South Carolina Graduation Rates Soar, Yet College Readiness Lags

South Carolina high schools reached 86.7 percent graduation this year. That's the best mark in 10 years. But only 75.1% of students are ready for college or a job. State officials shared these numbers on Nov. 3, 2025, when they released the annual school report cards.

"We have to make sure that our diplomas are worth more than the piece of paper that they're written on," said State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver, according to WIS 10.

Schools rated excellent or good jumped from 549 to 623 this year. Over a quarter of elementary schools improved their rating. A third of middle schools did the same between 2024 and 2025.

Middle and high schools showed the biggest gains, though nearly half of elementary schools earned good or excellent marks in 2025. Schools at the bottom dropped too. Unsatisfactory schools fell from 49 to 31. Below-average schools went from 186 to 145.

Officials announced the scores at Annie Burnside Elementary School in Richland County School District One. The school vaulted from average to excellent with a 19-point jump from last year.

The report cards track several measures, including test scores, student progress, college and career readiness, and school climate. Schools receive ratings on a five-step scale from unsatisfactory to excellent based on a score out of 100.

Around 23 percent of students were chronically absent, missing at least 10 days of school this year. That stayed the same as last year. The rate of high school students applying for college dropped. This year 59 percent reported filling out applications compared to 61 percent last year.

Weaver plans to ask state lawmakers to raise the minimum pay for a first-year teacher to $50,000 when they return in January. Right now it's $48,500. Gov. Henry McMaster has made the proposal a priority for years.

The superintendent wants $5 million to continue a pilot program that awards teachers bonuses based on how well their students perform on tests. She plans to start a program offering extra pay to teachers who mentor others.

Full report card data for all school districts is available on the SC School Report cards site.