Lexington School District 4 has been awarded $12 million from capital state funds to help with developments to schools in the district.

According to the South Carolina Department of Education, proviso 1.81 allows these allotted funds to go to low income, high-taxability index schools.

In March 2024, SCDE requested that Lexington 4 get a facility study done. SCDE paid for the facility study.

The facility study then identified the district  has nearly $34 million in needs and improvements to school buildings.

After the study was completed, SCDE told Lexington 4 to apply for capital funds.

In June, the application information was shared with the board and Lexington 4 requested $28 million.

The district did a match share of up to 25%, which allows $3 million to be spread across other areas of improvement.

In August, the board was notified they would receive $12 million which will focus on Frances Mack Intermediate School, which was the number one priority for improvements.

Frances Mack Intermediate School identified a need for additional classroom spaces, enhanced safety and an age-appropriate physical education space.

Currently, the district is in phase one: plan and preparation.

The facility study showed that Frances Mack could receive up to six more classrooms, allowing more classes and students. Additionally, the district is working on getting approval to create an auxiliary classroom space, restrooms and a physical education space.

A new transportation center is second on the list when allocating where the funds should go. This center would create more office space for the transportation coordinators and staff and would serve as a training space. The transportation center would also be used as a storage unit.

In other news

The Lexington 4 Early Childhood Center provided board members with an instructional report.

Every year, students take an assessment which covers picture naming, rhyming, sound identification, which one doesn’t belong and alliteration. All of these skills are important in early literacy and guide educators on what they need to do to support their students.

In the past three years, picture-naming, sound identification and which one doesn’t belong have been the students strengths’, especially over this last school year.

Students also take the kindergarten readiness assessment, which is only administered once a year within the first 45 days of school.

From the data presented, students are making progress. In the 2023 school year, 41% were demonstrating kindergarten readiness, 32% were approaching and 27% were emerging.

At the fall of last year, 22% of students were at or above their grade level at the beginning of the year. By the end of the year, 83% of students were at or above their grade level.