Students excel on end-of-course exams

Cherokee County students equaled the state average of 79 on the first-ever end-of-course algebra tests required by the Education Accountability Act.

Students took end-of-course exams in college-prep Algebra 1 courses and Mathematics for the Technologies 2. The exams count for 20 percent of the students’ final grades.

Gaffney High had 78.1 percent of its students pass the end-of-course math exams while Blacksburg High had a passing rate of 75.4 percent. Mirroring a state trend, students in the district’s middle schools had the highest average on the end-of-course exams.

Nearly 94 percent of Gaffney and Granard Middle students passed the end-of-course exams. The passing rates were 88.1 percent at Ewing Middle and 86.7 percent at Blacksburg Middle.

Gaffney High Principal Dr. Quincie Moore said students in her school have taken end-of-course exams for several years.

“Our end-of-course exam scores have gotten better every year. We have purchased calculators for math classrooms. Teachers have worked hard to provide our students with the tools they need to be successful,” Moore said. “We hope to continue to see improvement over the next several years.”

Nearly one-third of the 58,043 students tested statewide in the 2003-04 school year scored an A or B on the end-of-course exams. Another 25 percent scored a C, 21 percent scored a D and 21 percent failed the test.

Students enrolled in Algebra 1 scored an average of 83, while students enrolled in Mathematics for the Technologies 2 scored an average of 73.

Among age groups, seventh graders had the highest average score with a 93 while eighth graders averaged a 90. Middle-schoolers who take Algebra 1 typically are on accelerated academic tracks.

Blacksburg High Principal Jim Touchberry was encouraged by his school’s performance.

“We’re pleased that 75 percent of our students passed these exams. With 127 students taking these exams, this was a sizable percentage of our student population,” Touchberry said. “There is still room for improvement. We can never be satisfied and will continue to work with the other 25 percent that did not pass these exams.”

End of-course exam scores in English I, Physical Science and Biology I/Applied Biology 2 will be counted in students’ final grades this school year. U.S. History and Constitution will be added in the 2006-07 school year.