State education officials say more schools earned Excellent and Good ratings this year while fewer fell into the lowest categories, with graduation rates reaching a decade high.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The number of South Carolina schools rated Excellent climbed from 270 to 320 in the 2026 School Report Cards, while the number rated Below Average or Unsatisfactory continued to fall, according to the South Carolina Department of Education.
State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver announced the results Thursday at the State House, joined by state and school leaders, students and parents.
Nearly half of the state’s elementary schools and more than half of its middle schools are now rated Good or Excellent, the department said. Statewide, 52.3% of schools scored Good or Excellent, the highest share since the current rating system began in 2018, while 9.9% scored Below Average or Unsatisfactory, the lowest share on record.
Nearly a quarter of elementary schools improved their overall rating from 2025 to 2026, according to the department. Middle schools saw the share earning a Good or Excellent rating for Student Progress more than double since 2024.
The state’s on-time graduation rate reached 87.5%, the highest level in a decade, the department said. More than eight in 10 high schools earned a rating of Good or Excellent for College and Career Readiness.
The department said high-poverty schools were among those posting some of the state’s strongest improvements.
“The South Carolina Surge is about recognizing the limitless potential of every child and matching that belief with action,” Weaver said. “I’m deeply grateful to the teachers, school leaders, parents, community partners, and lawmakers whose hard work and shared commitment are making this progress possible.”
Senate President Thomas Alexander credited cooperation among state leaders. “This Report Card is great news for South Carolina because when our education system excels, our entire state excels,” Alexander said.
In Darlington County, Superintendent Matthew Ferguson said the district more than doubled the number of schools rated Good or Excellent, from four to 10, in one year. “Our students demonstrated academic growth above the state average, both overall and among our lowest-performing students,” Ferguson said.
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Education.
