S.C. school districts received letter grades based upon student achievement and improvement in school year 2012-2013. The letter grades were a key component of the State’s approved Flexibility Request from certain provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), commonly referred to as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan approved the request on July 19, 2012.
In school year 2012-2013, 77 percent of school districts and 76 percent of schools met the State’s expectation, which is a grade of “C” or better.
State Superintendent of Education Mick Zais said letter grades provide the public a transparent and accurate reflection of current levels of student achievement and improvement. Under this new system, schools will have more data than ever on student performance, including areas of strength and areas needing improvement.
“Letter grades inform students, parents, schools, policy makers, the media, and the public how schools are performing in a clear and easily understood system,” said Zais. “Students have received letter grades on their report cards for decades; schools and school districts should be held to the same level of accountability and transparency.”
The letter grade system replaced Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), which required a school to meet every performance objective. Schools were designated either “Met” AYP or “Not Met” AYP.
A school missing just one of many objectives was given the designation of “Not Met” by federal law, the same designation as a school missing multiple objectives. In 2011, only 23.5 percent of schools met AYP. Many failed to meet AYP because they missed only one or two objectives.
The accountability system is a continuous improvement model.
Performance standards for schools and school districts increase every year through ambitious but reasonable goals.
The ESEA Flexibility Request was initially approved for two years, and the U.S. Department of Education has said that states may pursue a renewal of the request for additional years.
Some key components of the accountability system include:
1. Awarding letter grades to schools and school districts based upon student achievement in English-Language Arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and high school graduation rates.
2. Increased transparency of student achievement by reporting subgroup performance.
3. The elimination of the all-or-nothing approach of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), and awarding schools and school districts partial credit for improvement in student achievement.
4. Publicly identifying and rewarding schools that demonstrate significant achievement and improvement.
5. Publicly identifying schools with the lowest performance and largest achievement gaps, and providing targeted interventions for the students in those schools.
DILLON SCHOOL DISTRICT FOUR
(DILLON AND LAKE VIEW)
DISTRICT FOUR
Overall Weighted Points Total: 76
Overall Grade Conversion: C
Points Total: Elementary Grades-83.1, Middle Grades-82.2,
High School Grades-29.3
EAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 90.2
Overall Grade Conversion: A
STEWART HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 95
Overall Grade Conversion: A
SOUTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 56.1
Overall Grade Conversion: F
LAKE VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 99.3
Overall Grade Conversion: A
GORDON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 92.3
Overall Grade Conversion: A
DILLON MIDDLE SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 80
Overall Grade Conversion: B
DILLON HIGH SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 32.7
Overall Grade Conversion: F
LAKE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 83.1
Overall Grade Conversion: B
DILLON SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE
(LATTA)
DISTRICT THREE
Overall Weighted Points Total: 77.4
Overall Grade Conversion: C
Points Total: Elementary Grades-78.9, Middle Grades-75.7,
High School Grades-78.5
LATTA EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
Overall Weighted Points Total: 88
Overall Grade Conversion: B
LATTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 78.9
Overall Grade Conversion: C
LATTA MIDDLE SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 75.6
Overall Grade Conversion: C
LATTA HIGH SCHOOL
Overall Weighted Points Total: 78.5
Overall Grade Conversion: C
