South Carolina Kids Count
Demographics |
Family |
Economic Status |
Health |
Readiness and Early School Performance |
School Achievement |
PACT (Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test) |
Adolescent Risk Behavior |
Summary
In 2000 there were an estimated 32,601 children under age 18 in the county. Of these, 16,326 were White, 15,411 were African-American, and 864 were other races. There were 32,456 children under age 18 in 1990, 35,539 in 1980, 34,904 in 1970, and 37,803 in 1960.
Children represent a shrinking portion of the county's population. Those under 18 constituted 25.9% of the population in 2000, down from 44.8% in 1960, 38.9 in 1970, and 32.3% in 1980.
In 2000 the 9,920 pre-schoolers under age 6 were 7.9% of the overall population: 6.8% of Whites and 9.2% of African Americans.
* In all charts African-American is combined with other races, and often abbreviated as AA&O. Other races comprise 2.7% of children in the county, with ''two or more races'' at 1.0% and Asian Alone at 0.8% as the largest Other groups.
Families have always been the most important influence in a child's life. Children depend on their families for material needs, stimulation and guidance. Family life is different in numerous ways from previous generations, and many families now face exceptional challenges.
Families with children now make up a smaller share of all households. Only 33.8% of all households in 2000, as compared with 51.0% of households in 1960, had children below the age of 18.
Births to Teen Mothers: In 2001, 118 babies were born to mothers younger than age 18. They were 6.2% of all babies born in the county; 4.3% of all White and 8.4% of all African-American and Other babies were born to teen mothers under the age of 18. Of the babies born to these teens in 2001, 94.1% were born to single mothers, including babies whose fathers formally acknowledged paternity but had not married the mothers.
In 2001, 296 babies were born to mothers younger than age 20. These babies were 15.5% of all born in the county; 11.6% of all White and 20.0% of all African-American and Other babies were born to mothers under the age of 20. Of the babies born to these mothers in 2001, 86.5% were born to single mothers, including paternity acknowledeged babies.
Education of Mothers Giving Birth: Children's success is strongly influenced by the education of their parents. In 2001, 333 babies, 17.5% of all babies, were born to mothers of all ages who had not completed the 12th grade. In 2001, 14.3% of White and 21.3% of African-American and Other babies were born to mothers who had completed less than the 12th grade. This is a substantial improvement from 47.3% in 1970. In addition, during 2001, 36.3% had completed 12 grades (31.2% of Whites and 42.3% of African Americans and Others) and 46.1% had more than a high school degree (54.5% of Whites and 36.5% of African American and Others).
Births to Single Mothers: Births to single mothers have increased steadily over four decades. In 2001, 739 babies, 38.8% of all babies, were recorded as born to single mothers. A decade earlier in 1990, the percentage was 33.7% and in 1960 it was 12.3%. In 2001, 16.7% of White children and 64.3% of African-American and Other children were born to single mothers. These numbers, however, do not include paternity acknowlegement births.
Thus, to these numbers should be added an additional group of 122 babies, 6.4% of all born in 2001, whose fathers formally acknowledged paternity but had not married the mothers. When the paternity-acknowledged babies are added, the total number born to single mothers in 2001 was 861, constituting 45.2% of all babies, 23.0% of White babies, and 70.9% of African-American and Others.
*Includes paternity acknowleged babies in 1980, 1990 and 2001. Prior to 1979, paternity acknowleged cases were not a statistical category, and thus were included in births to single mothers.
Divorce Rate: In 2001, 1,114 marriage licenses were issued, while 487 divorce decrees involving 390 children were filed. In 1970, only 170 children were in families involved in divorce.
Single-Parent Family: Increasing numbers of children live in single-parent families. In 2000, 9,521 children lived with only one parent. This was 34.2% of all children, up from 29.6% in 1990, 20.7% in 1980, and 15.1% in 1970. In 2000, 17.8% of White and 53.6% of African-American and Other children lived in single-parent families. Also in 2000, 2,625 or 31.8% of children under age 6 lived in single parent families: 13.9% of White and 54.9% of African American and Other pre-schoolers.
