2020-21 State Report Card results for GCS
The South Carolina Department of Education released the 2021 school, district, and state report cards this morning. Based on data collected in the 2020-21 school year, these report cards reflect the first test standardized test results collected since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that shuttered schools in the spring of 2020. Because the U.S. Department of Education waived federal accountability requirements and granted flexibility in administering assessments last year, this year’s report card results should not be compared to those of previous years.
Overall, Greenville County Schools outperformed the state in SC Ready English Language Arts and Mathematics, which is administered in grades 3-8 and SCPASS Science given in grades 4 and 6. Additionally, GCS students had a higher passage rate on the English I, Algebra I, Biology, and US History and the Constitution End of Course exams administered in select high school courses. The District also outperformed the state in the number of students who are considered College and Career Ready and exceeded state test scores in the SC Ready and SCPASS exams.
However, GCS is not satisfied with its performance during this difficult year.
“We must continue to identify student learning gaps and address them at every level. The remediation that we offered starting in early 2021 will continue with a focus on every child reaching their full academic potential,” said Dr. W. Burke Royster superintendent of Greenville County Schools.
Remediation played a huge role in keeping students on track during a year filled with challenges due to COVID. During in the 2020-21 school year, small group tutoring was offered to students before and after school. At the elementary level, the District hired 49 interventionists (certified teachers) to provide intervention in reading and math during the day. At all grade levels, teacher pay was supplemented to fund this additional support. The District also utilized Engage SC, a state-sponsored program designed to reach students who disengaged academically during the transition to remote learning. Plus, using CARES Act and CRF (Coronavirus Relief Fund) monies, GCS embarked on the most ambitious summer school in the District’s history to provide students with content and credit recovery opportunities. Nearly 11,000 students took part in summer instructional opportunities. At the high school level, 4,976 credits were recovered.
The Greenville County Schools Board of Trustees has approved additional CARES Act money for remediation during the 2021-22 school year. The District has added math and ELA (English Language Arts) interventionists in middle schools and additional aides in high schools for credit recovery labs. GCS will also offer summer school in 2022.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on school operations and instruction during the 2020-2021 school year and adjusted requirements from the United States Department of Education, the descriptive overall ratings of Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average, and Unsatisfactory that are assigned to schools as well as individual report card indicators do not appear on the 2021 report cards.
