The Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards Program was established by the Education Accountability Act of 1998. As an important part of the education accountability system in South Carolina, the Awards program is designed to recognize and reward schools that attain high levels of absolute performance and schools that attain high rates of improvement.
The criteria and procedures utilized for selecting schools to receive the Gold and Silver Awards were developed by The Division of Accountability of the Education Oversight Committee (EOC). The 2000-2001 school year was the base year for this award. In 2008, the Education Accountability Act was amended to include awards for schools that close the gaps in achievement between historically lower- and higher- achieving demographjic groups of students as an additional criterion to overall school performance for the Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards Program. Latta High School received a Palmetto Gold Award for closing the achievement gaps in 2010. Latta High School also received a rating of Good on their School Report Card.
The criteria and procedures established for the Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards Program reflect a fundamental belief that all schools, regardless of their socioeconomic status and geographic location, can improve toward high academic standards and excellence and that all children can learn at high levels.
Latta High School was recognized not only for high levels of student academic achievement, but also for efforts that result in exemplary improvement.