Parents Working and Child Care: Increasingly, parents must divide their time between children and employers. In order to meet family financial needs, most parents must work and thus have less time for family life. In 2000, 65.4% of mothers with children under 6 and 72.2% with children 6 - 17 were in the labor force. This has increased substantially from 1960 when 34.3% of mothers with children under 6 were in the labor force. Most fathers also work: 60.9% of children under 6 are in families where the single parent or both parents work. Caring for children is a problem for parents unable to obtain quality, affordable daycare while they are at work.
Overall, there are 5,417 spaces in state-regulated childcare facilities in the county, 80.0% of these are in licensed programs and 20.0% are in registered programs. Of the spaces, 67.1% are in licensed childcare centers serving more than 12 children, 19.0% are in registered or licensed family childcare homes serving six or fewer children, 8.0% are in licensed group childcare homes serving 7-12 children, and 5.9% are in registered or licensed church programs.
The homes and centers are severely constrained by the limited ability of parents to pay. In the county, the average weekly charge is $73.55 for centers and $61.75 for homes. Consequently, center wages are low: 22.9% of centers with pre-school staff and 50.0% of centers with assistant pre-school staff report paying these staff under $6 per hour. Paying $6-$8 per hour are 57.1% of centers with pre-school staff and 27.8% of centers with assistants. Low wages attract workers with limited education. In 45.7% of centers, most pre-school staff and in 100.0% of centers most assistants have only a high school degree. In 42.9% of centers few to none of the pre-school staff have early childhood credentials. In childcare homes, 62.0% of lead providers have no more education than a high school degree or GED; 23.1% have less than a high school degree.
Family Violence: In 2000, 1,095 domestic assaults were recorded by law enforcement officials. These domestic assaults comprised 26.9% of all assaults, which include aggravated assaults, simple assaults, and intimidation. Overall, 57.0% of all domestic assaults involve spouse abuse which constitutes 15.3% of all assaults. Since most family violence is not reported, the true incidence of family disruption is much more widespread than even the large number of reported cases would indicate.
Separation from Parents: Some children do not live with their natural parents. In 2000, 6.9% of all children did not live with their natural parents. Approximately 1653.0 or 5.1% of all children lived with relatives, 446 or 1.4% lived with non-relatives, 38 or 0.1% were householders or spouses, and 105 or 0.3% were in institutional facilities.
Abuse and Neglect: In 2000-01, there were 590 investigations into reported cases of abuse and neglect involving children. Through its investigations, the Department of Social Services (DSS) determined that 140 of the investigations were indicated for abuse or neglect: 16.6% for physical abuse, 7.6% for sexual abuse, 0.0% for mental injury, 22.8% for physical neglect, 5.5% for educational neglect, 4.1% for medical neglect, 43.4% for threat of harm for physical/sexual abuse, and 0.0% for other types of abuse.
In the indicated cases of abuse and neglect, DSS determined there were 211 children who were victims of abuse or neglect. Of these, 51.9% were male, 48.1% were female; 37.9% were White, 62.1% were African-American and Other. By age, 37.9% were ages 0 - 5, 44.8% were ages 6 - 12, and 17.2% were ages 13 - 17. In the indicated cases, 19.4% of the children lived in two-parent families, 58.3% in single parent families, 15.2% with unmarried couples, and 7.1% in other circumstances.
Out of Home Placements: As of June 2001, 156 children lived in foster care. The median age at first placement in the county is 8.1 years. The ages of children in foster care were 13.5% 0-2, 7.0% 3-5, 23.1% 6-10, 16.0% 11-13, and 40.4% 14 and above. The foster care population is 46.8% males and 53.2% females. Regarding their future, 30.1% were under a plan for placement in adoptive homes, 37.2% for return to a parent or guardian, 4.5% for placement with a relative, 17.9% for independent living, 10.3% for permanent foster care, and 0.0% for other circumstances.
Adult/Child Ratio: A measure of potential adult attention for children from family and community is the ratio of adults to children and youth. In 2000 there were 2.86 adults for every person below age 18. This was up substantially from 1960, when there were only 1.23 adults for every person under the age 18. This indicates that today there are more adults potentially available to provide attention and care for each child than in the past.
