SC's ACT Scores Show We Don't Have Mississippi to Kick Around Anymore

For more than fifty years citizens of South Carolina have relied on Mississippi to be at the bottom of any list regarding educational attainment.

No more! 

We have only Nevada (what's with that?) to thank for not ranking dead last on the ACT results from last year's graduating students. For those of you hoping that all those families moving in from up north would shore up our results, fogettaboutit.

Do you ever get the feeling that our schools are doing something wrong?  Oh, we know all about what drags down achievement: poverty, single-parent households, "drugs, sex, and rock and roll," but let's get real. All states have those problems, and Mississippi most of all.

That's why falling behind Mississippi rates banner headlines.

"Statewide, 42 percent of graduating students met the ACT’s college readiness benchmark for English, along with 30 percent for Reading, 24 percent for Math and 20 percent for Science. Only 14 percent were ready for college in every subject area, despite 63 percent saying on an ACT survey that they aspired to earn a bachelor’s or graduate degree."

In other words, a major disconnect.

The ACT measures actual knowledge much more than the SAT does. What the results suggest is that our graduates think they've learned enough to prepare them to earn a BS or BA degree in the future, but they fall far short of the mark.

Now, how did that happen?

"Five of Charleston County’s high schools ranked in the bottom 30 statewide: Baptist Hill High (14.9), Burke High (14.4), Garrett Academy of Technology (14.1), North Charleston High (13.1) and Greg Mathis Charter High, whose 12.1 score was the state’s lowest. All five schools are majority-black with high levels of poverty."

Don't we have a wonderful school system? 

Only if you can afford to live in Mt. Pleasant.

Want to do something about it? Vote--

PADRON--RAMBO--JOHNSON--PETTIGREW