The recent release of 2007 Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test scores brought some good news and some bad news to local school districts.

Bamberg School District 1 and Orangeburg Consolidated School District 5 perhaps received the best news of any local districts. Bamberg 1 was the only local district where at least 60 percent of students met the state standard in each category.

OCSD 5 had the honor of being the sole district to make gains in every category from the previous year.

"We showed gains in a number of areas. I'm real pleased," said OCSD 5 Superintendent Melvin Smoak. Smoak said the gains are due to curriculum adjustments, getting more parents involved, conducting more after-school programs and the dedication of teachers.

The PACT test measures children's level of preparedness for the next grade level and is administered to students in grades three through eight. The test measures whether a student has a below basic, basic, proficient or an advanced understanding of English/language arts, math, science and social studies. Students must score basic or above to meet the state standard.

Bamberg School District 2 was the only district in the region to see a decrease in every category from the last PACT test.

Bamberg 2 Superintendent Dr. Secaida Howell is confident that 2008 will be a mirror opposite. He says the district held a summer session with teachers to help them become better instructors in the classroom.

"We've got to do something big, better and different. We are anticipating a higher level of achievement," Howell said.

State Superintendent of Education Dr. Jim Rex stressed that the state's test defines basic, advanced and proficient levels more rigorously than other states, but said work has to continue to improve students' scores.

"I understand fully that is not yet an acceptable level of progress, but at least we're going in the right direction. We are going to find ways to see greater gains," Rex said.

OCSD 4 Superintendent Dr. Darrell Johnson desires to see greater gains in PACT scores as well. Johnson said there was significant progress at Edisto, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler and Lockett elementary schools, but he agrees that the current progress is not enough.

"We are not where we should be," Johnson said.

Johnson says refining instruction and placing an emphasis on reading and writing will be the key to improving the scores. He believes that if a student's literacy skills can be honed, then improvements in other areas will result.

At OCSD 5, Smoak says the district's ability to recruit and hire highly qualified teachers has contributed to the PACT score increases this year. He's concerned the district might not have the money to expand after-school programs, but he is actively seeking grant money to continue and expand programs.

"There is not enough time in the day to teach," Smoak said.

Rex has created a task force to develop recommendations for a new test to replace PACT.

Standardized tests "should not be dominating to the extent that they have been," Rex said. He has also proposed that end-of-the-year accountability testing be reduced by up to 40 percent.

Orangeburg Consolidated School District 3 saw an increase of 1.3 percent in science and 3.1 perecent increase in social studies over the year before.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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