GCS Outperforms State on SC READY, End-of-Course and Career Ready Assessments
Greenville County Schools’ test scores show elementary and middle school students outperformed the state on SC READY English Language Arts, Math and Science assessments, Greenville County high school students outperformed the state on the English II, Biology I and US History End-of-Course Exams, and 74.4% of GCS students who took South Carolina’s Career Ready Assessment in spring 2026 earned a credential, outperforming the state rate of 69.0%. In addition to outperforming the state, the district maintained a trend of steady growth in all subject areas across all levels over a three-year period.
“Continued gains in student achievement across English Language Arts, mathematics and science are a tremendous source of pride, particularly because they reflect eight years of higher achievement and steady progress,” said Dr. W. Burke Royster, Superintendent of Greenville County Schools. “These results are the product of the collective work of our teachers, school leaders, staff, students and families with support from the Board of Trustees. We celebrate this progress while continuing to use the data to strengthen instruction, support our educators, and ensure students have the opportunity to achieve at the highest levels.”
SC READY
Reflected in the latest assessment data for the 2025-26 school year, Greenville County elementary and middle school students outperformed the state in South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Assessments (SC READY) for English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science, which are administered in grades 3-8.
Elementary Schools:
- GCS elementary school students outperformed the state in every grade level in ELA, Math and Science for the 2024-25 school year.
- 94% of GCS elementary schools maintained or increased ELA, Math and/or Science scores from 2024-25 to 2025-26 school year.
Middle Schools:
- GCS middle school students outperformed the state in every grade level in ELA, Math and Science for the 2025-26 school year.
- Every GCS middle school increased Math scores from 2024-25 to 2025-26 school year
SC READY English Language Arts 2025-26: % Meets or Exceeds
|
Grade |
SC |
GCS |
Difference in Percentage Points |
|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd |
64.2 |
73.0 |
+8.8 |
|
4th |
65.5 |
72.3 |
+6.8 |
|
5th |
63.5 |
71.5 |
+8.0 |
|
6th |
56.3 |
59.9 |
+3.6 |
|
7th |
59.5 |
62.5 |
+3.0 |
|
8th |
58.9 |
64.4 |
+5.5 |
SC READY Math 2025-26: % Meets or Exceeds
|
Grade |
SC |
GCS |
Difference in Percentage Points |
|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd |
59.3 |
69.0 |
+9.7 |
|
4th |
52.4 |
60.9 |
+8.5 |
|
5th |
49.1 |
60.4 |
+11.3 |
|
6th |
40.8 |
46.3 |
+5.5 |
|
7th |
41.8 |
48.9 |
+7.1 |
|
8th |
44.2 |
50.5 |
+6.3 |
SC READY Science 2025-26: % Meets or Exceeds
|
Grade |
SC |
GCS |
Difference in Percentage Points |
|---|---|---|---|
|
4th |
51.7 |
67.2 |
+15.5 |
|
6th |
51.9 |
58.0 |
+6.1 |
End of Course Exam Program
Algebra 1
- The decrease in Algebra 1 EOC participation reflects statewide implementation of the 2025 South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Mathematics Standards. As part of the new course sequence, students now complete Geometry with Statistics before Algebra 1, shifting when students take the Algebra 1 End of Course Exam and reducing participation during the transition year. Algebra 1 scores from the previous version of the assessment are not directly comparable.
English 2
- 60% of GCS high schools outperformed the state passage rate.
- Riverside High, Mauldin High and Blue Ridge High experienced a passage rate over 90%.
Biology
- Ten GCS high schools showed increased passage rates from the 2024-25 school year to the 2025-26 school year.
- 73% of GCS high schools outperformed the state passage rate.
U.S. History
- 80% of GCS high schools maintained or increased passage rates from the 2024-25 school year to the 2025-26 school year.
- 80% of GCS high schools outperformed the state passage rate.
End of Course Exam Program: % Passing
|
Subject |
SC |
GCS |
Difference in Percentage Points |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Algebra I* |
64.6 |
59.7 |
-4.9 |
|
English II |
83.8 |
84.5 |
+0.7 |
|
Biology I |
60.9 |
70.0 |
+9.1 |
|
U.S. History |
62.6 |
72.8 |
+10.2 |
*The South Carolina Department of Education reports Algebra I Passage Rates for middle and high school students combined.
South Carolina Career Ready Test
The South Carolina Career Ready test provided by WIN (Worldwide Interactive Network) is a career-readiness assessment designed to measure essential workforce skills. The assessment contains four parts: Math Assessment, Data Assessment, Reading Assessment and Soft Skill Assessment.
Students in grade 11 (or third year of high school) take the assessment, and students in grade 12 who did not take the assessment or receive a career-ready designation the year prior can take the assessment.
South Carolina Career Readiness Credentials Among GCS Students:
- Level 2 (received credential): 76.9% (score of level 2 or higher on all exams)
- Level 3 (or higher meet the Accountability criteria for College and Career Ready): 59.6% (score of level 3 or higher on all exams)
- Level 4: 43.2% (score of level 4 or higher on all exams)
- Level 5: 2.2% (score of level 5 or higher on all exams)
On the South Carolina Career Readiness Assessment, the percentage of students who scored Level 3 or higher was greater for Greenville County Schools compared to the state. On all three sections of the assessment, the percentage of students who scored Level 3 or higher was greater for Greenville County Schools compared to the state. A greater percentage of students in GCS passed the Essential Soft Skills section of the assessment compared to students across the state.
WIN’s South Carolina Work Ready Assessment aligns to the knowledge, skills, and attributes of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate and the South Carolina College and Career Ready Standards. In addition, the assessment is endorsed by the National Work Readiness Council, founded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2003.