• Exemplary – The student demonstrated exemplary performance in meeting the grade level standard.
• Met – The student met the grade-level standard.
• Not met – The student did not meet the grade-level standard.

Unlike PACT, PASS results give local districts and schools student performance data for each academic standard tested, broken out into three categories:

1. Student test performance shows weaknesses and a need for further instruction in the standard.
2. Student may benefit from additional activities that focus on the standard.
3. Student test performance shows strengths in the standard.

Districts receive state funding assistance to administer formative tests that measure student progress throughout the school year. PASS, by contrast, is an end-of-the-year test required for compliance with state and federal accountability laws.

Horry County Schools’ PASS results by subject

• Writing – The writing test for each grade level included multiple-choice questions and one extended-response (essay) item. Fourth-graders had the highest “passing” percentage of students meeting the standard or showing exemplary performance – 79 percent. The seventh-grade passing score was lowest at 72.7 percent.
• English language arts (reading and research) – The ELA test includes multiple-choice questions based on reading passages. Third-graders had the highest passing percentage at 84 percent. Grade 7 was lowest at 71 percent.
• Mathematics – The math test contained only multiple-choice items. Grade 4 had the best passing rate at 85.2 percent. Grade 8 was lowest at 71percent.
• Science – The fourth-grade passing rate of 75.2 percent was best on this multiple-choice test. Grade 3 was lowest at 66.7 percent.
• Social studies – This test also contained only multiple-choice questions. Grade 3 had the best passing rate at 85.8 percent, while Grade 7 was lowest at 60.1 percent.

Exemplary performance

Third grade had the highest percentage of students scoring at the exemplary level –54.9 percent for English language arts. Students in two grade levels – 5 and 6 – recorded the smallest percentage of exemplary scores – 14.5 percent in fifth grade and 15.5 percent in sixth grade each in science testing.

In addition to English language arts, Grade 3 had the highest percentage of exemplary level scorers in writing (49.6 percent). Fourth grade had the highest percentage in social studies (39.7 percent) and mathematics (43 percent). Grade 8 had the best percentage of exemplary scores in science at 29.7 percent.

Demographic results

PASS scores for African-American students, for students with limited English proficiency and for those enrolled in free or reduced price school food programs were lower than overall student scoring percentages.

The highest passing rate for African-American students came in social studies at fourth-grade (72.3 percent). The lowest passing rate for African-American students was 41.2 percent in Grade 6 science. The highest percentage of African-American students with exemplary scores – 33.4 percent – occurred in third-grade ELA. The smallest percentage with exemplary scores was 3.3 percent in sixth-grade science.

Students with limited English proficiency recorded their highest passing marks in social studies – 78.4 percent in Grade 6. Their lowest passing marks also came in social studies testing – 40.9 percent for Grade 7. The highest percentage of limited English proficient students with exemplary scores –34.9 percent – occurred in third-grade English language arts. The smallest percentage with exemplary scores was 2 percent in fifth-grade science.

The highest passing rate for students enrolled in free or reduced-price school food programs was 80.5 percent – a mark reached in fourth-grade social studies. The lowest passing rate was 49.2 percent in Grade 7 social studies. The highest percentage of free/reduced-price students with exemplary scores was 44.1 percent in third-grade English language arts. The smallest percentage with exemplary scores was 8.2 percent in sixth-grade science.

Summary of HCS 2009 results for all students

Grade 3

• Writing –76.4 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 68.9 percent at the state level;
• ELA (reading and research) –84 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 78 percent at the state level;
• Mathematics –73.6 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 67.1 percent at the state level;
• Science –66.7 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 61.6 percent at the state level; and
• Social Studies –77.5 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 74.4 percent at the state level.

Grade 4

• Writing –79 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 70.1 percent at the state level;
• ELA (reading and research) – 83 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 75.6 percent at the state level;
• Mathematics – 85.2 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 76.8 percent at the state level;
• Science –75.2 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 68.7 percent at the state level; and
• Social Studies – 85.8 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 79.8 percent at the state level.
  

Grade 5

• Writing –77.4 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 73.2 percent at the state level;
• ELA (reading and research) – 83.6 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 80 percent at the state level;
• Mathematics –79 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 73.5 percent at the state level;
• Science –71.6 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 68.3 percent at the state level; and
• Social Studies –76.2 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 70 percent at the state level.

 

Grade 6

• Writing – 75.4 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 70.3 percent at the state level;
• ELA (reading and research) – 74.4 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 71.7 percent at the state level;
• Mathematics –76.5 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 70.3 percent at the state level;
• Science – 65.6 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 64 percent at the state level; and
• Social Studies – 81 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 79.6 percent at the state level.

Grade 7

• Writing – 72.7 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 70.1 percent at the state level;
• ELA (reading and research) –71 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 68.7 percent at the state level;
• Mathematics –72.2 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 69.4 percent at the state level;
• Science – 74.3 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 71.1 percent at the state level; and
• Social Studies – 60.1 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 60.2 percent at the state level.

Grade 8

• Writing –75.6 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 68.2 percent at the state level;
• ELA (reading and research) –74 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 67.5 percent at the state level;
• Mathematics –71 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 62.7 percent at the state level;
• Science –70.3 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 62.3 percent at the state level; and
• Social Studies –73.9 percent Met or showed Exemplary performance in meeting the grade-level standard, compared to 69.6 percent at the state level.