Unlocking Potential: South Dakota Education Department’s Quest to Boost Science and Math Scores

South Dakota’s math and reading scores have remained steady, according to Joseph Graves, the state Department of Education Secretary. He shared this update with lawmakers in Pierre.

The data comes from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), widely known as the Nation’s Report Card. Fourth and eighth graders across the country took these assessments between January and March 2024, with results released recently.

In South Dakota, students scored better than the national average in fourth-grade math and in both eighth-grade reading and math. The state’s fourth-grade reading scores matched the national average.

However, Graves expressed concerns, stating, “We’re not seeing the kind of growth we want to see in South Dakota.” Similar trends have been observed in the state’s annual assessments.

He noted that there has been a drop in math and reading scores nationwide, likely due to the effects of the COVID pandemic.

To address these challenges, South Dakota is launching a new literacy initiative centered on a phonics-based approach known as the “Science of Reading.” This plan aims to enhance reading scores and align English and language arts standards with this framework.

This initiative is part of a broader discussion, often referred to as the “reading wars,” about effective ways to teach children to read. Some educators advocate for phonics, focusing on the relationship between sounds and letters. Others prefer a “whole language” approach, emphasizing the meaning of words, with phonics included. A mixed strategy called “balanced literacy” became popular in the 2000s, incorporating both phonics and whole language elements.

Graves also mentioned the need for evidence-based standards in math instruction. He explained that math skills involve both calculation and number sense. Achieving proficiency in math requires a balance of these components, which can sometimes be overlooked in current teaching methods.