Aiken County Schools Performance Ratings Released: Mixed Results and Areas for Improvement

School Ratings Released for Aiken County: A Look at Performance

Good morning, Aiken! It’s a sunny day here as we dive into some important news regarding our local schools. With a high of 73°F and a gentle breeze from the northeast, it’s a great day to explore how our schools are performing this year. The South Carolina Department of Education has just released the S.C. School Report Cards, which evaluates the performance of public schools across the state, and Aiken County has some interesting numbers to share.

Aiken County Public Schools Overview

The Aiken County Public School District has a total of 41 schools that were graded in the recent report. Out of these schools, we saw a mix of ratings that reflect the hard work of our educators and students alike:

• 2 schools received a rating of Excellent
• 9 schools received a rating of Good
• 22 schools received an Average rating
• 7 schools were rated Below Average
• 1 school received an Unsatisfactory rating

Definitely a lot to unpack here! Each school’s performance is calculated based on a variety of factors. As a whole, Aiken students’ performances were slightly below the state averages in most areas, but it’s important to note that only eight schools fell into the below-average category.

Insight into the Ratings

These report cards are more than just numbers. They provide valuable insights into the academic effectiveness of our schools by looking at key measures including:

• Academic achievements (like test scores in reading, writing, and math)
• Progress of multilingual learners
• Graduation rates
• College and career readiness
• Student and teacher perceptions
• Overall school environment

For elementary and middle school students in Aiken, the performance outcomes are telling. In the S.C. Ready English Language Arts and Mathematics tests, 50.8% of students met or exceeded reading expectations, compared to 54.1% statewide. In mathematics, only 33.8% met expectations, while the state average was at 42.8%.

High school performance also showcased some challenges, with 60.3% of students achieving a C or higher in English 2 and 38.2% in Algebra 1. Comparatively, those numbers are lower than the state averages of 66.4% and 47.8%, respectively.

Concerns About Dropout Rates

Some concerning trends have also emerged. The dropout rate increased slightly to 3.4%, up from 3.2% last year. The graduation rate has also seen a decline, with only 84.5% of Aiken County students graduating within four years, which doesn’t quite meet the state average of 85.4%.

Looking Ahead

As Aiken County schools strive for improvement, one promising statistic is 68.4% of students were deemed ready for college or careers—though this still trails behind the state average of 71.5%.

In terms of safety, our students feel relatively secure, rating their school safety at 6.88 out of 10, slightly above the state average of 6.76. Parents also participated in a survey and 89.5% reported that their children felt safe at school, showing promising signs of community trust.

Access the Full Report

For those who want a deeper dive into the data, the full S.C. School Report Cards can be accessed online at screportcards.com. You can search by district and individual school to find more specific information.

As the school year progresses, let’s continue to support our schools and celebrate the hard work of our students and educators. Every bit of progress helps us create a brighter future for the Aiken community!