Georgetown County schools show mix of top honors and academic growth needs in latest state report cards
October 14, 2026
The South Carolina Department of Education has released its annual school report card metrics, revealing a distinct performance dynamic across the Georgetown County School District (GCSD): top-performing schools in the Waccamaw region continue to achieve high ratings, while district-wide benchmarks highlight ongoing needs in elementary math and reading proficiency.
Under Superintendent Dr. Bethany Giles, the district of roughly 8,000 students continues to emphasize postsecondary readiness and career preparation, maintaining an overall high school graduation rate of 86 percent—outperforming the state average.
State Superintendent Ellen Weaver
High-Performing Schools Lead the District
Several schools in the district received top honors on the state accountability system:
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Waccamaw High School retained its overall “Excellent” state rating, driven by high marks in graduation rates, College and Career Readiness (CCR) indicators, and high school student success metrics.
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Waccamaw Middle School earned an “Excellent” rating, continuing its track record as a state-recognized school of distinction.
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Waccamaw Intermediate School and Waccamaw Elementary School achieved strong performance scores, placing them among the top elementary-level programs in the district.
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Pleasant Hill Elementary School maintained solid progress scores, earning high marks for student growth.
District officials highlighted these outcomes as proof that targeted instruction and strong community involvement produce positive results.
Recommended Areas for Improvement
Despite success at individual campuses, district-wide data points to key academic areas requiring focused intervention:
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Math Proficiency Interventions: State standardized testing (SC READY) reveals district-wide math proficiency at 38 percent. Educational leaders recommend expanding early-grade math interventionists and structured math coaching for elementary and middle school faculty.
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Reading & Literacy Growth: English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency stands at 56 percent district-wide. Recommendations include strengthening foundational literacy programs across lower-performing primary schools, such as Andrews, Sampit, and Maryville Elementary.
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Closing the Achievement Gap: Report card sub-scores show achievement gaps between student demographics across the district. State recommendations emphasize targeted academic support for multilingual learners and economically disadvantaged students to elevate district-wide growth metrics.
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Resource Allocation & Equity: Analysis of classroom environment and safety data suggests a need to ensure equitable access to instructional technology and learning tools across all attendance zones, ensuring rural and urban schools receive equal support.
District leaders state they will use the latest report card findings to refine curriculum strategies and target resources where instructional intervention is needed most.
Statewide Trends Show Historic Improvement
According to the latest state release, the localized results in Georgetown County reflect broader statewide progress across South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Education reported that 52.3 percent of all schools earned overall ratings of “Good” or “Excellent”—the highest share in the history of the current report card rating system. The state’s on-time graduation rate climbed to a decade-high 87.5 percent, while more than 80 percent of high schools earned “Good” or “Excellent” marks for College and Career Readiness. State Superintendent Ellen Weaver noted accelerating growth particularly in middle schools, alongside gains in high-poverty schools statewide, pointing to strengthened literacy foundations and target interventions as drivers for the rising performance metrics.
Click here to view the entire report card for the district.
