WEST COLUMBIA, SC -- Lexington Two received top scores in its accreditation, with an overall 376 points out of a possible 400 in areas evaluating the district’s plan for continuous improvement in student learning.
Evaluators for the performance accreditation by AdvancED -- the largest worldwide group of education professionals -- recently released its results, following an intensive, weeklong review and visit to Lexington Two schools this year. The accreditation occurs every five years.
The review team met with more than 200 Lexington Two administrators, teachers, support staff, students, and business and community members as part of its evaluation. The accreditation uses research-based standards, looking at district programs, cultural context and stakeholder involvement to determine how well the parts work together to meet learners’ changing needs.
*The Lex2 AdvancED Team concluded that the district has implemented a powerful, systematic, strategic, data-driven plan to support continuous improvement for increased student learning and preparation for post high school endeavors,” the evaluation team said in its final report.
Of 31 standards ratings for Lexington Two, the district exceeded expectations on 26 and met expectations on the remaining 5.
“This evaluation is led by people from across the United States, measuring us against national standards,” said Lexington Two Superintendent Dr. William B. James Jr. “We’re not perfect. But when you look at our performance and compare it to other districts across the United States, we’re pretty effective at what we’re doing, and people recognize that.”
Among its findings, the evaluating team gave Lexington Two high marks for its:
- Data-driven approach to decision-making in a range of areas, from food service to maintenance to individual classrooms and student academic plans.
- Five-year strategic plan, with specific district initiatives designed to support the plan’s goals.
- Commitment to partnerships with stakeholders -- from parents and legal guardians to church leaders and businesses, civic leaders, district educators, administrators and board members -- to support the learning environment.
- Range of learning opportunities -- from district magnet programs and career and college readiness programs for students to professional development and collaborative sessions for teachers and administrators.
AdvancED is a non-profit, non-partisan organization partnering with more than 34,000 educational institutions representing 4 million educators and 20 million students.
Lexington Two's ratings from AdvancED are shown in the attachment.
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