District strategic‑plan update: several schools meet state 'North Star' goals, district graduation tops 90%

Doctor Sharkey presented the district’s strategic‑plan progress under Goal 4 (academic growth and excellence), tying results to the South Carolina report card and state targets.

Sharkey said the district showed growth in Algebra 1, English 2 and U.S. History and that multiple grades and schools have already met the state’s 2030 proficiency goal (the presenter referred to the state 'North Star' target of 75% proficiency). She highlighted several elementary and middle‑school grades above the 75% threshold and said high‑school end‑of‑course results and career‑readiness measures outperformed the state in key areas.

For college and career readiness, Sharkey reported over 2,100 AP exams administered with a roughly 68% passage rate and substantial dual‑enrollment participation. She said the district’s graduation rate surpassed its 90% goal, reporting a 92.2% district average and noting Liberty High School recorded the highest graduation rate in its history.

Sharkey described strategy implementation—including MTSS and shared common formative assessments, benchmarking and professional development—to support achievement across attendance areas. Board members asked follow‑up questions about subgroup performance and poverty correlations; Sharkey said the district monitors subgroup trends and uses targeted supports.

The presentation concluded with an overview of schools rated Excellent or Good and an expectation that current momentum will continue into the 2025‑26 year.