The 2019 report cards reflect school, district, and overall state performance during the 2018-2019 school year and are the second iteration of report cards that meet the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.

The South Carolina Department of Education hopes that parents and communities will use report cards as a tool to engage in important conversations about the previous year's successes and challenges that schools across our state face every day. We are continually working to ensure that our accountability system accurately reflects the hard work being done by educators to meet the needs of all students.

Overall, 77% of school ratings either remained the same or improved. Compared to ratings received in 2018, 37% of schools rose by at least one overall rating (ex. Average to Good), 40% of schools held on to the same rating, and 17% of schools dropped by at least one overall rating.

While report cards present an opportunity for communities to learn what they can do to help students and schools, they are not the only measure of the success. Visiting schools and talking to parents, students, teachers and graduates can paint a more complete picture of the overall educational experience.