Five Greenville County Schools Designated as Underperforming, Prompting Action and Community Concerns

Five Greenville County Schools Named Underperforming

Greenville, South Carolina has recently added five schools to its list of underperforming institutions, raising concerns among education leaders and the community. The announcement was made during a committee meeting by the district’s Board of Trustees. This designation is based on the schools scoring “below average” on the state’s report card, leading to discussions on the challenges these schools face and plans for improvement.

Who and What Are Affected?

The five schools identified as underperforming include Alexander Elementary School, Armstrong Elementary School, Duncan Chapel Elementary School, Hollis Academy, and Tanglewood Middle School. These schools now join the ranks of ten institutions in the Greenville County School (GCS) district that are struggling academically. This figure constitutes less than 5% of the 214 underperforming schools statewide while the district serves about 10% of South Carolina’s total student population.

The Challenges

One significant challenge facing these institutions is the communication barrier between teachers and students. School board member Lynda Leventis-Wells highlighted that many of the students struggle with language, making it hard for them to express their needs. “Some of them have never been in school,” she said. “How would you feel if you couldn’t communicate?” Additionally, socio-economic factors such as poverty and high mobility rates among families contribute to the schools’ struggles.

What’s Being Done?

In an effort to enhance academic performance, GCS plans to implement a Turnaround Plan, also known as a Continuous Improvement Plan. This plan outlines specific goals, strategies, and evaluation measures to track progress. Key components include:

• Goals: Establishing measurable objectives for educational development.
• Strategies: Utilizing evidence-based interventions to boost student achievement.
• Evaluation: Assessing the success of initiatives over time.
• Collaboration: Involving stakeholders in plan development.
• Monitoring: Conducting quarterly reviews of the plans.

Tim Waller from GCS emphasized that proper support will also involve recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers, delivering before and after-school programs, and focused remediation to address academic weaknesses.

Future Prospects

Despite the challenges, there is hope as some schools, such as Sue Cleveland and Grove Elementary, have successfully moved off the underperforming list this year. Furthermore, schools like Alexander Elementary are part of the district’s Elevate Plan, designed to improve achievement levels over the next four years.

While critics, including board member Royster, argue that current testing methods may not accurately reflect a school’s effectiveness, the district is committed to ongoing evaluation and adjustment of strategies. Royster noted, “It takes three to five years to accurately track a school’s progress.”

Conclusion

As Greenville County navigates these educational challenges, the community, educators, and administrators are focused on creating an environment conducive to learning and growth. By acknowledging the barriers and implementing structured strategies, GCS aims to foster improved academic outcomes for its students.