According to the education department, the on-time graduation rate reached a decade high of 87 percent, with most districts receiving an excellent rating for college and career readiness. High-poverty schools were among those posting some of the strongest improvement trends.
Weaver said the department has requested more budget support to keep focusing on foundational skills rather than short-term fixes, as districts across the Upstate and statewide digest the new ratings.
