COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Education has released the End-of-Course (EOC) and Career Readiness Test scores. Schools across the state are increasing their scores, and some are right here in the Midlands.
"We are doing better overall with the English two exams," Sherry East said. "The English EOC scores, to me, look higher across the board."
East, the South Carolina Education Association president, said EOC subject teachers have a unique experience with test scores.
“These Biology teachers and English teachers and Algebra teachers, they're getting scores back in the summer or at the beginning of the next school year," East said. "There's nothing they can do to help those students, and there's also no feedback given on what standards or what parts of the biology test I need to work on as an educator. What parts did my students pass? What parts do I need to make sure that they do better on next?”
According to the scores released by the SCDE, the state's passing rate in Algebra 1 improved from 45% in 2023 to 51% in 2024. The passing rate in English 2 increased from 67% in 2023 to 70% in 2024. Lexington One and Lexington-Richland Five achieved the state’s 75% proficiency goal for English 2.
“I think it can be attributed to two things," Mary Gaskins said. "First of all, the commitment of our teachers, both to the success of their students and to their own professional growth, and also to the district's strong focus on literacy.”
Gaskins, the chief academics officer for Lexington One School District, said this improvement is the result of years of work.
“While we're seeing the success in English two, it's built on years of meaningful instruction in both reading and writing," Gaskins said. "Our English 2 teachers, who are very talented, are building on a strong foundation of reading and writing skills so building on that strong foundation and then continuing that momentum to help students continue to excel."
“While I am heartened by the promising progress made on the EOCEP Algebra 1, English 2, and Biology 1 tests, looking ahead, I am particularly motivated to work with local educators to address persistent gaps in civic understanding and meaningful career readiness," South Carolina Superintendent Ellen Weaver said in a provided statement.
East reminded parents of one important thing when it comes to test scores.
“Your child is more than a test score," she said. "They may have passed biology or passed history but not passed that EOC. That doesn't mean they didn't learn any biology that year. It doesn't mean they didn't learn."