Sorry about that last blog. I forgot to save the top, so here’s a summary:
Next Sunday, I’m going to take a hard look at two high-poverty school districts. One, Clarendon District 1, that has found the magic and has its children performing at a high level — ahead of Charleston Count’s schools, and just below Greenville’s. The other district is Allendale County that ranks near the bottom in student performance in a state that ranks near the bottom nationally. We’ll take a look at what makes the difference and the lessons that can help other districts with high poverty schools, such as Charleston County where some of the best high schools in the state – even nation, exist along side three of the worst performing in SC. Sadly, Allendale had seemed to be on the path toward turning itself around with the visionary leadership over the last two and a half years of superintendent Dr. Harold McClain, however, he was suddenly fired late last month by the newly elected school board — once again denying the district consistency in leadership. He was the sixth superintendent or interim superintendent since 2006 when the state DOE returned control of the troubled schools to the county board of education.