The two year pilot program geared toward dropout prevention known as “Early Connections” is now being instituted at 12 elementary and middle schools around the state. The program’s goal is to provide technical assistance and training, especially in analyzing school data in order to develop intervention strategies to reduce the number of potential at-risk students who may fail to graduate from high school.

The average high school graduation rate in the state from 2006 through 2008 was 73.3 percent using the new formula including transfers and those who obtained G.E.D.’s. Dr. John Lane of the State Department of Education’s At-Risk Projects, says the success of the program is predicated on instituting the three new R’s, rigor, relevancy, and relationships.”Students at risk or have the potential of being at risk of dropping out still need a rigorous academic curriculum. Additionally they need to be able to identify how what they’re learning in the classroom connects with their future career aspirations.”

Lane says at-risk students have for various reasons been disengaged from the learning process. Lane says relationships with counselors, teachers, and others are important in reengaging these students with the learning process. [Read more...]

South Carolina’s public high school graduates matched last year’s scores on the college entrance exam known as the A-C-T. The A-C-T is similar to the S-A-T in that it is taken by students preparing to enter college.But Pete Pillow with Department of Education Communications says this year his department asked the A-C-T officials to present the scores with private schools listed separately, even though they have been lumped together in the past. Pillow says the results were interesting, indicating that the 13.5 percent of the state’s students in non-public education had a smaller gain in their test scores than did those in public education.

“What we’ve found is that the public school students have out-stripped the national gains over the last five years,” said Pillow. “South Carolina’s gains were four to one in some cases. But we’re not where we want to be yet.” [Read more...]