Low income makes it difficult for many families to provide the material and environmental enrichment necessary for healthy child development.
Poverty: In 1999, 7,313 children and youth under the age of 18 lived in 3,394 families with incomes below poverty, comprising 22.7% of all children and youth: 9.1% of Whites and 36.5% of African-Americans and Others. A rough estimate of child poverty in 2001 calculated by the Census Bureau was 23.0%.
Poverty has always been a serious problem. While the rate among children under age 18 in 1989 was 26.4%, it was 27.8% in 1979 and 32.4% in 1969.
Children and the elderly are the age groups most seriously affected by poverty. In 1999, 24.5% of children 0 - 5 (10.6% White, 39.3% African-American and Other), and 21.4% of children 6 - 17 (7.7% White, 34.9% African-American and Other), lived in poverty; 16.5% of persons 65 years and older lived in poverty. Historically, the poverty rate among the elderly was much higher. During the last three decades, federal policy actions have substantially improved the economic status of older persons but have not done so for children.
Single-parent families are most likely to be poor. In 1999, 47.3% of children in single-parent families lived in poverty, but only 7.2% of children in married-couple families were poor. Children in single-parent families made up 65.6% of all the county's children living in poverty.
In 2002, the poverty level was $15,020 for a family of three and $18,100 for a family of four. The poverty threshold is often criticized as an arbitrary number. People can still be poor but may be just above the poverty level. Federal programs utilize varying thresholds. For example, in 1999 there were 14,964 children ages 0-17 who were less than 200 percent of poverty; thus an additional 7,651 children were above the poverty level but could still be considered poor or near-poor with incomes below $30,040 and $36,200 respectively for 3 and 4 person families.
Children Under Poverty in 1999
| Percent of Poverty | Total | White | African American & Other | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | |
| Under 50% | 4,262 | 13.2% | NA | NA% | NA | NA% |
| Under 100% | 7,313 | 22.7% | 1,468 | 9.1% | 5,845 | 36.5% |
| Under 125% | 9,086 | 28.2% | NA | NA% | NA | NA% |
| Under 150% | 11,204 | 34.8% | NA | NA% | NA | NA% |
| Under 175% | 13,145 | 40.9% | NA | NA% | NA | NA% |
| Under 185% | 14,021 | 43.6% | NA | NA% | NA | NA% |
| Under 200% | % | NA | NA% | NA | NA% | |
| Total Children | 32,601 | - | 16,326 | - | 16,275 | - |
Note: Missing data will be posted here when it is released by the Census Bureau later in 2003.
Income: The mean income of families with children in 1999 was $52,314. In 1989 it was $45,044, and 1979, it was $40,989, adjusted for inflation (i.e., in 1999 dollars). The mean income of single-parent families with children was $24,666 for single parents in 1999, as compared with $65,928 in married-couple families with children. From 1999 to 2000, real dollar per capita income (eliminating inflation) increased by 2.6%.
Child Support Payments: There were 1,312 families* receiving Temporary Aid to Needy Families in fiscal year 2002, but only 29.2 % had child support court orders. Their average monthly payment of child support was $229.09, including child support receipts and tax refund intercepts. In addition, during fiscal year 2002, an estimated 2,430 parents in non-TANF families were obligated to pay a monthly average of $200.52. Information is not available regarding the amount actually paid.
*Number is an unduplicated count for the entire fiscal year.
Good health during a child's formative years helps children to reach their maximum potential. Good health requires healthy lifestyles and effective primary care, starting during the prenatal period and continuing through adolescence into adulthood. Children's health reflects the well-being of the community, as well as how adequately they are protected.
Prenatal Care: Early and continuous prenatal care can make a significant difference in assuring births of healthy babies. Delayed or insufficient prenatal care is associated with low birthweight and other health risks for infants. In 2001, 644, or 33.8% of pregnant women received no prenatal care in the first three months of pregnancy. In 2001, 727, or 38.1% of pregnant women received less than adequate prenatal care: 289 or 28.3% of Whites and 438 or 49.6% of African-Americans and Others. In that same year, 21 women received no prenatal care at all.
