Six schools “good”, eight are “average”

Of 16 Oconee public schools, just one has been rated “excellent”, in the state school report cards issued by the South Carolina Department of Education.  Attaining the excellent rating was the Ravenel Elementary School, the building of which became a pawn in the 1960s when Oconee leaders tried to stop the annexation of Clemson into Pickens County.  22.5% of South Carolina schools are rated excellent. Six Oconee schools were rated good this year; eight others, average.  One school, Fair-Oak Elementary, was termed “below average.”  None of the county schools is considered unsatisfactory.  The county trustees are to receive a presentation on the school report cards during their October meeting on Monday night. April Allen of the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee made this observation covering the state:  “The Report Card release also shows us that we continue to do a good job graduating students out of the K-12 system but are we preparing them for what comes after?  Allen noted a disconnect between the state’s 84% high school graduation rate and the data that show that only 29% of students in last year’s graduating class were college and career-ready.