Clarendon County Schools Celebrate Student Gains, Highlight Focus Areas in New Scores
Clarendon County, SC – The Clarendon County School District (CCSD) is pleased to announce significant progress in student achievement across multiple areas, as reflected in the newly released assessment data. These gains are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and staff, and demonstrate the positive impact of our targeted interventions and innovative programs.
"As the Clarendon County School District Board of Trustees, we are overjoyed with the progress our district has made in educating our students. The data confirms we are on the right path to serve all learners effectively,” stated Johnny Bonaparte, Chairman, CCSD Board of Trustees. “It also reflects the strong processes and dedicated, qualified staff and administration guiding our efforts. The Board remains committed to working with our team to sustain this momentum and achieve the goals set by the South Carolina Department of Education.”
Elementary School Highlights:
Walker Gamble Elementary School (WGES) significantly exceeds the state's average percentage of students scoring Meets/Exceeds in ELA, Mathematics, and Science:
ELA: 69.3% (State: 60.2%)
Math: 64.9% (State: 44.5%)
Science: 58% (State: 49.5%)
Manning Elementary School (MES) demonstrated impressive growth in the percentage of students scoring Meets/Exceeds from 2024 to 2025 in ELA, Math, and Science:
ELA: 42.2% to 48.1%
Math: 30.8% to 41.8%
Dr. Rose Wilder Elementary School (DRWES) exceeded the state's average in Mathematics:
DRWES Math: 50.5% (State: 44.5%)
DRWES also showed significant gains in ELA and Math from 2024 to 2025:
ELA: 46.2% to 53.3%
Math: 48.1% to 50.5%
“These results reflect the power of teamwork here in Clarendon County,” stated Dr. Erica Murdaugh Director of Early Childhood and Elementary Education. “We're proud of the hard work and dedication of our staff and students, and we are all committed to achieving '75 in 5' by working together to improve outcomes and meeting the mandate from State Superintendent Weaver.”
Secondary School Highlights and Areas for Focus:
Clarendon County School District continues to make strides in secondary education, with notable successes alongside areas that require continued focus. The district’s commitment to student growth is evident in both our graduation rates and middle school literacy gains, but challenges in math, science, and content mastery remain.
“We celebrate the gains we see across our secondary schools, particularly in graduation and literacy, but we also recognize that true success requires mastery of all subjects," stated Dr. Tyneshia Eaddy, Director of Secondary Education. "With intervention blocks, an MTSS framework, GEAR UP, high-intensity tutoring, and afterschool support, we are building the systems to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.”
Strengths:
Manning High has improved in English 2 C or higher, gaining more than 20 points since 2022.
Middle Schools: East Clarendon Middle leads in performance with 59% of students meeting or exceeding in ELA and 44% in Math. Scotts Branch Middle showed impressive growth in ELA Meets & Exceeds, climbing to 49.6% in 2025. Manning Junior High improved steadily in ELA, with nearly half of students meeting or exceeding expectations.
Areas of Concern:
End-of-Course (EOC) scores in Biology and U.S. History continue to present challenges, as too few students are achieving a C or higher. Scotts Branch High School also faces areas for improvement in English 2 and U.S. History, highlighting the need for focused support to help students succeed academically in these key subjects.
Middle schools are working to strengthen student achievement, as Meets and Exceeds rates in math remain below 45% across all three schools. Additionally, science scores show that many students are performing below grade-level expectations, emphasizing the importance of focused efforts to support student growth and success in these essential subjects.
Supports in Place for Continued Improvement:
Intervention Blocks built into the master schedules at every middle and high school provide targeted remediation and enrichment.
A dedicated MTSS Specialist works directly within each school to ensure support for academic, behavioral, and attendance needs.
The district partners with GEAR UP, providing college readiness, mentoring, and academic support for secondary students.
Afterschool academic programs extend learning in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies, with a focus on closing identified gaps.
High-Intensity Tutoring ensures that students in need receive focused, small-group support.
Data over time highlights the progress made by CCSD schools and also reveals opportunities for further growth and closing achievement gaps. These efforts are already underway, supported by ongoing initiatives and resources dedicated to continuous improvement and student success.
“All of our schools are making progress in many areas, which reflects the dedicated efforts within our buildings to boost student success,” said Dr. Shawn Johnson, Superintendent. “We are committed to rising to the challenge set by State Superintendent Weaver to ensure that 75% of our students meet or exceed grade-level expectations by 2030. We are meeting students where they are and implementing research-based strategies to close achievement gaps. With the latest data, we are confident we are on the right path, and we look forward to seeing the updated state report cards in just over a month!”
The full version can be found HERE.
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