Based on scores released by the South Carolina Department of Education, 50 Charleston County School District (CCSD) schools met all of their 2009 federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets under No Child Left Behind, over twice as many as the previous year's 21.

Changes in the state's assessment system play a role in the AYP targets. Last year, the South Carolina General Assembly made grade-level (versus above grade level, as in the PACT proficiency standard) student performance on South Carolina's new PASS tests the standard for federal reporting purposes.

Despite these changes and based on the new PASS system, CCSD schools significantly out-performed their state peers.  Nearly 70 percent (69.4 percent) of CCSD schools made AYP. Statewide, only 49.7 percent of schools made AYP. For the third year in a row, none of the state's 85 school districts made AYP. The district's graduation rate held steady at 71.7 percent (within the margin of error of last year's 73 percent). The district's graduation rate has been over 70 percent for two straight years, following 2006 and 2007 rates of 62 percent and 64 percent, respectively.

'We see the dramatic increase in schools making AYP as further evidence of our students and schools making progress under our Charleston Achieving Excellence plan,' said Superintendent Dr. Nancy McGinley.

'These results are a testament to the hard work of teachers and principals—and all of us who support them—and reflect the world-class students and families that we serve. All of this said, we know that we have much more work to do, which is why we are focused like a laser on improving literacy, closing achievement gaps, and increasing the graduation rate. I also acknowledge that the AYP system does not fully add up, and I join State Superintendent Dr. Rex in calling for changes to No Child Left Behind this year.'

Schools that moved from 'Not Met' to 'Met' AYP this year are St. James Santee; McClellanville; Cario; James B. Edwards; Laing; Moultrie; Fort Johnson; James Island Elementary; Chicora; Corcoran; Dunston; Goodwin; Hunley Park; Hursey; Ladson; Lambs; Midland Park; North Charleston Elementary; Angel Oak; Haut Gap; Frierson; Mt. Zion; Oakland; St. Andrews Middle; Charleston Progressive; Memminger; Mitchell; Sanders-Clyde; Blaney; Jane Edwards; and Ellington.

Schools remaining in the 'Met' category include Belle Hall, Jennie Moore, Laurel Hill, Mt. Pleasant Academy; Pinckney; Sullivan's Island; Whitesides; Harbor View; Murray LaSaine; Stiles Point; Pepperhill; Academic Magnet; School of the Arts; Ashley River; Drayton Hall; St. Andrews Elementary; Springfield; Stono Park; Buist; and Minnie Hughes.

In order to meet AYP this year, South Carolina elementary and middle schools must have had at least 58.8 percent of their students proficient in English Language Arts.

In math, at least 57.8 percent had to be proficient. High school goals jumped upward in 2009, from 52.3 percent to 71.3 percent proficient in English Language Arts and from 50 to 70 percent proficient in math.