While the name has changed, Cherokee County schools are still seeing a similar pattern emerge on the standardized state test for elementary and middle schools.

County students posted their highest scores in English and Math on the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS). Their lowest performance occurred on the social studies and science tests.

Statewide, students had their top performances on the English and social studies tests while the lowest scores were in science.

Cherokee County followed the state’s trend in one area on the new test. Eighth-grade PASS results were generally lower than the other grades.

These are a few highlights from Thursday’s release of the first scores from the PASS test for grades 3-8. PASS replaces the 10-year-old Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT) as the state’s measure of student grade level performance.

Results were reported for students in writing, English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The PASS test has three scoring levels, “Exemplary,” “Met,” and “Not Met” based on a student’s knowledge of state academic standards.

“We have a lot of room for improvement,” said Cherokee County School Superintendent Dr. Bill James. “We want to see more students scoring at the ‘Exemplary’ and ‘Met’ categories on the PASS test every year.”

The Cherokee County School District’s passing scores in English ranged from a high of 77 percent in the fifth grade to 60.6 percent in the eighth grade. In math, fifth grade students had the highest passing rate at 75.6 percent while the eighth grade had the lowest passing rate at 57.9 percent.

This year’s passing rates in writing ranged from 70.4 percent in fifth grade to 59.2 percent in the eighth grade.

The district had three grades in English and math with passing rates above 70 percent.

Cherokee County fourth and fifth grades had an overall passing rate above 70 percent in English and math. Third graders were above 70 percent in English while sixth graders had a passing rate beyond 70 percent in math.

South Carolina and federal laws require end-ofthe year accountability tests for grades 3-8 that are based on state academic standards. Cherokee County had nine schools make Adequate Yearly Progress in 2009, compared to six schools in 2008.

“The PASS test is used to determine whether elementary and middle schools meet Adequate Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind,” James said. “This year’s results will serve as baseline data as we look for improvement in the future.”

Parents can find individual school scores on the state Department of Education Web site at www.ed.sc.gov.