Low Birthweight: Low birthweight of less than 5.5 pounds and very low birthweight of less than 3.3 pounds are associated with health risks and growth and development problems. In 2001, 218 or 11.4% of all babies in the county were born with low birthweight: 15.2% of African-American and Other babies and 8.2% of White babies. During 1999-2001, approximately 157 or 2.8% of all babies were born with very low birthweight and had the most serious complications: 1.5% of White babies and 4.2% of African-American and Other babies. The cost of hospitalization for each newborn low birthweight baby in the county in 1999 - 2001 was $18,672 and $136,496 for each very low birthweight baby, compared with $1,877.69 for a baby of normal birthweight. The result was excess cost in the county of $6,951,634 for all low birthweight babies, of which $5,115,500 was for very low birthweight babies.
Infant Mortality: During the decade since 1989-91, the overall infant mortality rate decreased by 19.8% from 16.1 to 12.9 per 1000 live births. For Whites, the rate decreased 2.2% from 7.3 to 7.1 per 1000 live births, while for African-Americans and Others the rate decreased 20.8% from 24.2 to 19.2 per 1,000 live births. Over the three-year period 1999-2001, 21 White and 52 African-American and Other infants died before age one. By comparison, 20 White and 72 African-American and Other infants died during 1989-91.
Child Injuries and Deaths: Childhood deaths and injuries reflect whether communities are safe for children. In 2001, children in the went to the emergency room 4,408 times because of injuries. Boys are injured more often than girls. Children visit the emergency room at comparable rates for each age from 0 to 17.
In South Carolina, the major causes of death among young children are unintentional injuries, cancer, homicide, and congenital anomalies. Over the three year period 1999-2001, 10 White and 17 African-American and Other children ages 1-14 died in the county. During 1989-91, 11 White and 16 African-American and Other children died.
Immunization: Immunization rates are an important indication of whether young children are receiving adequate preventive health care. During FY 1989-90, 50.8% of children less than two years old seen in public health clinics were not fully immunized against such preventable diseases as Polio, Measles, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Haemophilus Influenza B and Whooping Cough. After a concerted statewide campaign to increase immunizations, the percentage of children seen in public health clinics who were not fully immunized in January 2001 had declined in the county to 9.9%. The DHEC statewide birth registry survey of all two year old children found that 88.1% were fully immunized in 2001. This success demonstrates the potential to improve the status of children when the leadership of the state and its communities act decisively together.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Children and youth are infected with sexually transmitted diseases through sexual abuse or irresponsible sexual activity. National prevalence rates indicate: a 1 in 8 chance that sexually active 15 year-old girls will develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), the most rapidly increasing cause of infertility; 10% of sexually active adolescent girls and boys are infected with chlamydia, the most common cause of PID; and as many as 15% of teen girls are infected with human papilloma virus, often with strains linked to cervical cancer. Furthermore, research evidence indicates that susceptibility to HIV/AIDS increases by 3 to 8 times through prior infection with various STDs.
According to national studies, approximately 1 in 4 sexually experienced youth aged 13-19 acquires a STD every year; since two-thirds of all high school students have had sexual intercourse and half engage in intercourse over a three month period, this would suggest that 10-15% of teens are infected with STDs annually. For 2000, this would indicate that an estimated 1,329 to 1,993 youth ages 13-19 in the county were infected with a STD. Many infections are either not identified for treatment or not reported. In the county, there were 6 reported cases of children under age 15 and 125 youth ages 15 - 19 infected with gonorrhea; 4 youth under 15 and 234 ages 15 - 19 were reported infected with chlamydia. Youth with undiagnosed and untreated STDs often spread their infections.
Healthy Lifestyles: Although no county data is available, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in 2001 found that many high school students are not following good health habits. The YRBS revealed that 26% felt that they were overweight; 42% were trying to lose weight: 27% of boys and 57% of girls. Although during a week 79% of high school students ate fruit, 59% ate salad, and over 83% ate vegetables, only 17% ate the recommended five or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day. During a week, 49% did stretching or muscle strengthening exercises, and 59% exercised three or more times for 20 minutes in sports that made them sweat or breathe hard. However, 11% of students engaged in no vigorous or moderate activity at all during a week: 8% of boys and 13% of girls.
