2023-24 record graduation rates and improved ratings for Beaufort County Schools
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Beaufort County schools achieved several milestones with the release of the 2023-24 report cards on Tuesday, including having no school ranked as unsatisfactory for the first time since 2018.
In the county, over half of the schools earned Good or Excellent ratings, up from 44% last year, according to a school district’s news release. Eight out of nine middle schools improved or held steady, and 82.8% of high school seniors were college or career-ready, with the district’s graduation rate reaching a record 88.6%.
Looking ahead, the school district is planning to expand its North of the Broad Magnet School Assistance program to Hilton Head Island Schools with a $14.9 million federal grant, said Chief Instructional Services Officer Mary Stratos. The district is also enhancing extended learning opportunities through a $2.3 million Catalyst Grant to support its nearly 4,500 multilingual learners.
Here is what you need to know, including how each school in the district scored and whether there is a difference between schools in Hilton Head, Okatie, Bluffton and Port Royal.
Quick Facts
For the 2022-23 school year, the state reported three schools as Below Average or Unsatisfactory. This number stayed the same.
Six schools, or 17%, scored Excellent
Twelve schools, or 35%, scored Good
Most ratings were Average, with 13 or 38% of schools scoring as such
Three schools, or 8%, scored Below Average
Zero schools scored Unsatisfactory
Rating system
The ratings (based on a 100 point scale):
- Excellent – School performance substantially exceeds the criteria
- Good - School performance exceeds the criteria
- Average - School performance meets the criteria
- Below Average - School performance is in jeopardy of not meeting the criteria
- Unsatisfactory – School performance fails to meet the criteria
They are based on:
- Academic Achievement
- Student Progress
- Preparing for Success
- College and Career Ready
- English Language Learners’ Progress
- Graduation Rate
- School Climate
- Classroom Environment
- Student Safety
- Financial Information
High School ratings
Excellent
Bluffton High School - 71
May River High School - 67
Good
Hilton Head Island High School - 61
Whale Branch Early College High School - 61
Average
Beaufort High School - 55
Below Average
Battery Creek High School - 49
Middle School ratings
Excellent
Riverview Charter School - 62
Good
River Ridge Academy - 53
Bluffton Middle School - 50
Beaufort Middle School - 48
Average
H.E. McCracken Middle School - 44
Hilton Head Island Middle School - 42
Whale Branch Middle School - 42
Robert Smalls Leadership Academy - 40
Below Average
Lady’s Island Middle School - 34
Elementary School ratings
Excellent
Pritchardville Elementary - 69
Okatie Elementary - 66
Coosa Elementary School - 65
Good
River Ridge Academy - 59
Red Cedar Elementary - 58
Bluffton Elementary - 57
Lady’s Island Elementary School - 56
Hilton Head Island Elementary School - 55
Riverview Charter School - 55
Hilton Head Elementary School for the Creative Arts - 54
Average
Beaufort Elementary School - 48
Michael C. Riley Elementary & Early Childhood Center - 48
Joseph S. Shanklin Elementary School - 47
Robert Smalls Leadership Academy - 47
St. Helena Elementary - 47
Mossy Oaks Elementary School - 45
Whale Branch Elementary School - 45
Broad River Elementary School - 44
Below Average
Port Royal Elementary School - 34
