Ten Darlington schools win 2013-14 Palmetto Gold, Silver awards
From staff reports
| Posted: Friday, April 11, 2014 8:16 am
DARLINGTON _ Ten schools in the Darlington County School
District have received 15 Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards for general
performance and/or closing the achievement gap, according to a South
Carolina Department of Education report released Wednesday.
The SCDE recognized 592 schools and career centers from across the state, down from 677 schools in the previous year.
Darlington County School District receiving Palmetto Gold Awards are:
_ Carolina Elementary School, General Performance;
_ Darlington County Institute of Technology, General Performance;
_ Darlington High School, General Performance and Closing the Achievement Gap;
_ Hartsville High School, General Performance and Closing the Achievement Gap;
_ Lamar High School, General Performance and Closing the Achievement Gap;
_ Mayo High School for Math, Science & Technology, General Performance and Closing the Achievement Gap;
_ North Hartsville Elementary School, General Performance
_ Rosenwald Elementary/Middle School, General Performance.
Darlington County School District receiving Silver Awards are:
_ Brunson-Dargan Elementary School, General Performance;
_ Darlington Middle School, Closing the Achievement Gap;
_ Rosenwald Elementary/Middle School, Closing the Achievement Gap.
According
to the South Carolina Department of Education Web site, General
Performance reflects Absolute and Growth ratings on the annual School
Report Card. Closing Achievement Gap reflects on-time high school
graduation rates of students belonging to historically underachieving
groups.
Of the award recipients, only 65 schools were awarded the
gold designation for both general performance and closing the
achievement gap. Four of those schools – Darlington High, Hartsville
High, Lamar High, and Mayo High School for Math, Science &
Technology – are located in Darlington County.
"I am extremely
proud of our schools,” said Darlington County School District
superintendent Dr. Eddie Ingram. “I think these awards show our schools'
focus and attention to details in raising the academic bar for our
students. We are making strides toward closing the achievement gap and
I'm proud of what they have accomplished so far. However, we still have
work to do and I commend our schools for their continued efforts on
behalf of our students."
The Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards
program (PGS) began with the Education Accountability Act of 1998,
giving recognition to schools for high levels of academic achievement
and high rates of improvement. The PGS recognizes schools based on the
criteria in the statewide Accountability Manual approved by the
Education Oversight Committee (EOC) for both general performance and
working towards closing the achievement gap. Within those two
categories, a school may be awarded either the gold or silver
designation. This is the sixth year that closing the achievement gap has
been included as part of the program.
DCSD HAS BEST GRADUATION RATE IN THE STATE; RANKED #6 IN THE STATE IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
(November 8, 2013) -- The Darlington County School District has the highest graduation rate in the state, according to the South Carolina Department of Education. The district ranks sixth in the state in terms of academic achievement, a slight drop from the #3 ranking of 2012. The school district and nine schools earned EXCELLENT absolute report card ratings, the highest rating given in the annual school and district report cards released today by the South Carolina Department of Education. All but one district school scored Average or above on the report cards.
“We are very proud of what our schools, teachers and students have accomplished – but we cannot rest on our laurels,” said Dr. Eddie Ingram, district superintendent. “We must continue to push ourselves and our students, exceeding expectations and providing the best education possible. Our teachers are more than up for the challenge and we will continue to give them the tools and support they need to reach their goals.”
Graduation rates at the four high schools and the district continue to be among the highest in the state. The district’s on-time graduation rate, as determined by the South Carolina Department of Education, is 93.4 percent, slightly higher than last year’s district average and almost 16 percentage points higher than the state’s overall on-time graduation rate of 77.50 percent. 

Mayo High School for Math, Science & Technology, with 100% graduation, has the highest graduation rate among the state’s 226 high schools. Darlington High’s graduation rate increased one-tenth of a percent to 92.34% and Hartsville High School’s graduation rate increased from 90.49 to 91.82%. Lamar High School’s graduation rate slipped from 100% to 93.85%. In addition, district’s gap between African-American students and white students continues to close. The district’s graduation rate for white students is 95.5 percent, while the district’s graduation rate for African-American students is 91.5 percent.
“The graduation rates in Darlington County are not simple calculations,” said Ingram. “These aren’t just numbers. These are actual students. Our high schools work hard to ensure all students graduate on time. It isn’t always easy, but I applaud the combined efforts of our teachers, administrators, counselors, families and communities to see that every child graduates on time in Darlington County.”
The annual school and district report cards rate our schools based on student achievement levels set by the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee. Schools receive Absolute ratings – Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average, or At-Risk – based on how their students perform on the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS), graduation rate, the high school exit exam and more.
