Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Performance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bamberg schools cite mixed test results, expand high‑intensity tutoring across district
Summary
Principals reported enrollment changes and mixed 2024 test results Sept. 9, and described districtwide steps — including a high‑intensity tutoring program and aligned assessments — intended to raise ELA and math performance over the next several years.
Principals and the superintendent told the Bamberg County School Board on Sept. 9 that district enrollment is rising and that student performance shows both gains and declines across grades, prompting expansion of a districtwide high‑intensity tutoring initiative.
Miss Mandy Edwards, principal of Richard Carol Elementary, told the board her school has 690 students and reported growth in math across several cohorts but declines in ELA among third through fifth graders. Edwards said the school is focusing on tier‑one instruction, revising assessment language to better match state tests and running a schoolwide intervention block plus targeted high‑intensity tutoring for students furthest below grade level.
Mr M, presenting the Amber Middle report, said the middle school’s enrollment is 191 and described 2024 testing results that included cohort growth in some grades and declines in others. He said the district has adopted new ELA and math materials, aligned unit assessments to state standards, assigned team leads for ELA and math, and will offer two hours per week of intervention for every student along with a high‑intensity tutoring program providing up to four hours of after‑school individualized intervention.
At B High School, Mr Joan Smith described enrollment growth to 382 and a mixed assessment picture: decreases in algebra and English and a larger decline in U.S. history and Constitution scores alongside a substantial increase in biology. Smith said the school will implement targeted interventions, incentives and peer tutoring and noted that high‑intensity tutoring will be provided through carved‑out schedule time and a Testing Lab in the band room for selected students.
Miss Shannon Johnson (DeMar Elementary) and Mrs Goldsmith (middle school) reiterated similar plans: daily or multi‑day tutoring via a Varsity Tutors contract, Mastery Connect benchmarks aligned to state standards and data‑driven pullouts for students who test below grade level. Mrs Goldsmith also noted a Dollar General Youth Literacy grant secured by Miss Darnell to support literacy materials and programs.
The superintendent said district raw enrollment was 1,826 as of Sept. 4 and emphasized that the district is tracking growth as part of a new state report‑card model that prioritizes student growth. No formal votes were taken on the tutoring or curriculum items; board discussion focused on recognizing teachers and outlining implementation timelines. The board did approve routine agenda items and accepted the monthly financial report before moving to executive session, where it approved an employment recommendation and a student transfer.
Board members and principals framed the measures as part of a multi‑year effort: stated goals include increasing the percentage of students who meet or exceed state ELA and math benchmarks and closing achievement gaps by 2026, and earning consistent 'good' or 'excellent' school report‑card ratings by 2028.
