The Pickens County Board of Education on Jan. 9 received an update on student achievement from Dr. Abby May, executive director of teaching and learning, who highlighted midyear improvements after the district adopted DIBELS as its benchmark assessment.

"We've just kind of incorporated into our new strategic plan is that early literacy piece," Dr. May told the board, describing DIBELS as a tool that assesses phonological skills, spelling, reading comprehension and word knowledge. She said the district began full implementation at the start of the current school year after a midyear pilot last year.

Dr. May reported that in kindergarten the percentage of students classified "well below benchmark" decreased by 16 percentage points from the start of the year to midyear and that students at benchmark increased by 16 percentage points. In first grade she said students below benchmark decreased by 7 percentage points, with a 3 percentage‑point increase at benchmark and a 3 percentage‑point increase above benchmark. She also highlighted a 17 percentage‑point increase in the share of fourth‑grade students above benchmark.

At the high‑school level, Dr. May said end‑of‑course (EOC) results showed modest movement: the "distinguished" level increased by 2 percentage points while the "developing" category increased by 13 percentage points and "beginners" decreased by 13 percentage points. She singled out the biology team for a reported 3 percentage‑point increase in distinguished and a 12 percentage‑point increase in proficient, with a 10 percentage‑point decline in developing. For U.S. history she said the distinguished category increased by 5 percentage points.

Dr. May framed the changes as part of an ongoing effort to "catch" students early, noting that improvements in early grades reduce the risk that students fall behind in later grades. The presentation linked district strategy goals — curriculum, benchmarks and coach/principal support — to the observed midyear shifts and recommended continued emphasis on adolescent literacy and targeted instruction.

Board members asked for clarification and praised teachers and coaches for the gains. No formal action was taken; the session was an informational update as part of the superintendent's report.