South Carolina's schools top survey

AIKEN - After a punishing round of test scores and academic progress reports tarnishing the educational reputation of both South Carolina and Georgia, South Carolina public schools scored a high ranking in a national report card released Wednesday.

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Georgia didn't fare as well, but wasn't a cellar dweller.

In Education Week magazine's Quality Counts 2004 nationwide survey of public school standards and policies, South Carolina received the No. 1 ranking for the second year in a row, earning an A-minus for improving the quality of its teachers. Georgia ranked 29th and received a C-minus.

South Carolina also tied with Maryland for having the nation's fifth-toughest school standards and accountability measurements, earning an A in this category. Georgia tied with Oklahoma and Massachusetts for the eighth slot, earning a B-plus. Both states were praised for having uniform tests on different subjects and clear academic standards.

Georgia got a better grade than South Carolina on money devoted to public schools, ranking ninth in the nation with a B for spending $7,439 per pupil. South Carolina got a B-minus, ranking 11th with $7,325 spent on each pupil.

The Quality Counts survey concentrates on the education standards and policies of each state, ranking them according to the amount of money spent on pupils, the qualification requirements for teachers and the toughness of academic standards and tests. Absenteeism, parental involvement and class size also are measured.

"This measures your policies rather than academic standards," said Mary Anne Byrd, a spokeswoman for the South Carolina Department of Education. "It shows we've put good policies in place. We've got work to do, but we're moving in the right direction."

Reach Jim Nesbitt at (803) 648-1395 or jim.nesbitt@augustachronicle.com.

--From the Thursday, January 8, 2004 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle