Read to Succeed Key Information
One of the many components of Read to Succeed is third grade summer reading camps. Each district must identify third grade students who are not reading proficiently on grade level and provide them with the opportunity to attend a summer reading camp. During the summer reading camps students will be taught by highly qualified teachers who have experience in working with struggling readers. Students will have the opportunity to receive small group and individual instruction to work on their reading, writing, listening, and researching skills.
Read to Succeed Endorsements
Read to Succeed, as amended by Act 114 of 2024, outlines that in-service professional development based in the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills must be provided for teachers, school principals, and other administrative staff.
On February 4, 2025, the SC State Board of Education approved the Read to Succeed Implementation Guidelines for Endorsements and Course Approval.
Recently, the SCDE Office of Instructional Supports completed a comprehensive update of the SC Literacy Competencies to align with scientific principles of reading instruction and the 2024 SCCCR Standards for ELA. The new competencies must be incorporated into the R2S coursework required by Section 59-155-180 of Act 114.
For information on certification and endorsement requirements of educators whose work, directly or indirectly, provides literacy instruction, supports, and interventions to students, see the Office of Educator Services webpage.
The South Carolina State Reading Plan was developed by the SCDE to support development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous refinement of a comprehensive state literacy plan for prekindergarten through grade five. The purpose of reading plans is to improve reading achievement and provide guidance to districts and schools as they work to support the reading and writing development of their students using strategies and interventions aligned to the science of reading.
Act 114 requires that beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, a student must be retained in the third grade if the student fails to demonstrate reading proficiency by scoring Does Not Meet Expectations on SC READY Reading. A student may be exempt for good cause from the mandatory retention but shall continue to receive instructional support and services and reading intervention appropriate for their age and reading level. GCEs remain the same except for the reading portfolio which has been removed as a GCE. Successful completion of Summer Reading camp is defined more narrowly to include alternate formative assessments or reassessment of SC READY and revised cut scores to reflect the requirements of Act 114.
The Reading Coach/Literacy Coach will assist teachers in ensuring that all teachers are teachers of reading and implement effective literacy strategies. Coaches will work with all teachers (content teachers and elective areas) in the school he or she serves, prioritizing time for those teachers, activities, and roles that will have the greatest impact on student achievement, namely coaching and mentoring in classrooms.
