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Berkeley County reports gains in literacy and some math areas, sets 75% ELA goal for 2030
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Dixon and district assessment staff presented statewide assessment results showing steady gains in elementary and middle-school ELA and mixed results in mathematics; district officials tied progress to instructional alignment and state standards.
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. — Superintendent Dr. Dixon and district staff reported Sept. 2 that Berkeley County School District made steady gains in reading and some math measures over the past five years and reiterated the district’s goal of having 75% of students performing on grade level in ELA by 2030.
Superintendent Dr. Dixon said the board and the district should be "proud of our accomplishments," adding: "This success reflects the power of aligned efforts across our district." He credited teachers, administrators, central office staff and families for the progress and listed several schools that had met the district’s 2030 ELA goal, including Cane Bay Elementary, Daniel Island School, Marrington Elementary and Philip Simmons Elementary.
District assessment presenter Miss Crowley told the board the district’s elementary ELA results showed notable growth: third-grade students meeting or exceeding standards rose from about 43% in 2020–21 to nearly 59% in 2024–25; fourth and fifth grades also showed double-digit improvements in several years. Middle-school ELA showed gains as well, with eighth grade experiencing one of the largest single-year jumps. Crowley described the district’s approach as a phased, coherent rollout of literacy supports, including the use of I-Ready screeners, targeted professional development and alignment with the 2024 South Carolina College and Career Readiness ELA standards.
On mathematics, the presentation described steady elementary gains but acknowledged that middle school math results have been mixed: "Over the past 5 years, student performance of these grade levels has shown either minimal gains, remained stagnant or declined," Crowley said. The district noted algebra 1 proficiency rose from 25% in 2021 to 39% in 2025, while the state average remained higher.
A public commenter, Amanda Kiebel, said she had compiled historical elementary data and raised concerns about leadership turnover. "Since then, we have changed superintendents 8 times," Kiebel said, noting several schools had multiple principal changes over the years and urging greater consistency in school leadership.
Board members asked for additional detail about the district’s early-literacy diagnostic window and the timing of Algebra I under the state’s revised course sequence. Crowley said this school year is the first under the state’s adjusted math sequence and that Algebra I is now taken after students complete the revised geometry/statistics course, depending on local course placements.
District officials emphasized that multiple factors influence year-to-year scores — including survey response rates, school configuration changes and staff allocations — and said the district will continue emphasizing high-quality instructional materials and professional learning as it aims to accelerate growth.
The presentation was informational; there were no formal votes attached to the assessment report during the meeting.