Tobacco Use:* Cigarette smoking starts at a young age and often becomes habitual. In the county during 2002 among all students 15 and older, 16.6% first smoked by age 11, 33.7% by age 13, and 49.6% by age 15. In a typical month, 17.9% of 7th and 8th graders and 25.7% of high school students smoked cigarettes. White youths were much more likely than African-Americans to smoke: 35.2% of White male and 29.5% of White female 7th to 12th graders used cigarettes, as compared with 20.7% of African-American males and 9.9% of African American females. A smaller but significant group of high school students (4.7%) used smokeless tobacco monthly; it was used primarily by White males (17.0% compared with 1.4% of all other race and sex groups).
* County participation in the DAODAS South Carolina Survey of adolescent substance abuse and risk-taking was not complete but county data is presented to provide the best available picture of teen risk-taking attitudes and behavior in Florence County. Five of 5 districts participated, but there was partial participation by the largest (District 1).
Disabilities: No data are collected on the true prevalence of disabilities within the . According to nationally reported estimates, over 10% of children and youth have developmental disabilities at any point in time, and more than 17% are affected at some time before age 18 by deafness, blindness, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, speech defects, developmental delays, learning disabilities, and emotional or behavioral problems. For 2000 this suggests that at least 3,260 children and youth under age 18 in the are currently affected by disabilities.
Approximately 5% of children and youth nationally have serious disabilities which have lifelong implications for work, social life and community living. Typically among children and youth, there are 1 - 2% who are mentally retarded, 2 - 3% with serious emotional disturbances, over 1% with orthopedic or multiple disabilities, including cerebral palsy and many hereditary conditions, and under 1% with visual or hearing impairments.
Other chronic health problems also affect the lives of many children. Over 3% of children have one or more of these limitations. Such serious chronic conditions affect 1 - 2% who have respiratory problems (asthma and chronic bronchitis), 0.5 - 1.0% with neurological problems (epilepsy and seizures), and less than 1% with circulatory problems (congenital heart defects and acquired diseases).
Other disabilities are identified primarily in school performance. These would include 1,323 students in grades 1-12 with learning disabilities and 701 students in grades 1-12 with speech/language deficits.
Disabilities are caused by genetics, disease, poor prenatal conditions, injuries, and environmental factors. For example, lead exposure, primarily from paint dust, was detected in over 1% of all children screened, including 20 in .
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: While over 20% of 9-17 year olds meet diagnostic criteria for some form of mental disorder, the number with serious emotional disturbance and impaired functioning in family, school, or community activities is: 9-13% for substantial functional impairment and 5-9% for extreme functional impairment. The rates among poor children are at the higher end of these ranges. Based on a federal formula for estimating prevalence, in the there are 12% or 2,064 seriously emotionally disturbed 9-17 year olds with substantial functional impairment and 8% or 1,376 with extreme functional impairment during the course of a year. Conduct disorders, attention deficit, depression, and anxiety disorders are the most prevalent, each affecting 3% or more of school-aged children. These disorders may occur simultaneously in a child. The prevalence rates are highest among males, adolescents, and disadvantaged persons in communities under stress and lacking social cohesion; depression, however, is more prevalent among females. On the YRBS, 20% of boys and 33% of girls in high school reported that during the past year they felt so sad and hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more that they stopped doing some usual activities. Another indicator of emotional problems is the 8% of high school students in South Carolina who reported that they had "attempted suicide" in the past year: 5% of boys and 10% of girls. Suicide attempts resulted in 4% of high school students reporting that they required treatment by a doctor or nurse for injury, poisoning, or overdose.
