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(Posted on November 24, 2009)
Complete state, district, and high school scores are available at the State Department of Education’s website at www.ed.sc.gov.
Horry County Schools’ student performance slipped on the High School Assessment Program (HSAP) examination, in a year where declines were mirrored with other districts and the state as a whole. The HSAP, commonly referred to as the Exit Exam, is administered to students during their second year as high school students. Students must pass the HSAP to become eligible for graduation.
This year, 81.3 percent of Horry County Schools’ second-year high school students passed the state’s high school exit exam on their first attempt in spring 2009, a 2.2 point decrease from 83.5 percent in 2008. Of those who did not pass on the first attempt, 12.3 percent missed in the area of English/language arts, compared to 10.7 percent in 2008. In the area of mathematics, 14.2 percent did not pass, compared to 12.6 percent last year.
Statewide, 76.1 percent of second-year high school students passed the state’s high school exit exam on their first attempt in spring 2009, a 4.7 percent decrease from 80.8 percent who passed on their first attempt in 2008. Of those who did not pass on the first attempt, 15.1 percent missed on English/language arts and 19.8 percent missed on mathematics.
Public high school students must pass the English language arts and mathematics sections of the new High School Assessment Program (HSAP) to qualify for a South Carolina diploma. Among HCS students, 87.7 percent met standards for graduation in English/language arts, and 85.8 percent met standards in mathematics. Statewide, 84.9 percent of students met standards for graduation in English language arts and 80.2 percent met standards in mathematics.
The tests are initially administered during their second year in high school. Students who do not qualify have additional opportunities to retake the test in later grades. About half of the states require high school students to pass an exit exam, in addition to earning the state-mandated number of course credits, to earn a diploma. South Carolina also requires students to earn 24 high school credits to graduate; some states require as few as 14.
In addition to functioning as South Carolina’s high school exit exam, HSAP scores also factor into high school Adequate Yearly Progress ratings under the federal No Child Left Behind law, which requires that all students score Proficient or higher by 2014. According to South Carolina’s NCLB plan, Proficient is equivalent to a score of 3 on HSAP’s four-level scale.
In the area of English language arts, 55.5 percent of HCS students scored 3 or higher, a 6.7 point decrease from 62.2 percent in 2008. In mathematics, 58.9 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, a 3.7 point decrease from 62.6 percent 2008. Statewide, 49.9 percent of students scored 3 or higher in English language arts, a 9.4 decrease from 59.3 in 2008. In mathematics, 50.9 percent scored 3 or higher, a 5.1 point decrease compared to 56 percent last year.
HSAP is based on South Carolina’s academic standards, which became law in 1998 and which have been rated among the nation’s best.
The following is a list of district high schools, the percent of second-year high school students who passed both sections on their first attempt, and the percent who scored 3 or higher on English language arts and mathematics:
- Aynor High School: 90.7 percent passed both sections, an increase from 81.7 percent in 2008; 54.9 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, a decrease from 58.9 percent last year; and 72.5 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, an increase from 61.5 in 2008;
- Carolina Forest High School: 85 percent passed both sections, a decrease from 87.8 percent in 2008; 62.6 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, a decrease from 68 percent last year; and 66.1 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, a decrease from 69.5 percent in 2008;
- Conway High School: 77.5 percent passed both sections, a decrease from 79 percent in 2008; 44.2 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, down from 54.4 percent last year; and 55.7 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, down from 56 percent in 2008;
- Green Sea Floyds High School: 72.8 percent passed both sections, a decrease from 75.8 percent in 2008; 43.5 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, a decrease from 55.8 percent last year; and 50.5 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, up from 49.5 percent in 2008;
- Loris High School: 72.2 percent passed both sections, a decrease from 77.4 percent in 2008; 43.7 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, a decrease from 47.5 last year; and 45.4 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, an increase over 42.1 in 2008;
- Myrtle Beach High School: 81.6 percent passed both sections, a decrease from 82.8 percent in 2008; 56.2 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, a decrease from 60.6 percent last year; and 56.5 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, a decrease from 65.7 percent in 2008;
- North Myrtle Beach High School: 79.6 percent passed both sections, a decrease from 86.8 percent in 2008; 58.1 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, a decrease from 66.4 percent last year; and 53.8 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, a decrease from 65.2 percent in 2008;
- St. James High School: 86 percent passed both sections, an increase from 84.5 percent in 2008; 66 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, a decrease over 67.7 percent last year; and 65.3 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, a decrease from 66.8 percent in 2008; and
- Socastee High School: 80 percent passed both sections, a decrease from 86.5 percent in 2008; 55.2 percent scored 3 or higher in English/language arts, a decrease from 68.2 percent last year; and 56.8 percent scored 3 or higher in mathematics, a decrease over 68.9 percent in 2008.
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