A snapshot of literacy trends in the South

Across the United States, fourth grade reading scores paint a grim picture. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the average reading score for U.S. fourth graders fell to 214 in 2024, its lowest in over two decades. Forty percent of students across the nation read below the “basic” level, meaning they are unable to perform fundamental reading tasks for their grade level.  

The research is clear: students who are not proficient readers by third grade are far less likely to graduate from high school and succeed in today’s knowledge-based economy. Literacy is not simply an English class concern; it is the foundation for learning across all disciplines. 

The Southern Surge 

While most of the nation has seen a backslide in scores, some Southern states have charted a different course. In the past ten years, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi have implemented literacy reforms grounded in the “science of reading.” These reforms also heavily invest in teacher training, early intervention, and accountability. 

The South Carolina Policy Council previously highlighted Mississippi’s dramatic improvement, often referred to as the “Mississippi Miracle.” Mississippi’s Literacy-Based Promotion Act of 2013 required phonics-based instruction in early grades and held students to clear reading benchmarks before advancing forward. Between 2013 and 2019, Mississippi’s fourth grade reading score increased ten points on the NAEP, jumping from near the bottom of national rankings to the top ten in 2024. 

Tennessee’s Reading 360 initiative, launched in 2020, trained thousands of educators in evidence-based instruction and funded the adoption of high-quality curricula statewide. By 2024, Tennessee’s fourth-grade proficiency rate rose to 32 percent, surpassing the national average of 30 percent. 

Louisiana began its literacy overhaul in 2013 by requiring districts to adopt state-vetted curricula. By 2023, all K–3 teachers had completed at least 55 hours of “science of reading” training, and the state’s mentor teacher program rewarded teachers who coached peers in implementation. Its NAEP reading score rose from 212 in 2022 to 216 in 2024. 

Alabama’s Literacy Act of 2019 combined strong curriculum mandates with hands-on interventions such as literacy coaches in every elementary school, mandatory summer reading camps for struggling students, and regional specialists to support teachers. 

Each of these states makes one thing clear: policy alone is not enough. To have literacy reforms truly stick, we must focus on sustained implementation, coaching, and transparency. 

South Carolina’s progress

To its credit, South Carolina has joined the Southern literacy movement. The state’s 2014 Read to Succeed Act required K–5 universal screeners three times a year, mandated teacher training in evidence-based literacy instruction, and introduced reading interventions for students who fell behind. Unfortunately, South Carolina didn’t see the same success as other southern states. The state’s 2024 NAEP fourth grade reading score of 215 matches the national average but lags behind regional peers like Mississippi (219) and Louisiana (216). 

In 2024, Read to Succeed was amended to outright ban the use of “three-cueing,” which teaches students to look at the surrounding sentence for context clues rather than the traditional “sound it out” method. It also strengthened training requirements for all K-3 teachers. The SC Daily Gazette reported in August that a SC Department of Education (SCDE) spokesperson said nearly 13,000 teachers have already completed the program and another 11,000 are on track to finish this year – ensuring that every K–3 teacher in the state will be fully trained. 

While the full effects of this change have not yet been felt, other persistent issues threaten to hinder potential progress. A 2023 NAEP report found an association between lower test scores and rising rates of chronic absenteeism, which is defined as a student missing at least 10% of school days in an academic year. Chronic absenteeism rates in SC have skyrocketed from 11.6% in 2017-18 academic year to 22.3% in 2024-25. 

The path forward 

With the 2024 reforms now in the rearview, only time will tell whether they pay off. These legislative steps are moving in the right direction to align South Carolina with other states in the region that are returning to the basics of literacy education. Continued training and support for teachers should go a long way toward improving classroom instruction and translate into better literacy outcomes for students.  

However, there are still areas that need improvement. South Carolina must address chronic absenteeism, as post-pandemic habits continue to keep too many students out of the classroom, a challenge also faced by many surrounding states that have yet to find a permanent solution. 

Lawmakers must ensure schools stick to high-quality curricula by putting guardrails in place to prevent teachers from reverting to ineffective practices like three-cueing. Lawmakers should work to restore meritocracy and curb grade inflation by prohibiting grade floors, which undermine the state’s Uniform Grading Policy and mask students’ true academic performance. 

South Carolina has the tools and policy framework to become a literacy leader in the South. The next phase of reform must focus on building trust in classrooms, supporting educators, and tackling the barriers that keep students from showing up ready to learn. 

The Southern Surge shows that progress is possible. The question now is whether South Carolina will follow through to turn strong policy into strong readers. 

Katelyn Bergman is a research intern for the South Carolina Policy Council.  

This report may be republished in whole or in part, provided that proper credit is given to the author(s) and the South Carolina Policy Council.