Hampton County Schools Shine Bright in 2024 Report Cards
Hampton County, South Carolina – Exciting news is buzzing in the air as the Hampton County School District proudly announces the results of its 2024 South Carolina School Report Cards! Picture this: educators are so thrilled they’re ready to slap this report card right up on the metaphorical refrigerator door for all to admire. This report marks a significant turning point for the district, which is celebrating just its third year following the consolidation of the former H.C. School Districts 1 and 2, and it’s looking pretty good!
Continuous Growth That’s Hard to Overlook
Local educators are beaming with pride as they note a consistent trend of growth in both school and district test scores. Kristy C. Wood, the HCSD Director of Curriculum and Instruction, shared her excitement, saying, “I am extremely proud of the work being done in Hampton County Schools.” Since the merger in 2021, the district has seen a remarkable improvement, particularly in English Language Arts (ELA). In fact, this year, a whopping 53 percent of students in grades 3-8 scored “Meets or Exceeds” on the SC READY tests. That’s a jump from just 36 percent in 2021 for Hampton District One and a lonesome 23 percent for Hampton District Two, equating to a delightful increase of 17-30 percentage points!
Keep Your Eyes on Math!
Now, while ELA scores are soaring, it’s important to acknowledge the impact of COVID-19 on Math scores. The impact was clearer here, causing some immediate decreases. But no worries! Over the past three years, the district has been diligently closing the gap, proving that they’re better than before. They’ve surpassed pre-consolidation scores by three percentage points, and for some subgroups, they even exceeded scores from before the pandemic!
Key Indicators and Ratings on the Rise
According to federal law, states have to prepare and publish annual report cards based on state tests, providing schools with a rating score on a 100-point scale, ranging from Unsatisfactory to Excellent. However, the exciting news doesn’t stop there; all elementary and middle schools within HCSD displayed increases in their academic achievement ratings! How fantastic is that?
Wood couldn’t help but beam about the hardworking staff at Brunson Elementary School and Estill Elementary Schools, both of which earned an impressive overall rating of “GOOD” on this year’s report cards. This indicates a strong quality of instruction in both ELA and Math. Cheers to everyone involved!
Taking a Closer Look at Report Cards
Now, if you think that this is just your everyday report card, think again! These cards provide a snapshot of each school and district, filling the pages with valuable information about test performance, teacher qualifications, student safety, awards received, and how engaged parents are. You can easily find your local school’s report card on the S.C. Department of Education’s website—just pop over to screportcards.com.
Shining Stars Beyond Hampton County
As a side note, it’s not just Hampton County that’s seeing growth. Five Beaufort County schools have also jumped two ranking levels within the last few years! Schools like Joseph Shanklin Elementary and Whale Branch Elementary are shining examples of teamwork amongst staff, students, and parents alike, leading to a unified school culture focused on academic excellence.
And the celebrations continue as eight out of nine Beaufort County middle schools improved or remained steady. Kudos to all those involved in making these improvements possible!
Kudos to Jasper County as Well!
Looking at Jasper County School District, four out of the six schools received an average rating this year. Acting Superintendent Sam Whack Jr. praised the hard work of all students and staff, highlighting that while there’s still room to grow in high schools, the strides made in elementary schools are worthy of celebration!
The Journey Continues
So there you have it, folks! From Hampton to Beaufort County to Jasper, it’s clear that despite challenges, our educators, students, parents, and communities are all stepping up to ensure brighter futures for our children. Let’s keep this momentum going as we cheer on the hard work and dedication across our schools. Here’s to continuous growth and a future full of promise!
