Daniel Prince
Monarch Elementary, Jonesville Middle have highest percentage of meets or exceeds expectations
As we reported yesterday, the SC Department of Education released state testing figures on Tuesday. Today, we will look at SC Ready math scores. Students in grades 3-8 take the test each year. State Superintendent Molly Spearman acknowledged that work needs to be done to get students back on track in math, calling the regression shown in the statewide math scores alarming and concerning. Statewide, the percentage of those exceeding expectations in math grew from the 2020-2021 test, but were still several percentage points below pre-pandemic levels. The percentage of students meeting expectations increased from 2020-2021 for grades 3, 5, and 6, and were lower than the 2020-2021 scores for grades 4, 7, and 8. 5th grade was the only grade that improved on the pre-pandemic scores. Those not meeting expectations were down from 2020-2021 levels in every grade except 8th.
The Union County School District was well below the state average for the percentage of students exceeding expectations in every grade level. The high mark went to 4th grade with 14.2%, compared to the state average of 23.7%, while only 3.7% of 6th graders in Union County exceeded expectations, compared to 16.5% statewide. Of those meeting expectations, 3rd graders led the way with 24.6%, just 2% lower than the state average. 10.4% of 7th graders met expectations, compared to 15.3% statewide. Union County had a higher percentage than the state average of students scoring approaches expectations in all grades except 6th. Union County also had a higher percentage than the state average of students scoring does not meet expectations. 6th grade fared the worst, with 56.1% not meeting expectations, compared to 33.8% statewide. 33.1% of the county’s third graders did not meet expectations, compared to the state average of 26.8%.
For Union County Schools, Monarch Elementary School had the highest percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations, with half or more of their students in grades 3-5 scoring in those categories. Foster Park’s 3rd and 5th grades and Jonesville’s 4th grade had the highest percentage of students scoring does not meet expectations.
For middle school, Jonesville had the highest percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations, ranging from 33.3% in 8th grade to 37.5% in 7th. Sims ranged from 17.7% of 8th graders meeting or exceeding expectations to 11.9% of 7th graders. 59.7% of Sims 6th graders did not meet expectations, compared to 22.1% for Jonesville. 42.7% of Sims 8th graders did not meet expectations, compared to 38.1% for Jonesville.
Compared to last year, math test scores improved at Buffalo Elementary across pretty much all categories. Foster Park showed increases in the percentage of students scoring approaches, meets, or exceeds expectations compared to last year, but of those meeting or exceeding expectations, they saw decreases in 3rd and 4th grade and an increase in 5th grade. Jonesville had fewer 3rd graders meeting or exceeding expectations than last year, but grades 4-8 saw improved scores, including significant gains in grades 7 and 8. Monarch had lower scores for 3rd grade but big increases in 4th and 5th grade compared to last year. Sims Middle School showed a slight decline in the percentage of 6th graders meeting or exceeding standards when compared to the previous year, and they showed slight gains for 7th and 8th grades.
This year, math interventionists have been implemented across the school district to try and help students recover from lingering learning loss from the pandemic and to try and improve future test scores.
We will look at ELA scores across the district and the state in tomorrow’s newscast.