Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Assessments Attendance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Raleigh County Schools report: attendance steady, diagnostics and PSAT show low math proficiency
Summary
District staff told the board the county attendance rate is 91.619% with enrollment at 9,496; I-Ready diagnostics and fall PSAT results indicate reading and math proficiency remain below state and national averages, with math notably weaker across grade levels and schools.
District staff presented attendance and assessment data in the board’s regular meeting.
Attendance: Miss Lacey reported a third-month attendance rate of 91.619% and total enrollment of 9,496. She reported five high-school exits for the month, 20 new homeschool notices (bringing the county total to 808), five new homebound students (total 20), 16 new alternative placements (total 37) and six new Hope Scholarship notices (total 877). Chair Mister Snuffer noted the 877 HOPE scholarship students represent "a little over $5,000,000 state funding that we did not receive," underscoring local budget pressure.
I-Ready diagnostic projections: Miss Lowry walked the board through I-Ready benchmark projections. For reading the county is projected at 32% proficient with no additional growth, 44% with typical growth and 65% under 'stretch' growth assumptions. For math projections were roughly 23% with no growth, about 50% with typical growth and 65% with stretch growth; Miss Lowry noted last-year performance was near projections in both subjects.
PSAT results: Amber reviewed PSAT data for grades 9–11. County ninth-grade average was 778 (state 799, national 826); tenth/eleventh combined county average was 854 (state 880, national 952). Amber said the data consistently shows math trailing ELA and provided school-level breakouts (for example, Independence High had 91 ninth-grade students 'not yet approaching' in math). Schools are using the data to set goals, alter schedules and provide targeted reteach and preteach supports.
Board reaction: Members expressed concern about math scores and emphasized the need to reinforce basic numeracy in early grades so students are prepared for higher-level concepts. The data presentations were accepted; staff said principals and teachers have specific plans to address weak areas.
Why it matters: The combined attendance and assessment figures inform budgeting (including Hope Scholarship counts) and instructional planning, and highlight persistent gaps—especially in math—that district leaders say will require targeted interventions.
Next step: Staff will return with spring benchmark results and continued school-level plans; board members asked that the district continue monitoring progress and report back.
