In Greenville County, 37.2% of schools scored Excellent and 34.8% scored Good on the South Carolina Department of Education (SDE) annual school report cards for the 2022-23 school year, which is significantly higher than the 22.5% schools across the state scoring Excellent and 24.5% scoring Good.
The district’s high school graduation rate increased to 85.1%. Additionally, 74.7% of the 2022-23 graduation cohort met one or more of the markers for College and Career Readiness, which is a 2.0% increase from last year.
The report card ratings, graduation rate, and college and career readiness results all point to the intentionality and positive impacts of the district’s Graduation Plus initiative, which is the district’s framework from Pre-K through 12th grade to ensure that GCS students graduate with a diploma PLUS college credit and/or industry certification.
“The results of the report card ratings, improvement in college- and career-readiness and a graduation rate that is back to pre-pandemic status show Greenville County Schools continues to excel and outperform the state,” said GCS Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster. “These outcomes reflect the hard work of our students and their families, along with the diligence and dedication of school staff and district administration, and the support of the GCS Board of Trustees, to provide the best educational opportunities and real-world preparation for our students.”
The purpose of the annual state report card is to inform and report to parents and the community the performance of entire districts as well as primary, elementary, middle, and high schools.
The annual state report card rates Academic Achievement, Preparing for Success, Student Progress, English Learners’ Progress, and School Climate for elementary, middle, and high schools. Graduation Rate and College and Career Readiness are additional rated indicators for high schools. High schools are not rated on Student Progress, while Child Development Centers and Career Centers do not receive state report cards.
| 2023 Overall Rating | Number of Greenville County Schools |
|---|---|
| Excellent | 32 |
| Good | 30 |
| Average | 16 |
| Below Average | 6 |
| Unsatisfactory | 2 |
| Not Rated | 2 |
Sterling School and Rudolph Gordon, both serving grades K-8, received two scores, one each for Elementary and Middle School Programs. Fountain Inn High School opened in the 2021-2022 school year, and therefore, does not receive an overall rating. Washington Center, serving K-12 students with disabilities, does not receive an overall rating. Langston Charter Middle School is not included in these counts.
Of the 14 GCS high schools, nine achieved a higher graduation rate than the state, with Woodmont, Riverside and Mauldin High Schools each graduating more than 90% of the students who entered 9th grade four years earlier.
Greenville County Schools vs State of South Carolina – Graduation Rate
| 4-Year On-Time Graduation Rate | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Greenville County Schools | 85.1 | 86.1 | 84.1 | 84.8 | 85.1 |
| State of South Carolina | 81.1 | 82.2 | 83.3 | 83.8 | 83.8 |
Greenville County Schools 2023 Graduation Rate by High School
| School | 2023 Official Grad Rate – Report Card |
| Woodmont HS | 95.0 |
| Riverside HS | 93.0 |
| Mauldin HS | 91.0 |
| Eastside HS | 89.4 |
| JL Mann HS | 88.5 |
| Hillcrest HS | 88.4 |
| Greenville HS | 87.7 |
| Wade Hampton HS | 84.2 |
| Blue Ridge HS | 84.1 |
| Greer HS | 82.8 |
| Travelers Rest HS | 77.6 |
| Carolina HS | 70.9 |
| Berea HS | 67.8 |
| Southside HS | 65.4 |
The percentage of students in the GCS graduation cohort who are college or career ready increased 2 points over 2022 and now stands 10 percentage points higher than the state’s rate.
Twelve (12) of the 14 high schools improved their overall College and Career Readiness percentage from 2021-22 to 2022-23. For the same school year, all 14 high schools increased the percentage of their graduation cohort completing a CTE Pathway with industry certification. District-wide, more than 23% of the graduation cohort achieved this metric. Additionally, nine of the 14 high schools increased their percentage of the graduation cohort completing six or more dual enrollment credits.
Greenville County Schools vs State of South Carolina – College & Career Readiness
| % Grad Cohort – Met 1+ Markers for College OR Career Readiness | SC | GCS | Difference |
| 2020-21 | 61.1 | 64.6 | +3.5 |
| 2021-22 | 65.8 | 72.7 | +6.9 |
| 2022-23 | 64.7 | 74.7 | +10.0 |
The new CCR results (as of 2020) cannot be compared to that of previous years because the cohort of students measured has changed from graduates to all students in the four year on-time graduation cohort (graduates and non-graduates). Fountain Inn High School is not included in the above since it opened in fall 2021.
Visit https://greenville.k12.sc.us for more information.
Written by Greenville County Schools.