How did SC school districts fare in annual report card?

SOUTH CAROLINA — The annual report card has been released for school districts in the Palmetto State. It’s designed to show how each district is performing academically.

According to the report from the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee and the South Carolina Department of Education, 22% of schools in the state now have an overall rating of excellent.

Half of the students in South Carolina public schools are enrolled in a school with a rating of excellent or good -- that’s a 2.5% increase of schools with those ratings. There’s been a 7.8% increase in the number of schools rated average.

Statewide, the best news to come out of the report card is that there’s been an 8.5% decrease in schools rated below average or unsatisfactory.

The current on time graduation rate is 84%. Only 29% of students in last year’s graduating class were college-ready.

Out of the four counties in the Channel 9 viewing area, the Rock Hill School District had the lowest high school graduation rate and Clover School District has the highest. In Rock Hill, just 80.2% of students earned a high school diploma in four years. That number is 96.6% for Clover.

Clover superintendent Dr. Shelia Quinn said Tuesday in a statement, “I am proud of the students and staff who persevered to ensure that so many students would earn their diplomas and get a good start in life.”

Rock Hill School District spokesperson Lindsay Machak got a good look at the report card. In Rock Hill, 12 out of 22 schools improved their overall school ratings. Eight maintained an average or good rating.

“Would we like every single one of our schools to be excellent? Yes. Are we there yet? No. But we are growing, and we are proud of that,” Machak said.

Machak pointed to positives from the data, saying it showed a good trend.

“We have shown growth and progress across the board. More than half of our schools were able to increase their overall rating over the last year and for that, we are proud,” she said.

Still a long way to go

State leaders say there’s still a long way to go.

“But I do know that we are pursuing strategies both at Columbia and here at the local level that are going to address those gaps and those challenges,” leaders said Tuesday.

Just over 50% of South Carolina students statewide are on grade level in reading, and just over 40% are on grade level in math.

In regards to assessments that students take in schools, only 40% of third through eighth-graders are scoring, meeting or exceeding expectations on South Carolina READY math tests.

Only 45% of students scored a “C” or better on Algebra 1 and the course assessment, which is a test given to high school students.

Statewide performance in science has declined, dropping from 46% to 44% of students meeting or exceeding state standards in 2021 to 2022. (Students are tested in science only in the fourth and sixth grade.)

The data shows increases in students passing the English 2 assessment.

School officials said Tuesday they’re pursuing strategies both statewide and at the local level to address the gaps they’re seeing and challenges, as the data is more alarming when they separate out people in poverty and students of color.

The Rock Hill School District is asking community partners and businesses to get involved. One thing they really need is mentors. For more information, call the district or even your local school.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

(WATCH BELOW: CMS sees mixed bag of results in state performance results)

CMS sees mixed bag of results in state performance results

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