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Though they still have work to do, the Barnwell County Consolidated School District believes test scores are moving in the right direction.
At the board’s Sept. 27 meeting, Director of Academics Debra McCord presented a data review of recently released standardized tests across all grade levels. Double digit gains were made in 11 areas.
“We are very pleased we are moving forward, especially in math,” said McCord.
Some areas saw decreases from the previous year. For example, the number of fourth graders at Kelly Edwards Elementary who met or exceeded standards on the SC Ready ELA test went from 48.9 percent in 2020-21 to 39.1 percent in 2021-22. That’s a 9.8 percent decrease.
KEES Principal Monique Smalls said the data is like comparing apples to oranges since it compares different sets of students. The data is different when you follow the data for the same cohort of students. The cohort of last year’s fourth graders at KEES actually increased 13 percent from when they were third graders, said McCord.
“They are an exceptionally strong group of students,” said Smalls.
“I know data is sometimes a little deceptive,” said board member Rev. Norman O’Neal Jr.
Dr. Shaw said it’s also important to note that “when you have a small school, one or two kids can make it look like a large impact.”
Here’s a look at highlights from each school:
• Kelly Edwards Elementary made gains in both ELA and math on SC Ready. McCord said faculty worked closely to align instruction, standards, and assessment. Student data was also utilized to focus intervention on student deficits. The school will continue increased rigor, bell-to-bell instruction, and engagement.
• Macedonia Elementary-Middle saw “significant gains” in third and fifth grade ELA and math SC Ready scores, but also had a slight increase in the percentage of students scoring “exceeds”. To address deficits, McCord said they have a full-time math and reading interventionist, a new elementary reading curriculum and phonic program that is vetted by the state, a two-hour reading/math block for grades K-6, and increased ELA and math instructional time to 75 minutes for seventh and eighth grades.
• Williston-Elko Middle had gains in ELA and math on SC Ready with the highest gains in seventh and eighth grade ELA and small gains in math. To address deficits, the school has targeted intervention, afterschool tutoring, Saturday Academy, and a secondary interventionist working with identified students during the day.
• Blackville-Hilda High had significant gains on end-of-course tests for U.S. History and Algebra 1, but one slight decrease in English 1 scores. To address deficits, McCord said they have a continued focus on rigorous Tier 1 instruction, organized afterschool tutoring times, continue weekly data talks with at-risk scholars, and established a focus on Tier 2 instruction with on-site interventionists, content specialists, and differentiated instruction through small groups.
• Williston-Elko High saw gains in both Biology and U.S. History end-of-course scores. The school also maintained a 77 percent pass rate in English 1. Deficits will be addressed through targeted professional development, a secondary interventionist working with identified students, analyzing data to help with remediation, and focusing on classroom management.
“There is serious instructional work happening in our schools,” said Dr. Shaw.
The district is happy to have made gains in some areas, but realizes they still have work to do.
Closed Session
The board amended the agenda at the start of the meeting regarding the “specific purpose” for closed session.
The original agenda only stated “employment”, “contractual”, and “student” matters as the reasons for the closed session, which took place at the end of the meeting. The People-Sentinel requested the board provide a more specific purpose for the closed session, as required by law.
In the board’s motion to amend the agenda, they said closed session was for “a student matter involving a district-sponsored homeschool application for Student A” and “an employment matter discussing the release of Employee A”. They also stated there was no contractual matter.
This amendment clarified their specific purposes for closed session and satisfied the legal requirement under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act.
After entering a brief closed session, the board returned to open session to act on what was discussed. They approved the homeschool application of “Scholar A” and also approved the release of MTSS Facilitator Roshanda Frazier to pursue an opportunity for career advancement.
