The Read to Succeed (R2S) Act, amended by Act 114 of 2024, supports the literacy needs of students; focuses primarily on reading for students in kindergarten through grade 5; and requires that reading instruction, interventions, resources, programs, and other reading services are based on evidence-based practices aligned to the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills (Act 114, Section 59-155-140(A)(2).
The amended R2S Act establishes requirements for the preparation and ongoing professional development, certification, and endorsement requirements of educators whose work, directly or indirectly, provides literacy instruction, supports, and interventions to students. Teachers, administrators, and other certified faculty and staff are exempt from having to earn a literacy endorsement to maintain certification only if they are not educating or serving students in a school or other educational setting. Before returning to a position educating or serving students, an educator who was previously exempt pursuant to Section 59-155-180(7) must earn the appropriate literacy endorsement.
On February 4, 2025, the State Board of Education approved the Read to Succeed Implementation Guidelines for Endorsements and Course Approval. Each section below provides details on the R2S requirements established in the amended R2S Act and related State Board guidelines authorized by that statute.
Professional Development Requirements for Kindergarten—Grade 3 Teachers
The amended R2S Act mandates that the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) must deliver professional development in foundational literacy skills grounded in the science of reading to all kindergarten through third grade teachers certified in Early Childhood, Elementary, or Special Education and to all elementary administrators. This training must be offered to educators at no cost, and each district must participate in the training. To fulfill this mandate, the South Carolina General Assembly has appropriated funds to provide this training to all K-3 teachers and elementary administrators employed in public school settings across the state, and the SCDE has elected to use Lexia Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) for this foundational training.
NOTE about LETRS and R2S: Pursuant to Act 114 of 2024, participation in LETRS is required of all kindergarten through third grade teachers certified in Early Childhood, Elementary, or Special Education and to all elementary administrators— even those who have already earned the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement. Successful completion of Volumes 1 and 2 of LETRS may be used to earn the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement outlined below, but the endorsement itself does not replace the LETRS requirement for educators certified and employed as indicated.
Requirements for Pre-service Teacher Candidates
South Carolina teacher preparation programs must ensure that teacher candidates possess the knowledge and skills to help students become proficient readers. Pre-service teacher candidates in South Carolina educator preparation programs leading to the certification in Early Childhood, Elementary, or Special Education must complete a 12-hour course sequence in literacy that includes instruction in the major components of the reading process and opportunities to apply their learning in field experiences. Pre-service candidates seeking certification at the middle- or secondary- level must complete a 6-hour sequence in literacy that includes a course in the foundations of literacy and a course in content-area reading and writing. Upon successful completion of the preparation program and certification requirements, including earning a C or better in all literacy courses in the program's approved R2S sequence, the teacher candidate will be issued either the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement or the R2S Requirement endorsement with the Initial certificate.
No later than the Fall 2025 academic semester, educator preparation providers (EPPs) must ensure that coursework and instruction are aligned with the South Carolina Literacy Competencies (Revised 2024).
Literacy Endorsement Requirements for In-service Teachers
The R2S Literacy Teacher Endorsement
The R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement is required for educators certified and employed in the following fields:
- Classroom Teaching Fields
- Early Childhood (PK-Grade 3)
- Elementary (2-6)
- Montessori Education (Early Childhood, Elementary I, Elementary II)
- Special Education (all fields) and
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (PK-Grade 12)
Options for Earning the R2S Literacy Teacher Endorsement
Option 1: College Coursework or Equivalent Professional Development
An educator may earn the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement by successful completion of four college courses (3 semester hours each) with a grade of C or better, or equivalent professional development approved by the SCDE (60 renewal credits each). These courses include the following:
- Foundations of Reading
- Instructional Practices or Strategies in Reading
- Assessment of Reading
- Content Area Reading and Writing
Option 2: Lexia Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS)
An educator may earn the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement by successfully completing LETRS.
- The educator must successfully complete both Volume 1 and Volume 2 of LETRS and demonstrate 80% mastery or higher on the post-test for each volume.
- Each LETRS volume consists of 4 units of instruction. Teachers are eligible for 120 renewal credits for Volume 1, which meets requirements for the R2S Foundations of Reading and Assessment of Reading courses. Teachers are eligible for 120 renewal credits for Volume 2, which meets the R2S requirements for Content Area Reading and Writing and Instructional Practices or Strategies for Reading courses. Credits must be earned in the validity period of an educator's certificate to be used for renewal purposes.
- Note: An educator who completes LETRS for Early Childhood Educators and scores 80% mastery or higher on the post-test for this four-unit training may earn 60 renewal credits and meet requirements for the R2S Instructional Practices course. The educator needs the three additional courses to earn the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement.
- To request the endorsement, an educator must submit a request through My SC Educator Portal and submit one of the following types of documentation:
- SCDE LETRS Certificates of Completion or
- Lexia LETRS transcript (not the LETRS Certificate{s} of Mastery).
- For additional information on LETRS, educators should contact their employing school district or the SCDE Office of Instructional Supports (formerly the Office of Early Learning and Literacy).
- Successful completion of LETRS can be used for earning the endorsement and for certificate renewal.
- LETRS can only be used toward class level advancement if completed for graduate credit as documented on an official transcript issued by a regionally accredited college or university.
Option 3: Certification Assessment in Reading
Pursuant to the Act 114 of 2024, an educator may earn the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement by earning a qualifying score on a certification assessment in reading approved by the State Board of Education. The following assessments have been adopted for this purpose.
