Parents, students: find out how Beaufort County school’s test scores compete with the state
Nearly half of all students in the Beaufort County school district are struggling with math by the time they reach eighth grade, this year’s test scores show.
The South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Assessments released analyzed test results for 3rd through 8th grade, measuring student’s English language arts and math abilities. Beaufort County’s performance closely aligned with the state’s averages in both subjects.
In ELA, the county generally matched or slightly lagged behind the state in earlier grades, but performed comparably or slightly better in later grades. In math, the county’s performance is more varied, with the county outperforming the state in some grades and lagging slightly in others.
For the county, the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA fluctuated across grades. It peaked at 56.4% in grade 4, then generally declined, reaching a low of 50.2% by grade 8.
Mean scores steadily increased from grade 3 to grade 8, suggesting that while the percentage meeting or exceeding expectations decreased, students who do perform well are improving their scores as they progress through the grades.
Across all grades, female students consistently outperformed male students, with higher percentages in the meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA. White and Asian students also achieved higher performance levels and mean scores compared to Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino students.
For the county in math, the percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations declined as students advanced through elementary and middle school, despite overall improvements in mean score. In grade 3, 54.2% of students meet or exceed expectations, but this number decreased to 29.4% by grade 8.
Male students generally outperformed females in earlier grades in math, but females tended to perform better in the later grades, particularly grade 8. There is also a notable achievement gap by race, with white and Asian students performing better compared to their peers.
This story was originally published August 27, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
