Test score goals rise beyond students' reach

Increasingly tougher federal standards meant that four out of five South Carolina elementary and middle schools fell short of their goals, according to state results released Wednesday.

The requirements for elementary and middle schools jumped by more than 50 percent this year. For example, elementary and middle schools in which 38.2 percent of students scored proficient in English last year met Adequate Yearly Progress, but this year, those same schools wouldn't meet the target unless 58.8 percent of their students scored proficient.

Fewer schools statewide met their federal goals, and the same was true in the Lowcountry.

High-poverty schools that fail to make the annual goals face consequences such as extra tutoring for students or the opportunity for students to transfer to higher performing schools. Districts that don't meet Adequate Yearly Progress after multiple years must set aside 10 percent of their federal Title 1 money for teacher training and develop a district improvement plan.

The Palmetto State's standards for Adequate Yearly Progress rise incrementally to meet the federal law's mandate that all students — regardless of their income, ability to speak English or learning disability — score proficient on math and English tests by 2014. Each state sets its own goal for proficiency, and in South Carolina, scores on the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test are used to determine ratings for elementary and middle schools.