(posted on January 8, 2009)
Horry County Schools joins school districts throughout the nation in celebration of School Board Recognition Month held in January of each year. The theme, School Boards Speak Out for Public Schools, reflects the combined commitment of school boards to lead and advocate for quality and accountable public schools that ensure all students achieve.
The members of the Horry County Board of Education are responsible for the implementation of district performance goals, the district’s accountability system, and the oversight of an annual budget of $500 million.
Under the Board’s leadership, student performance on standardized tests outpaces the state average in all areas tested. Twelve HCS schools were recognized by the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee for significantly improving the performance of low achieving students.
Horry County Schools’ SAT composite score of 1,479 is 27 points above the state average. Performance on the 2009 ACT exceeded the state average in a year when 20 percent more students took the test. HCS students maintained an average of 20.1. The number of Advanced Placement exams among students increased by 47 percent.
HCS ranks first in South Carolina and eighth in the nation for the number of teachers earning Nation Board Certification this year. With 76 newly-named teachers, 13 percent of the HCS teaching staff has national credentials.
HCS 10th graders improved performance on the High School Assessment Program (HSAP) examination and continue to outpace the state average on the test. This year, 83.5 percent of 10th graders passed the state’s high school exit exam on their first attempt a 1.6 percent increase over the previous year.
Members of the Horry County Board of Education are: Will Garland, Chairman; Harvey Eisner, District 1; MaryEllen Greene, District 2; Joe DeFeo, District 3; Kay Loftus, Vice Chairman and District 4; Paul Peterson, District 5; Pam Timms, District 6; Paul Hudson, District 7; John Poston, District 8; David Cox, District 9; Neil James, District 10; and Trent Hardee, District 11.
Information about the Horry County Board of Education, including contact information, is available at www.horrycountyschools.net.