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Lexington 3 board hears persistent early‑grade ELA gaps, sees gains in some end‑of‑course exams
Summary
District officials told trustees Sept. 10 that Lexington County School District 3 continues to trail state averages in early‑grade ELA, with a 34.3% third‑grade meets/exceeds rate versus 53.8% statewide; presenters said cohort growth and targeted supports may narrow gaps over several years.
Jeff Potts, Lexington County School District 3 director of accountability and assessment, told the board on Sept. 10 that the district remains below state averages on SC Ready ELA in early grades but shows mixed trends as cohorts advance.
"In the third grade, we had 34.3% of students score meets or exceeds expectations on 2024 ELA, versus 53.8% for that of the state," Potts said, presenting grade‑by‑grade comparisons and multi‑year cohort charts. He described a pattern of post‑pandemic declines followed by gains as cohorts age.
District leaders emphasized that the year‑to‑year snapshot can understate longer‑term progress. Potts showed cohort tracking for an eighth‑grade group tested back to third grade: "when we go back to 2019, that cohort of students was performing still slightly below that of the state," he said, adding that the gap narrowed for older grades. He told trustees ELA remains an area of concern, while some end‑of‑course exams have improved: English 2 and Algebra 1 scores have risen and the gap with the state has narrowed, and biology saw increases from 2021–2024 (with the exception of 2022 when the district outscored the state).
Board members pressed on how quickly calendar and program changes might show effects. One trustee noted the district’s new school calendar had been pitched as a way to reduce learning loss; Potts said cumulative gains from fall and spring enrichment, plus extra days of instruction over multiple years, are the expected mechanism and "we start having students who have really experienced potentially another year of school" over time.
Trustees asked about interventions cited by staff; one member said she expected tools such as i‑Ready to help raise scores in the coming year. Potts also pointed to differing subject trends: math scores show steeper post‑pandemic declines at some grade levels but stronger recovery in middle grades.
The board did not take action related to the assessments during the meeting. Trustees thanked Potts for the presentation and continued the agenda to action items and policy updates.