SCHOOL - 2013 ABSOLUTE RATINGIn addition to state and federal ratings required by EAA and the federal No Child Left Behind Act, report card data also include student-teacher ratios, dollars spent per student, absentee rates for students and teachers, amount of instructional time, average teacher salaries and the socio-economic status of students’ families.
The report cards show that poverty levels in South Carolina, measured by a calculation based on the percentage of students receiving Medicaid and/or reduced meal plans, continue to increase. Darlington County School District has a poverty index of 82.66%.
According to Neil C. Robinson, Jr., Chairman of the EOC, conversations with superintendents and instructional leaders in improving school districts have pointed to an emphasis on improving teaching as the main reason for the significant increase in student performance between 2012 and 2013. The majority of South Carolina school districts have begun to implement the Common Core State Standards, a rigorous set of standards in English Language Arts and mathematics. The integration of the new standards has provided many professional development opportunities for teachers focused on transforming the practice of delivering quality instruction to students.
Although the results are encouraging, Robinson points out that South Carolina cannot claim victory for students just yet. By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require post-secondary education, training, and/or certification. Many high school graduates do not have the skills to be “highly qualified” in an increasingly competitive job market. Additionally, high school graduates often require remediation at the state’s two-year institutions.
The Darlington County School District is considering several initiatives that will enhance education opportunities for students. These include introducing robotics programs at several schools, an increased emphasis on STEM (science & technology education) at all levels, one-to-one technology deployment, more dual credit courses (high school & college), learning partnerships with area businesses, and expanded foreign language classes.
“We are evaluating several programs that will expand educational opportunities for our children at every level,” said Ingram. “In doing so, we believe our students and our community will benefit.”
QUICK FACTS:
• The Darlington County School District has the highest graduation rate in the state, as ranked by the South Carolina Department of Education for the 2013 annual school and district report cards. (District Performance Data, 2013 Annual Report Card, SCDE).
• The Darlington County School District has the 4th lowest dropout rate in South Carolina (0.4%), according to the South Carolina Department of Education. When talking about dropout rates, the lower the rates, the fewer the dropouts. (District Fact File, 2013 Annual Report Card, SCDE).
• The Darlington County School District ranks sixth in South Carolina in terms of the annual report card ratings issued by the South Carolina Department of Education (Ratings & Indices, 2013 Annual Report Card, SCDE).
• In every high school in our district, more than nine out of every ten high school freshmen will graduate in four years, according to the South Carolina Department of Education. Mayo High School for Math, Science & has a 100% graduation rate (High School Performance Data, 2013 Annual Report Card, SCDE).
• More children are reading at or above grade level by grade three, thanks to the efforts of our primary schools (grades K-2). Reading at or above grade level by third grade ensures children have a better chance of success later in school.
• Of the 22 schools in the district, nine schools have received the highest rating of “Excellent” on the 2013 annual report cards issued by the South Carolina Department of Education. The Darlington County School District is also rated “Excellent”. (2013 Annual Report Card, SCDE)
• All but one DCSD school are rated “Average” or higher on the 2013 annual report cards from the South Carolina Department of Education. Rosenwald Elementary/Middle School is ranked Average for the elementary portion of the school and Below Average for the middle school portion of the school.
• Mayo High School for Math, Science & Technology is ranked #1 in terms of graduation rate. Lamar High, Darlington High and Hartsville High are in the top 15 schools in the state in terms of graduation rate.
Last Spring Dr. Greg Harrison, the principal at DHS, went into classrooms and made a bet with the students. If the students met Dr. Harrison's challenge on the HSAP test, he agreed to let the students give him a Mohawk that he would sport for a week; if they exceeded this challenge, he agreed to let them dye his Mohawk purple. The HSAP test is the South Carolina Exit Exam, which all students must pass in order to receive their high school diploma. Not only did the students at Darlington High School meet the challenge presented to them, they CRUSHED it and, in doing so, helped propel DHS into the
highest traditional academic performing High School in the Pee Dee. “I am extremely proud of our students, and will proudly sport this new hair cut all of next week in recognition of your excellent academic achievement!” said Dr. Harrison. Dr. Bill Boyd, Assistant Superintendent, the three top performing students, and the top performing teachers all helped in cutting the Mohawk. The top performing students also received an iPod, a Principal’s VIP pass to DHS football games, and their choice of parking spots at school as part of the bet Dr. Harrison made with the students. The entire Junior class will also have a cookout later this year when the official scores are released.
Go Falcons!
July 2013
DROPOUT RATE DROPS ONCE AGAIN; SCHOOL DISTRICT FOURTH LOWEST IN STATE