Greenville County Schools Added to Underperforming Schools List

Empty classroom with motivational posters on the wall.

Greenville County Schools Added to Underperforming Schools List

Greenville, South Carolina – Five schools in Greenville County have been officially added to the state’s list of underperforming schools due to their low academic scores. This announcement was made during the Committee of the Whole meeting held on Tuesday morning. The district’s Board of Trustees took the opportunity to discuss the challenges these schools are facing, particularly the issue of language barriers between students and teachers.

Board member Lynda Leventis-Wells highlighted the struggles of some students, noting, “Some of them have never been in school. Some of them don’t speak any English whatsoever, and they get frustrated, you know? How would you feel if you couldn’t communicate?” This sentiment underscores the complexities involved in navigating educational challenges in a diverse community.

In South Carolina, schools that score below average on the state’s report cards are considered underperforming. Currently, there are ten schools in Greenville County that fall into this category, representing less than 5% of the state’s 214 underperforming schools. As noted by Tim Waller from the district, Greenville County has a significant role in overseeing approximately 10% of the state’s student population. Conversely, Sue Cleveland and Grove elementary schools have improved and are no longer on the underperforming list.

Underperforming Schools Identified

The following schools have been identified as underperforming in Greenville County:

Alexander Elementary School
Armstrong Elementary School
Duncan Chapel Elementary School
Hollis Academy
Tanglewood Middle School

The classification of a school as underperforming depends on performance metrics across several categories on state report cards. Key reasons for their underperformance include:

Student Progress: Individual student performance may not meet expected growth compared to peers statewide.
Climate Surveys: Feedback on the school’s environment varies yearly, complicating consistent result comparisons.
Socio-Economic Factors: High poverty levels, frequent changes in student enrollment, and an increasing number of multilingual learners contribute to academic challenges.

Plans for Improvement

In order to enhance academic performance in these schools, several strategies have been devised. According to Tim Waller, these include:

Extra Student Support: Providing additional help for students who may be struggling.
Before and After-School Programs: Offering programs designed to help students improve in key areas.
Remediation for Academic Weaknesses: Targeting specific areas where students need assistance.
Quality Instructional Materials: Ensuring teachers have access to high-quality teaching resources.
Retaining Excellent Teachers: Focusing on recruiting and keeping skilled educators in the classrooms.
Collaborative Planning: Engaging school staff in planning for student improvement.

Another topic of discussion during the meeting was the effectiveness of current testing systems. Board member Royster pointed out that teachers often lack sufficient time to cover all necessary subjects, resulting in tests that cover material not taught during the year. He expressed concern about the validity of evaluating student performance based on such a flawed system, stating, “It takes three to five years to accurately track a school’s progress.”

To address these challenges, schools in South Carolina designated as underperforming must create a Turnaround Plan to enhance student achievement. This plan includes:

Goals: Specific, measurable objectives for educational development.
Strategies: Evidence-based methods to increase student performance.
Evaluation: Processes to assess the effectiveness of the plan.
Collaboration: Input and involvement from stakeholders.
Monitoring: Regular review of the plans by the school district.

As part of ongoing efforts, both Alexander Elementary School and Lakeview Middle School are currently under the district’s Elevate Plan, aimed at raising achievement levels for underperforming schools. Though it is still early to judge the success of this four-year pilot program, the district hopes to foster a long-term culture focused on providing high-quality education.

The Greenville County Schools administration is committed to turning around these underperforming schools, with a concerted focus on enhancing educational opportunities for all students.