Special to the Chronicle

4 Lexington 2 schools are among a list of Palmetto Gold and Silver Award winners recognized by the SC Department of Education.

Busbee Creative Arts Academy earned a Palmetto Silver Award in the 2018-19 year, while Fulmer Middle, Riverbank Elementary - formerly Pineview Elementary - and Saluda River Academy for the Arts earned Palmetto Silver Awards for 2017-18.

The Palmetto Gold and Silver awards program was established by the Education Accountability Act of 1998 “to recognize and reward schools for academic achievement and for closing the achievement gap,” according to a SC Department of Education news release.

The State Board of Education, working with the SC Department of Education and SC Education Oversight Committee, set revised criteria for the awards program this past spring. The criteria, which identify the general performance of schools, were based upon an analysis of the 2018 annual school report cards and upon feedback from a task force of principals, coordinated by the EOC in 2019.

Additional criteria will be added in the future to recognize schools that have closed the achievement gap.

“It’s such an honor to be recognized as a Palmetto Silver School,” Busbee Principal Stephanie Hucks said.

“The faculty, staff, and students have worked very hard over the past few years to get to where we are today. For us, the key to raising student expectations and performance has been consistency and collaboration with teachers that is data-driven.”

In 2018-19, 249 South Carolina schools received Gold and Silver Awards, while in 2017-18, 232 did.

Right: Busbee students pose with a congratulatory balloon after the award announcement.