Horry County students make improvements in end-of-course exams

Students in Horry County Schools made improvements in the mean scores on end-of-course test scores in English, algebra, and physical science, according to results released Thursday by the South Carolina Department of Education. At the state level, student scores improved in English and physical science, but decreased slightly in algebra.

State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex says that while he was encouraged at the improvements, overall scores are too low.
“A key issue is whether teachers are covering specific material that students need to master before taking these tests,” Rex said.  “Are they covering the academic standards in their classrooms?  And even if they are, are they doing it in effective ways?”

Last year Rex directed the agency’s subject-area specialists and testing experts to recommend ways that the Education Department could better assist local schools, particularly small schools in rural areas that have limited resources.  Staff from the agency’s Division of Standards and Learning developed English, physical science and algebra curricula that include resource guides, instructional strategies and assessment strategies that are aligned to the state’s academic standards.  More than 600 middle and high school teachers have been trained on the new curriculum guides, which are available for any district to use.

The Education Department, in partnership with the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas, is piloting the South Carolina Algebra Project in middle and high schools across the state.
Participating schools use a special curriculum developed by the Dana Center, and the Education Department is providing ongoing training for classroom teachers.

High school students have long taken traditional final exams in many courses.  But South Carolina’s introduction of the statewide End-of-Course Examination Program, mandated by the Education Accountability Act of 1998, marked the first time that a standards-based, uniform test was administered to all students in the same courses.  Algebra 1 testing began in the 2003-2004 school year, while English 1 and physical science were added a year later.  Results count for 20 percent of each student’s final course grade.
 
For complete state, district, and school results, visit http://dev.ed.sc.gov/topics/assessment/scores/eocep/2008/default.cfm .