Nine school report cards receive Excellent ratings, while district graduation rates, academic performance and college and career readiness reach historic highs
By Delayna Earley
The Island News
The Beaufort County School District is reporting some of its strongest academic results in years, with more than 94% of its school report cards earning ratings of Excellent, Good or Average on the 2026 South Carolina School Report Cards released by the state Department of Education.
Nine school report cards received an Excellent rating, the most since South Carolina introduced its current school accountability system in 2018. Half of the district’s high schools earned the state’s highest designation, while several other schools improved their ratings from the previous year.
The district also reported record-high graduation rates, college and career readiness, and student performance in English language arts and mathematics.
The annual report cards evaluate public schools using several measures, including academic achievement, student progress, college and career readiness, and school climate.
An Excellent rating indicates that a school substantially exceeds the state’s performance criteria, while a Good rating means a school exceeds those standards. An Average rating indicates that a school meets the state’s expectations.
Among the district’s highest-rated schools were Bluffton, Hilton Head Island and May River high schools; Bluffton Middle School; and Okatie Elementary School.
Bluffton High School earned an Excellent rating for the sixth consecutive year, while Okatie Elementary received the designation for the fifth straight year.
Hilton Head Island High School and Bluffton Middle School received Excellent ratings for the first time since the current accountability system began in 2018.
“The students and staff at HHIHS are ecstatic about receiving an Excellent rating on our school report card,” Hilton Head Island High School Principal Steve Schidrich said. “We have always taken great pride in our school, and to receive an excellent rating reinforces our belief.”
Schidrich said the recognition comes during a significant year for the school, which also opened a new academic building.
Bluffton Middle School Principal Keith Stewart credited the school’s improvement to students, educators, families and community support.
“This achievement reflects the hard work of our students, the dedication of our teachers and staff, the support of our families, and the investment of a community that believes in our children,” Stewart said.
Other schools receiving Excellent ratings included River Ridge Academy and Riverview Charter School at both the elementary and middle school levels.
Riverview Charter School’s elementary rating jumped two levels, from Average in 2025 to Excellent in 2026.
Several other schools also demonstrated improvement.
Beaufort High School, H.E. McCracken Middle School and Michael C. Riley Elementary School each moved from Average to Good.
Beaufort High Principal Ryan Walsh pointed to improvements in graduation rates and college and career readiness as evidence of the school’s progress.
“I am especially proud of raising our graduation rate for 3 straight years and our CCR rating,” Walsh said. “These accomplishments demonstrate our commitment to preparing our students for success beyond high school.”
Whale Branch Middle School and St. Helena Elementary School each improved from Below Average to Average.
Whale Branch Middle Principal Brantley Wilson said the school experienced growth across all areas measured by the state report card, including its SC READY assessment results.
“This growth reflects consistent focused work from our entire staff and student body, along with crucial support from community partners,” Wilson said. “We are proud of our progress last school year and committed to continued growth.”
St. Helena Elementary Principal Constance Goodwine-Lewis described the school’s approach as one centered on relationships, encouragement and high expectations.
“Together, we remove the weeds of doubt, fear, and limitation so that every learner has the opportunity to thrive,” Goodwine-Lewis said.
The district also reported that no school received an Unsatisfactory rating, continuing a trend that began in 2024.
Academic scores continue to climb
Beyond the individual school ratings, districtwide assessment results showed continued improvement in English language arts and mathematics.
On the SC READY English language arts assessment, 61.9% of students in grades three through eight met or exceeded expectations in 2026, compared with 60.5% in 2025 and 55.6% in 2024.
The figure represents a 17.2-percentage-point increase from 2021, when 44.7% of students met or exceeded expectations.
Mathematics performance also improved, although fewer than half of students met or exceeded grade-level expectations.
In 2026, 49.7% of students met or exceeded expectations in mathematics, up from 46.4% in 2025 and 44.9% in 2024. In 2021, the figure was 39.8%.
Both subjects recorded their highest district-wide results since the current SC READY assessments were introduced, according to the district.
Despite the gains, the results indicate that approximately 38% of students remain below expectations in English language arts, while slightly more than half remain below expectations in mathematics.
District officials attributed the improvements to instructional strategies focused on student progress and the use of assessment data to identify academic needs.
“These results reflect the ongoing commitment of our educators to continuous improvement and student success,” Chief Instructional Services Officer Mary Stratos said.
She said the district has emphasized strengthening classroom instruction, using student performance data and aligning teaching with state academic standards.
Graduation rate reaches record high
The district also reported its highest state-reported four-year graduation rate, with 91.1% of students in the Class of 2026 graduating on time.
The graduation rate measures the percentage of students who earn a high school diploma within four years.
College and career readiness also reached a district record, with 86.7% of students meeting the state’s readiness criteria.
That figure exceeds the statewide rate of 78.9% reported by the South Carolina Department of Education.
It also represents a substantial improvement from 2021, when 73.9% of Beaufort County students met the college or career readiness standards.
The results suggest that the district’s gains extend beyond standardized testing to measures of students’ preparation for life after high school.
District credits teachers, staff
Superintendent Frank Rodriguez credited educators, administrators, families and community partners for the district’s performance.
“The achievements reflected in this year’s state report card are the result of a shared commitment to student success across our district,” Rodriguez said.
He also pointed to the district’s efforts to recruit and retain teachers, including competitive salaries and reduced staffing vacancies.
“Our Board of Education’s commitment to maintaining competitive salaries has helped us attract and retain exceptional educators, while our recruitment efforts have continued to result in the lowest vacancy rates we have seen in years,” Rodriguez said.
“Having highly qualified professionals in our classrooms every day is making a meaningful difference for students across Beaufort County.”
While district officials celebrated the improvements, several schools continue to receive Average ratings, and districtwide mathematics proficiency remains below 50%.
The results provide a picture of a district making measurable academic progress while still facing challenges in ensuring that all students meet state expectations.
Families can review individual school ratings, academic performance data and other measures through the state’s school report card website at SCReportCards.com.
The district also plans to host school showcase events in November to introduce families to academic programs and other educational opportunities. Additional information is available at beaufortschools.net/showcase.
Delayna Earley, who joined The Island News in 2022, formerly worked as a photojournalist for The Island Packet/The Beaufort Gazette, as well as newspapers in Indiana and Virginia. She can be reached at delayna.theislandnews@gmail.com.