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Changes on the Horizon 
The GED test has remained largely unchanged since its introduction in the mid-1940’s. Originally designed as a means for World War II servicemen to earn their high school credential upon returning home from the war, the test grew in popularity and was made available to the public in the 1950’s. Since that time, the GED test has been updated roughly every ten years with timely changes in content and structure. It has always, however, been a paper/pencil-delivered test.  That is about to change.  We are now in the final academic year of the current GED test administration, as we know it. Beginning in early 2013, the GED Testing Service will begin transitioning into computer-based GED testing. Full implementation will be complete on January 1st, 2014 at which time paper/pencil tests will no longer be available. The cost of the new test will increase from $80 to $120. The computer-based test will be slightly shorter (roughly 7 hours), but the content will be more rigorous as reflected in the Common Core State Standards.  The time to earn your GED credential is now! If you or someone you know has been considering going back to school to earn a GED credential, we strongly encourage you to do so NOW before the new test is upon us.  Please feel free to call Darlington County Adult Ed at any time for more information on the new GED test and how we can help you earn your high school credential before time runs out on the current test series.  We are here to serve you. Together, we can achieve excellence! Chuck Miller, Director Darlington County Adult Ed (843) 398-2856
Posted by chuckm  On Oct 08, 2012 at 2:15 PM 214 Comments
  
this is a test 
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creep in this petty pace from day to day to the last symbol of recorded time and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out brief candle. Life is but a walking shadow, a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Posted by audrey.childers  On Dec 20, 2013 at 8:54 AM 368 Comments
  
December 2013 - Allow Me To Introduce... 

I am pleased to announce the first of a regular “educational blog” here on the Darlington County School’s website. The purpose of my blog is to communicate the positive things that go on in public education, not just in Darlington County, but from all over the nation.

To be among those determining the future of education in our country, we must have meaningful dialogue towards that end. I welcome positive contributions that are more global in nature, and I encourage everyone to ask “why not?” We are limited only by our own thinking processes and I, like you, intend to stretch my thinking throughout this journey, and I hope you will do the same.

I have been an educator for over 32 years, and I have worked at the elementary, middle, high school, college, and graduate school levels. I attended a small Catholic elementary school that closed after I completed the 4th grade, and I embarked on my public school journey from the 5th grade through high school graduation. I am a lifelong learner with several different kinds of degrees, ranging from a two-year associate degree to a doctorate. I do not profess to be “smart” as much as I profess to be determined and persistent.

With that out of the way, I want you to know what I think we need to consider when trying push a high performing school district to even greater heights:

  • What do our graduates move on to do?Should we measure what our students do after graduation as part of measuring our success as a school district?
  • How can we make our classroom learning more relevant and more rigorous?
  • How do we inspire our students to think about and create jobs that may not have been invented?

I know these are challenging questions, but how can we not consider them? Especially when we are determined for our students to reach even greater heights… I invite you to join in!

I believe students, in general, are much more capable than we give them credit for or even expect of them. I believe that students should enroll in more rigorous course work in school, especially in mathematics and sciences. What strategies can we use (in and out of the classroom) to build a culture of “expectation” when it comes to increasing the number of students who succeed in these courses?

I regret that I won’t be able to respond to every single post, but I and the other leaders of our district look forward to your thoughts.

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Posted by audrey.childers  On Mar 25, 2014 at 12:37 PM