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District touts 88.7% graduation rate and lays out interventions as several schools remain underperforming
Summary
Greenville County Schools reported a 2024 graduation rate of 88.7%, credited to district‑level goal conferences, graduation interventionists and frequent progress monitoring. Administrators also reviewed state report‑card changes and presented turnaround (Elevate) plans for newly identified underperforming schools; the board approved continuous improvement plans for the designated list.
District officials told trustees the Greenville County Schools graduation rate rose to 88.7% in 2024 and described a suite of strategies they credit with improving outcomes, while also acknowledging persistent gaps for some subgroups and a growing multilingual learner population that affects state report‑card calculations.
Presentation highlights: district staff described a combination of school‑level and district‑level strategies that have helped raise graduation rates, including relationship‑building, effective tier‑1 instruction, frequent progress monitoring beginning in ninth grade, precise record keeping, and targeted graduation interventionists (coaches) who proactively track cohorts, do home visits and coordinate with school counselors.
On graduation coaches: administrators described the coach role as non‑certified, persistent and relationship driven. "All kids are mine — any kid at risk of not graduating is mine," said one presenter describing the approach. Coaches monitor cohorts, lead data action team meetings, contact families and coordinate interventions early rather than waiting until senior year.
Data and subgroup concerns: trustees heard that five high schools now have graduation rates at or above 90%, and that several schools improved double digits from 2023 to 2024. Administrators flagged ongoing gaps for students in poverty and multilingual learners; staff said reporting changes required by federal and state guidance removed “monitored” multilingual learners from numerator and denominator in 2024, which numerically depressed some schools’ progress scores. The district also reported a high degree of student transiency (roughly 8,000 in/out moves per year), complicating tracking and accountability.
Underperforming/Elevate schools and turnaround plans: district officials reviewed the Education Accountability Act thresholds and requirements for turnaround plans and presented status updates on newly identified and reidentified schools. Administration emphasized that turnaround plans include goals, resource/equity targets, professional development, before/after school support and quarterly benchmarking. The board approved continuous improvement/turnaround plans for several schools, including Berea High, Carolina High, Southside High, Lakeview Middle, Berea Middle, Grove Elementary, Sioux and Sioux Cleveland Elementary.
What trustees asked: trustees pressed for clarity on how schools with significant special‑education or multilingual populations are accounted for in graduationrate calculations, asked about parental engagement, and requested that administration continue using targeted coaching and family outreach. Trustees also discussed the limitations of early benchmarks for high‑school EOC courses and the variable effect of scheduling on fall benchmark cohorts.
Next steps: administration will continue quarterly reporting on Elevate and turnaround schools, provide more granular subgroup strategies (including targeted presentations planned for subsequent meetings), and coordinate outreach to families to improve early engagement and tracking.
