YORK COUNTY, SC (CN2 NEWS) The South Carolina Education Oversight Committee released a report showing how student performance was impacted by COVID-19.
The Committee used information from South Carolina students in grades 3-8 who received growth assessments from the Academic Progress Measure in 2019 and 2020.
The SCEOC study found that, across the state, almost 7 out of 10 students in grades 3 through 8 who completed the MAP formative test will not meet English and math level standards this spring. In York County, district leaders continue to promote student performance.
“We invested a lot in our formative assessment, which is our MAP test. That’s where we see where the child is and then we develop a learning progression for that child and what he needs, ”says York School District Superintendent Kelly Coxe. “We administered them in the fall of this year and have just completed our winter administration and I’m looking forward to seeing if we can help speed up students who started late at the beginning of the school year because of last year’s closure. “
Although all school districts in York County did not participate in this MAP test, specifically, school district leaders say they continue to focus on student performance, taking into account the impacts of the pandemic.
Joe Burke of the Fort Mill schools says: “We didn’t see anything important where we saw a big drop of more than 50% of a group not being ready at the level that it should be … We are again starting to see those percentages go up again . “
State leaders believe that teachers should not move from the academic field to preparing for exams at this time of year.
South Carolina Senator Mike Fanning said: “We cannot afford to take an entire month out of the school year, that last month of school when we know that on May 1st everyone will be tested at the end of the year . We cannot afford to do this this year, when teachers need those days in the classroom. “
Last year, the United States Department of Education dispensed end-of-year testing in the state. Now, state leaders believe the final decision on end-of-year testing will come from the federal government within a month.
State Representative Raye Felder, who is part of the state education subcommittee, says: “Well, I think one thing that has taught us more than anything is that education is an investment. It is not just an expense, it is an investment not only in money, but in time and energy ”.
In the video above, Rachel Richardson of CN2 is speaking with school district leaders about the impact of the pandemic on performance.