There were two story lines evident for Cherokee County schools Wednesday when the state released results from the final Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test.

One, passing rates for county students remained below the state average on the test in 23 of 24 categories.

And two, more students in grades 3-8 scored at the proficient and advanced levels — the main numbers that count under the No Child Left Behind Act. The federal law requires all students score proficient on state math and English tests by 2014.

County students scoring proficient and advanced ranged from a high of 51.5 percent in third grade English to 22.9 percent in seventh grade math.

Overall, the district saw test scores improve in 15 of 24 categories in 2008.

More than 300,000 students statewide in grades 3-8 were tested on the PACT in English, math, science and social studies. Scoring levels are below average, basic, proficient and advanced.

"As a parent, my main concern with the test is whether I am seeing growth in my child's achievement after a year's worth of instruction in a classroom," Cherokee County School Superintendent Dr. Bill James said. "Over the life of the test, we have seen a big movement in students moving from the basic to proficient and advanced categories. It's good to see these improvements on PACT. Our district's scores are nowhere near where we would like them to be."

The state will replace PACT next year with a new test called the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS). The test is designed to provide schools with more feedback on individual student performance.

PACT was developed as a school accountability test specifically for South Carolina.

Test scores are used on state school report cards to rate elementary and middle schools as Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average or At Risk.

Despite this year's improved test scores, State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex said school districts will appear to lose ground when Adequate Yearly Progress data are released Oct. 1 for No Child Left Behind.

elementary and middle schools are 50 percent higher than last year. South Carolina test score goals are increasing at faster rates to meet the requirement all students score proficient by 2014.

"No Child Left Behind looks only at students scoring Proficient or Advanced," Rex said, "and we saw PACT gains across the board this year in those categories. But due to the nature of the federal accountability system, our gains will end up looking like losses. It's a pretty clear illustration of why No Child Left Behind needs to change — so that it does a better job of recognizing improvement like South Carolina saw this year."

A variety of independent national research studies in recent years have showed PACT scoring requirements are higher than tests in other states.

For example, Colorado sets cutoff scores equal to the 6th percentile on its third grade reading test. This is a level easy enough for 94 percent of third graders nationally to meet that standard. By comparison, South Carolina third graders have to score above the 60th percentile in reading and 71st percentile to reach proficiency.