For the first time since 2014, schools received ratings on new and different state-issued school report cards. As expected with any new system, it is a “work in progress.”
For instance, significant problems with several calculations caused the state to delay the release of the school report cards from November 15 to November 29. We still have concerns about this system and some of the methods of calculation.
We expect the South Carolina Department of Education, the Education Oversight Committee and others to continue to adjust the new system in order to make it work for South Carolina because the system is far from perfect.
For example, this year schools whose students did not participate in the online student surveys related to the school quality indicator were not factored into the percentile rankings for this indicator. This means that schools like ours who did participate in the online student surveys may have received lower ratings for this indicator than they would have if these schools were included.
Since these report cards used a new system of calculations based on the requirements of that federal law (ESSA), we expected our schools to receive ratings different from their ratings on previous school report cards, and they did.
Each elementary, middle and high school received an excellent, good, average, below average or unsatisfactory overall performance rating for the school. This year, that overall performance rating for the school is aligned to students’ performance on the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP assessment that measures what U.S. students know and can do in various subjects across the nation. You may hear NAEP referred to as The Nation’s Report Card.
Lexington District One schools received seven excellent, eight good, 10 average, two below average and one unsatisfactory overall performance ratings. The district’s technology center and primary school did not receive an overall performance rating, although they will receive a report card.
Elementary and middle schools also received an excellent, good, average, below average or unsatisfactory rating for each of the following performance indicators: academic achievement, student progress, preparing for success, English learners’ proficiency and school quality. The state measures but does not rate three other performance indicators: classroom environment, student safety and financial information about schools (such as the percent of money spent on classroom instruction).
High schools, on the other hand, received an excellent, good, average, below average or unsatisfactory rating for each of the following performance indicators: academic achievement, preparing for success, English learners’ proficiency, graduation rate, college- and career-ready and school quality. Here, too, the state measures but does not rate three other performance indicators: classroom environment, student safety and financial information about schools (such as the percent of money spent on classroom instruction).
“I appreciate all our teachers, principals and staff, who work hard every day to empower each child to design the future,” Dr. Greg Little said. “The district continues to examine our instructional practices and our use of time, space and place to improve academic achievement and student growth. We are not going to be satisfied until all of our students are reaching their full potential.”
