Only 17 of 39 elementary and middle schools in Oconee, Pickens and Anderson 4 school districts met the 2008 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) ratings.

The state results were released Wednesday by the South Carolina Department of Education.

Superintendent Jim Rex said that, despite across-the-board improvement in PACT scores, fewer elementary and middle schools in the state met their 2008 federal goals under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

“Unless NCLB’s rating system is revised to incorporate a more common- sense approach, the danger is that this law will lose all credibility with the public,” Rex said. “That would really be disappointing because its goals are so admirable.”

Each state sets its own definition for academic proficiency under NCLB, and independent research has shown that South Carolina’s definition is much more rigorous than other states. A report released earlier this year by the conservative Fordham Institute named South Carolina, Massachusetts and California as the nation’s toughest graders and indicated that students scoring at a level of “Proficient” in many states would score at “Basic” or “Below Basic” levels in the Palmetto State.

Schools are identified as having met or not met AYP performance objectives. These objectives are specifically related to how certain subgroups, such as students on free or reduced lunch, minorities and physically or mentally challenged students, have performed in the school and district. Should one subcategory of students fail to meet its goal for that year, or if more than 5 percent of those students were not tested, the school does not meet AYP for the year.

Elementary and middle schools can also miss AYP if their overall attendance rate is lower than 94 percent.

South Carolina’s targets for AYP, like those of other states, are rising quickly in order to meet the federal law that requires all students, including those who come from low-income families, speak limited English or have learning disabilities, to score “proficient” on state math and English/ language arts tests by 2014.

Oconee County Superintendent Mike Lucas said the district’s standardized test scores are consistently among the best in the state, but that its success is hampered by AYP standards.

“AYP is such a lofty goal that we have not been able to meet the requirements of all subgroups,” Lucas said. “South Carolina’s definition of proficient is at such a difficult level of the state PACT test that such groups as special education students and limited English proficient have great difficulty in meeting the standard.”

The fact that AYP requirements become even more stringent as the district attempts to meet the challenge of the 2014 goal is something Lucas said poses a tremendous challenge.

“South Carolina has a thoroughly defined accountability system with high standards in place, but those standards are not reflected in the NCLB guidelines,” Pickens County Superintendent Lee D’Andrea said. “Until South Carolina’s level of proficiency is changed, there will be qualifiers, exceptions and distorted pictures about data. For everyone’s sake, I hope the issues with NCLB can be resolved soon, either in the next legislative session or through a reauthorization of NCLB.”

Anderson 4

Anderson District 4 saw two of its elementary and middle schools, Mt. Lebanon Elementary and Townville Elementary, meet AYP. But LaFrance Elementary, Pendleton Elementary and Riverside Middle did not.

Though disappointed that all elementary and middle schools in his district failed to make AYP, Anderson Interim Superintendent Maurice Lopez said he is proud of the efforts put forth by teachers, parents and students to continually improve.

“Our continued goal will be to provide every child with every opportunity to meet the challenges of today’s learner and the learner of the future,” Lopez said.

Charlotte McDavid, chief academic officer for the school district, said the Anderson district is committed to student academic growth.

“All of our energies are focused on creating an environment rich in knowledge, experiences and progress for every student,” McDavid said.

In order to meet AYP this year, South Carolina elementary and middle schools were required to have 58.8 percent of their students proficient in English/language arts, up from 38.2 percent last year. In math, 57.8 percent had to be proficient, which is up from 36.7 percent last year.

Consequences

Schools designated as “Needs Improvement” must offer parents the choice of sending their children to another school in the district that is not in such a status.

A second year of “Needs Improvement” or third year of not meeting AYP, requires the school to offer supplemental services such as student tutoring, as well as the choice option. The parent may request either option, with more severe consequences following schools that are designated under that status.

A school district in “Needs Improvement” status must set aside 10 percent of its federal Title I funds for professional development. In addition, the district must develop a district-wide improvement plan.

No Child Left Behind uses PACT scores to determine performance ratings for elementary and middle schools in South Carolina. No Title I Oconee schools are included on the School Improvement Status list for 2008-09, while Anderson 4 has two, LaFrance Elementary and Pendleton Elementary, and McKissick Elementary is the lone Pickens County elementary or middle school.