Summary:
The city of Blackville, South Carolina, has two schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade: Macedonia Elementary-Middle and Blackville-Hilda High. Both schools serve a predominantly African American student population, with Macedonia Elementary-Middle having 76.97% and Blackville-Hilda High having 82.47% African American students. However, the schools face significant challenges, with Macedonia Elementary-Middle consistently ranking in the bottom 10-15% of South Carolina elementary schools and Blackville-Hilda High ranking in the middle range of high schools.
Macedonia Elementary-Middle, which serves grades PK-8, has consistently low test scores that are significantly below the district and state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. The school also has a very high percentage of students (72.89%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage. In contrast, Barnwell 48 District has a lower, but still significant, percentage of students (59.74%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Blackville-Hilda High.
The data suggests that the Blackville, South Carolina, education system faces significant challenges in providing equitable and high-quality education to all students. Addressing the root causes of the performance gaps, such as socioeconomic factors, racial disparities, and access to educational resources, will be crucial in improving the academic outcomes for students in this area. While the current situation is concerning, there are opportunities for targeted interventions and support to help these schools and their students succeed.
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