Anderson District 3: Iva Elementary School earns highest SC ranking ever. What to know.
Last school year, Iva Elementary School scored a record-low 144th out of 644 in South Carolina. In one year, the school improved its ranking to 101 out of 644 South Carolina elementary schools, its highest ranking ever, according to schooldigger.com.
The Schooldigger website ranks schools based on test scores supplied by each state's education department. The scoring is based on standardized test scores in reading, math and language arts. Other factors such as demographics and poverty level also are considered.
The last time Iva received a ranking this high was in 2007 when the school scored in the top 20% of the state's elementary schools. After advancing 43 spots from last year's ranking, Iva Elementary is now in the top 16% of all elementary schools, according to Schooldigger.
Iva Elementary serves 380 students from preschool to fifth grade. According to the ratings, 67% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 52% scored at or above that level for reading.
The school's minority student enrollment is 21%. There are 31 equivalent full-time teachers and one school counselor. As a Title One school, Iva Elementary receives federal assistance due to its poverty level. According to last year's data, the school poverty rate was 85%, one of the highest in the district and Upstate.
How has the COVID pandemic affected Iva's test scores?
In 2018, Iva ranked 156th, while in 2019 Iva placed 137th. During the COVID-19 outbreak that began in 2020, students worked from home. When the students returned in 2022, Iva ranked 173rd, according to schooldigger.com
Kathy D. Hipp, superintendent says, "Over the last five years, Iva has consistently shown substantial gains in student performance. I am proud of the teachers and staff providing a high-quality education for our students. Iva has proven that with pride, purpose, and passion, anything is possible."
How Iva improved its test scores after COVID
The Iva staff implemented new strategies across all grade levels for innovation time to focus on "vertical planning" between grade levels to keep students on track year after year and build a solid foundation.
At the primary grade levels, reading was one of the main concerns. As an in-school program for every grade level, Iva includes a 30-minute session that allows teachers to stop regular daily instruction and focus on students' individual needs, their strengths to their weaknesses.
In order for this program to succeed, Principal Austin Powell says. "It takes all hands on deck. Reading coaches, the assistant principal, the school counselor, and our reading interventionists all contribute to this effort."
Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Iva Elementary School in Anderson District 3 sees strides in test scores
