In a recent newspaper article, Phillip Bowers, chairman of the Pickens County Republican Party, cautions that our schools are in trouble. We do have challenges; we always will. We are also seeing progress. To make the best decisions, the citizens and voters should have complete information and the facts about education in Pickens County.

The rating on the SDPC district report card, mandated by the 1998 Education Accountability Act (EAA), declined from Excellent in 2004 to Good in 2005 to Average in 2006. However, this administration and board are accountable for the 2007 rating. While higher scores were required in 2007 to even stay at Average, our rating did not change. After only one year with new leadership, our district made a step in the right direction in 2007, a year when no South Carolina district received an Excellent rating.

The South Carolina Legislature passed the EAA Reform Bill in June. Performance ratings are also being revised. Ratings from the flawed system alone cannot be used to determine if a school system is failing or not.

The revised EAA requires formative assessments to measure each student’s growth, giving concrete data so that teachers can provide instruction at that student’s level. Recognizing this need, SDPC led with other districts in a proactive move two years ago by administering the formative assessment Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) to all students. Our 2007-2008 MAP scores confirmed that we are on the right track. As a district, we met the predicted growth numbers in every grade for every subject. This growth in student achievement is outstanding.

Our principals and our teachers adjusted instruction so that growth in student achievement was realized. MAP results indicate that our changes have been effective. Our educators are providing quality instruction, embracing technology and integrating it in their classrooms. Their commitment to their own professional development is making a difference for student learning. I am extremely proud of each one.

Although we have seen progress in student achievement, we are truly concerned that too many of our students do not finish high school.

In March Mr. Bowers, also a member of the South Carolina State Board of Education, asked me for some ideas on dropout prevention that the board could focus on. At that time, he wrote to me that, “we have to find a way to connect the dots between industry-schools-taxpayers….We have to get those key stakeholders on board. It will be a long process.”

Mr. Bowers is right — solving the dropout problem will not be easy or quick.

State Superintendent Jim Rex advocates choices in public schools, and we agree. We have introduced virtual schools and a credit recovery program. We will diligently explore other choices so that all students can find success. Clearly the most important way that we can increase our graduation rate is to have our community come together, support our school system and value a high school diploma.

Our school system has been involved with recruitment of business and industry to Pickens County. My conversations with those executives affirm my conviction that our community must work together for all students.

I am very open to conversations or meetings to discuss our challenges as well as provide additional in-depth data and analysis that shows we are moving in the right direction.

Our school system is not on a downtrend. Quite to the contrary, we have made significant progress over the last two years.

On behalf of our students and employees, I ask for Mr. Bowers’ partnership so that we can work together for the best interest of our students, our schools and our community. With a united community, this board and administration will see our vision come to fruition.

Lee M. D’Andrea, Ph.D. is Superintendent of the School District of Pickens County.