District 5 celebrates success in school report card results

School District Five of Lexington and Richland counties is celebrating success in its latest school report card results, which officials say reflect the district’s continued commitment to academic achievement, student growth and educational excellence.

The results, released by the S.C. Department of Education, show significant progress across several key measures compared with the previous year. These improvements highlight the hard work of students, teachers, administrators and staff members who work each day to support student success, the district said in a news release.

“We are thrilled and encouraged by the progress reflected in this year’s school report card results,” said Superintendent Akil E. Ross Sr. “These improvements represent the dedication of our teachers and staff, the determination of our students and the partnership of our families. While we are proud of the progress we have made, we remain focused on building on this momentum and ensuring every student has the opportunity to demonstrate academic growth in our district.”

The annual school report cards provide families and communities with information about school and district performance, including academic achievement, student progress and other measures of educational quality. Comparing results from year to year helps the district identify areas of strength, recognize improvement and determine where additional support and resources may be needed.

Specific growth from the 2024-25 to the 2025-26 report card includes the following:

Increase in graduation rate from 89.7% to 91.8%, the highest graduation rate since at least 2002.

Increase in college and career readiness from 81.2% to 81.5%, compared with the state average of 77.3% in 2026.

No School District Five schools were rated Below Average in 2025-26, an improvement from two School District Five schools with that designation in 2024-25. 

Two additional School District Five elementary schools achieved excellent ratings in 2025-26. 

One School District Five middle school improved from Average to Good for 2025-26.

One School District Five high school improved from Good to Excellent for 2025-26.

School District Five is ranked No. 1 in the Midlands for the percent of students designated as College Ready and No. 1 in the Midlands for the percent of students designated College and Career Ready.  School District Five also remains above the state average for both English language arts and math proficiency.

School District Five of Lexington and Richland counties serves students and families in the Irmo, Chapin and Dutch Fork areas.