- Praxis 5205 Teaching Reading: Elementary (Qualifying Score: 159) or
- Pearson Foundations of Reading 890/190 (Qualifying Score: 240)
Option 4: Literacy Teacher Certification
An educator who adds the certification field of Literacy Teacher will also be issued the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement. Eligible educators may add the Literacy Teacher certification field by completing the required coursework as outlined in the Guidelines and Requirements for Adding Certification Fields and Endorsements and submitting a passing score on the approved subject area assessment.
Option 5: Graduate Degree in Reading/Literacy and Exam
An educator who has earned a graduate degree in reading or literacy may add the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement without completing additional coursework or professional development by submitting an official transcript showing that the degree was earned through an institution meeting State Board of Education accreditation requirements and earning a passing score on one of the reading assessments listed in Option 3. The educator must submit a request to add the endorsement through My SC Educator Portal, request an official transcript from the college or university, and have an official score report transmitted by the test provider.
Timeline for Earning the R2S Literacy Teacher Endorsement
Requirements for earning the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement went into effect for the certified educators with a Professional certificate with the initial implementation of the R2S Act in 2015. Educators who are required to earn the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement have two renewal cycles (i.e. ten years) to do so. After completing all requirements, an educator should submit a request through My SC Educator Portal to add the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement then upload the related professional development certificates or, for college coursework, request an official transcript from the college or university.
Literacy Endorsement Requirements for Elementary Administrators
Pursuant to Act 114, a literacy endorsement remains a renewal requirement for administrators whose responsibilities, either directly or indirectly, substantially relate to reading and literacy instruction, support, or interventions. For the purposes of the R2S Implementation Guidelines, this endorsement requirement applies to administrators working in a school that serves students in any of the grades ranging from kindergarten through grade 5.
Administrators who must earn a literacy endorsement for renewal including those
certified and employed in any of the following Leadership and Administrative fields:
- Elementary Principal, Tier 1 (7B)
- Elementary Principal, Tier 2 (7D)
- Elementary Principal (71)
- Elementary Supervisor (73)
Options for Earning a Literacy Endorsement for Administrators
Option 1: R2S Literacy Teacher Endorsement
An administrator required to earn a literacy endorsement may meet this requirement by earning the R2S Literacy Teacher endorsement through one of the options detailed earlier in these guidelines; however, the SCDE strongly encourages all administrators employed in elementary schools to complete LETRS training. For certificate purposes, an elementary school administrator actively enrolled in LETRS training may renew without a literacy endorsement so long as all other renewal requirements are met. Upon successful completion of LETRS, the administrator must submit the endorsement request and LETRS documentation to the SCDE Office of Educator Services through My SC Educator Portal.
Option 2: R2S Literacy Administrator Endorsement (New Option)
An administrator required to earn a literacy endorsement may do so by earning the R2S Literacy Administrator endorsement by successful completion of one of the following professional development courses focused on implementing systems and supports for effective literacy instruction at the school level:
- Lexia LETRS for Administrators or
- R2S for Administrators (offering must be approved by the SCDE)
Option 3: R2S Literacy Requirement (change)
An administrator assigned to an elementary school setting who earned the R2S Literacy Requirement with an effective date no later than July 1, 2024, is not required to add an additional literacy endorsement. However, the SCDE strongly recommends that an elementary administrator utilizes Option 1 or 2 above to pursue professional development focused on the implementation and supervision of effective literacy instruction at the school level. After July 1, 2024, the R2S Literacy Requirement no longer meets the requirement for elementary administrators seeking to add a literacy endorsement.
Additional Literacy Endorsement Options
Act 114 of 2024 eliminates the requirement to earn a literacy endorsement for the following certification fields:
- Classroom Teaching Fields
- Middle Level (grades 5-8)
- High School (grades 9-12)
- Career and Technical Education (CTE)(grades 9-12)
- PK-12 Certification Fields (except for Special Education fields and ESOL)
- Art, Music, Theater, Physical Education, World Languages
- Instructional Service Fields
- School Counselor (Elementary, Secondary)
- School Librarian (PK-12)
- School Psychologist (PK-12)
- Speech Language Pathologist (PK-12)
- Leadership and Administrative Fields
- Secondary Principal
- CTE Center Director
- Superintendent
Although the R2S Literacy Teacher Requirement endorsement is no longer required for these educators for certificate renewal, it remains an option available to them. An educator may earn the R2S Literacy Teacher Requirement by successfully completing a course in Content Area Reading and Writing (3 semester hours) or equivalent professional development approved by the SCDE.
Advanced Literacy Endorsements
R2S Literacy Coach
Educators may earn the R2S Literacy Coach endorsement by meeting pre-requisites and completing advanced preparation.
Pre-requisites for R2S Literacy Coach:
- Five years of successful teaching experience
- R2S Literacy Teacher Endorsement
The required courses may be completed as college coursework or SCDE-approved professional development and include:
- Principles of Coaching (3 semester hours or 60 PD renewal credits)
- Action Research in Literacy Coaching (3 semester hours or 60 PD renewal credits)
R2S Literacy Specialist
Educators may earn the R2S Literacy Specialist endorsement by meeting the pre-requisites and completing advanced preparation.
Pre-requisites for R2S Literacy Specialist:
- Five years of successful teaching experience
- R2S Literacy Teacher Endorsement
- R2S Literacy Coach Endorsement
The required courses may be completed as college coursework or SCDE-approved professional development and include:
- Administration and Supervision in Literacy (3 semester hours or 60 PD renewal credits)
- Curriculum Development (3 semester hours or 60 PD renewal credits)
- Literacy Research (3 semester hours or 60 PD renewal credits)
- Additional Education Leadership Course (3 semester hours or 60 PD renewal credits)
R2S Coursework and Professional Development Offerings
Educators employed in South Carolina public schools should consult their districts about available opportunities. The following list includes additional options.
