BARNWELL COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – On Tuesday morning, the South Carolina Department of Education and the South Carolina Education Oversight Board released South Carolina’s annual school report card. These report cards provide insight into the state’s educational progress.
Report cards measure various aspects such as student success and school quality. About 22.5% of South Carolina schools received an “excellent” rating, an increase of 2.5% from the previous year, officials said.
Officials held a press conference at Kelly Edwards Elementary School in Williston to commemorate the release of the report cards. The school received an “outstanding” rating last year.
Before the pandemic, the school was rated “unsatisfactory” and “below average.” State Superintendent Ellen Weaver said success stories can be attributed to having great principals and providing quality materials to teachers.
“Find a building anywhere in the state that loves these students as much as we do,” said Kelly Edwards School Principal Monique Smalls.
The report card also highlighted slight improvements across the state in English language arts at the elementary and middle school levels. Data shows that about 50% of students are reading at grade level and about 40% of students are learning math at grade level.
Weaver said one of the top priorities for the next budget is to establish the Palmetto Mathematics Project. She said the initiative would be similar to the Palmetto Literacy Project and focus on disparities in math.
Officials’ main concern is the percentage of students who graduate “career and college ready.” The state’s graduation rate is 84%, but only 29% of students are considered college or career ready.
Weaver says, “We look at data as a tool, not as a weapon. We all have cell phones and we all know how to use GPS to plan a trip to get to a destination. If so, you need a point on the map that pinpoints your current location.”
State education officials also noted that about half of all South Carolina public school students attend schools with an overall rating of “excellent” or “good.”
You can find your child’s school report card here.