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Mon, 10/01/2018
Incremental progress happening although less than half of SC students are on track to be college- or career-ready
Editor's Note: The results of End-of-Course assessment and career readiness assessments - by state, school and district - are available on the South Carolina Department of Education website.
Columbia, October 1, 2018 - Today, the South Carolina Department of Education released the results of the final state assessments administered in public schools in school year 2017-18 as required by federal or state law: the end-of-course assessments in English 1, Algebra 1, Biology 1 and United States History and the Constitution; and the career readiness assessments given to all 11th graders in 2017-18.
Comparing the 2017-18 results with those of the prior school year, EOC Chairman Neil Robinson, Jr., made the following observations:
Positives:
- On the English I End-of-Course exam, the average score increased from 71.4 to a 74.4 and the percentage of students scoring a grade of C or better on the exam increased by 6.8% in 2018 from to 56.2% to 62.1%.
- The percentage of 11th graders earning a Work Readiness Certificate of Silver or better on either the ACT WorkKeys or WIN Ready to Work increased from 60.8% in 2016-17 to 63.3% in 2017-18. The following chart documents the percentage of 11th graders over time who earned a Silver or better certificate on either career assessment.
| 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2015-2016 | 2015-2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63.3% | 60.8% | 65.1% | 62.9% |
Concerns:
- The percentage of students scoring a grade of C or higher on the Biology 1 exam declined by over 10 percent in 2018 from 59.4% to 49.2%.
- Algebra 1 scores and US History and the Constitution scores were relatively unchanged between school year 2016-17 and school year 2017-18.
- Less than half of the students who took the Algebra 1 exam (44%) earned a score of C or higher in 2018.
Robinson also noted the results of the career-ready assessment, comparing the results to the test scores for students in grades 3-8 that the SC Department of Education released almost one month ago.
"Looking at the cumulative results, approximately 44 percent of students in grades 3 through 12 in school year 2017-18 were on track to be college or career ready in English language arts or mathematics. These students met or exceeded state standards in English language arts and math or scored a grade of C or higher on end-of-course assessment in English 1 or Algebra 1," stated Robinson. "It is interesting to note that this percentage,44%, is comparable to the percentage of working-aged adults in our state who have a post-secondary degree or industry credential which is 42 percent according to a 2018 report from the Lumina Foundation."
| Subject | 2017-2018 | 2016-2017 |
|---|---|---|
|
English Language Arts |
44.2% |
42.0% |
|
Mathematics |
43.9% |
42.0% |
Robinson noted that while success should be applauded, there is much work that needs to be done from early childhood education to postsecondary education to ensure that more children each year have the academic skills to succeed.
"To prepare our students for jobs in advanced manufacturing, technology and health care, at least 60 percent of our workforce must have a postsecondary degree or industry credential by the year 2025," stated Robinson.
End-of-Course Assessment Results:
The end-of-course assessments are administered at the end of four specific courses identified by the State Board of Education as gateway courses: English 1, Algebra 1, Biology 1 and United States History and the Constitution. These assessments count 20 percent of the student's final grade in the course. In addition, the end-of-course assessments in English 1, Algebra 1, and Biology meet the federal assessment requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). By the third year of high school, all students in public schools are required by ESSA and by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to be assessed with these assessments or appropriate alternative assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
| Subject | Mean Score | A | B | C | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra 1 | 68.4 | 9.1% | 14.0% | 20.9% | 24.0% | 32.0% |
| Biology 1 | 69.5 | 16.2% | 16.3% | 16.7% | 18.3% | 32.6% |
| English 1 | 74.4 | 18.9% | 20.4% | 22.8% | 18.6% | 19.2% |
| US History and the Constitution | 69.9 | 12.8% | 16.0% | 21.4% | 20.8% | 28.9% |
| Subject | Mean Score | A | B | C | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algebra 1 | 69.4 | 9.3% | 13.3% | 22.0% | 30.1% | 25.3% |
| Biology 1 | 75.3 | 32.2% | 13.0% | 14.2% | 14.3% | 26.3% |
| English 1 | 71.4 | 11.4% | 21.1% | 23.7% | 20.6% | 23.2% |
| US History and the Constitution | 69.3 | 14.4% | 14.9% | 18.6% | 19.9% | 32.2% |
Career Readiness Assessment Results:
Pursuant to state law, every 11th grader is required to take a career readiness assessment. In school year 2017-18 11th graders took the Ready to Work (R2W) Career Readiness Assessment, which replaced the ACT WorkKeys. Like WorkKeys, the Ready to Work assessment allows students to earn certificates that demonstrate the degree to which students have mastered skills in three areas: Applied Mathematics; Reading for Information and Locating Information. Students may earn a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum certificate. A student who earns a Silver or better certificate is deemed career ready for purposes of South Carolina's accountability system.
The SC Education Oversight Committee is an independent, non-partisan group made up of 18 educators, business persons, and elected leaders. Created in 1998, the committee is dedicated to reporting facts, measuring change, and promoting progress within South Carolina's education system.
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