Greenville County Schools met 92 percent of federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) objectives. By missing three of 37 objectives, GCS did not meet AYP in 2009. For the second year in a row, none of the state’s 85 school districts made AYP under the rigorous “all or nothing” federal accountability system.

The district increased the number of AYP objectives met, from 27 of 37 in 2007-2008 to 34 of 37 in 2008-2009.  Additionally, Greenville County Schools’ graduation rate increased over the past three years, from 70.1% in 2007 to 75.2% in 2009.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, school districts and schools must meet 100 percent of their federal “proficiency” goals each year to achieve AYP. The school system had all 37 goals and GCS schools had up to 33 goals.

If just one student subgroup fails to meet one of the performance objectives or percent tested objectives, the school and/or the district does not achieve AYP.  Schools and school districts with diverse student populations face more challenges to meet AYP.  Student subgroups include the following:  All Students, White, African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan, Limited English Proficiency, Disabled, and Subsidized Meals (students receiving free or reduced lunch).  Attendance rate for elementary and middle schools and on-time graduation rate for high schools are also objectives for AYP.

2008-09 School Results
Thirty-two GCS elementary schools met AYP requirements in 2008-2009, a significant increase from nine schools achieving AYP the previous year.  One middle school, Greenville Academy, met AYP in 2008-2009, versus none the previous year.

Thirty-three of the 36 elementary and middle schools not making AYP missed by five performance objectives or less, including seven schools that missed by only one performance objective.

Test score targets for high schools became dramatically more difficult to achieve, increasing in 2009, from 52.3 percent to 71.3 percent proficient in English Language Arts and from 50 to 70 percent proficient in math. In 2008-2009, no Greenville County high school met AYP.  Only 14 of the state’s 202 high schools met all of their federal AYP goals.

Seven out of the fourteen GCS high schools not making AYP missed by five objectives or less, and eleven high schools met the graduation rate objective.

Understanding AYP and Impact of State’s Accountability/Testing Decisions
Each state sets its own definition for academic proficiency under NCLB.  Previously, South Carolina used PACT scores to rate elementary and middle schools for AYP. A score of Basic on PACT’s four-level scoring system (Below Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advanced) met South Carolina’s state standard under the Education Accountability Act.  A higher score, Proficient, was required to meet AYP.

A variety of independent national research studies confirmed that South Carolina’s definition was far more rigorous than other states, and that South Carolina students who scored Basic on PACT would have scored Proficient in other states.

The General Assembly took action to provide a more realistic picture of South Carolina elementary and middle school performance in relationship to other states by making grade-level student performance on South Carolina’s new PASS tests the standard for federal reporting purposes.

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