Inadequate Healthcare: No county level data is routinely collected regarding the number of children and youth with inadequate healthcare. According to estimates for 2000-02 by the Bureau of the Census through the annual Current Population Survey, the statewide average rate of uninsured children and youth under age 18 in families with incomes under 200% of poverty in South Carolina was 16.6%, and 9.9% above 200% of poverty. If these rates are applied to the county, there are 2,487 children in the county below 200% of poverty with no health insurance, and 1,750 children above 200% of poverty with no health insurance, for a total of 4,238 uninsured children in Florence County. The number lacking basic accessible primary care is at least double the number lacking insurance. Those lacking primary care are often dependent on health services at school. The ratio of students to nurses recommended nationally is 750:1. In the , this would suggest the need for 28 nurses, compared with 21 currently working in the schools.
Medicaid: For several years, the State of South Carolina has emphasized enrolling eligible children into Medicaid. In late 1997, South Carolina implemented its version of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, Partners for Healthy Children (PHC), and aggressively pursued outreach enrollment for PHC and Medicaid. As a result, enrollment of children ages 0 through 18 in has increased by 79.6% from June 1997 to June 2001; thus Medicaid and PHC were serving 51.9% of all children in that age range. The total Medicaid expenditures in South Carolina for services provided to children ages 0 through 18 for state fiscal year 2002 were $991 million, at an average statewide expenditure of $2,343 per child enrolled, approximate Medicaid expenditure for children in the county would be $39.7 million.
In June 2001, the total number of children, birth through 18, enrolled in Medicaid was 16,931. The total can be broken down into the following age and race groupings:
| White | African American | Hispanic | Other | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children Under 1 | 378 | 773 | 20 | 48 | 1,219 |
| Children 1 - 5 | 1,274 | 3,198 | 37 | 229 | 4,738 |
| Children 6 - 14 | 1840 | 5,891 | 31 | 304 | 8,066 |
| Children 15 - 18 | 717 | 2,139 | 8 | 44 | 2,908 |
| Total | 4,209 | 12,001 | 96 | 625 | 16,931 |
Ambulatory Care: When children lack adequate primary care, whether through lack of insurance, through limited access, or through failing to utilize available care, preventable and treatable conditions become serious and require hospitalization. A useful indicator of inadequate primary care is the percentage of all hospitalizations that could typically have been avoided through ambulatory care, especially for pneumonia, asthma, diarrhea and vomiting, dehydration, and severe ear, nose, and throat infections. The share of hospitalizations for these types of conditions could normally be kept below 20%; for children in the under the age of 18 during 2001, the share was 35.3% for Whites and 32.7% for African-Americans and Others.
Too many children reach school without the readiness skills needed for success in learning, such as language, social skills, visual and auditory discrimination, memory recall, and knowledge of colors, letters, numbers, names of objects, etc. Likewise, some schools are not ready to respond appropriately to the varying developmental levels of children in the early grades. As a result, too many students do not experience the success needed to create the motivation and engagement that sustain learning.
1st Grade "Readiness" on 2001-02 Cognitive Skills Assessment Battery (CSAB):
220 children not ready
14.2% children not ready
1st Grade Failures in 2002:
127 children failing
7.8% children failing
Failures Grades 1-3 in 2002 (approximate cumulative percentage of grades one, two and three):
336 children failing
20.0% children failing
Over-age for Grade 3 in 2001:
293 children over-age
18.9% children over-age
Special Education: Large numbers of children are placed in special education classes. In elementary school, 512 six and seven year olds and 551 eight and nine year-olds were enrolled in special education classes during 2001-02, approximately 16.4% and 16.1% of their age groups respectively: 16.1% of White 8 - 9 year olds were in special education and 16.1% of African American and Others.
Readiness Summary: A serious problem exists in terms of student readiness and school success in the early grades. With 14.2% assessed not ready for the 1st grade, 18.9% over age in grade 3, and 16.1% of eight and nine year-olds placed in special education, unacceptably large numbers of students still begin school without good prospects of success in future school achievement and graduation; however, great improvement has occurred since the mid 1990s.
By the end of elementary school, significant numbers of students perform below minimum standards. The following standardized test measures, comparing student performance to state minimum standards, should be used in combination with routine classroom assessments more reflective of real-world performance skills.
Special Education: Special education placements reflect both the significant number of children with serious handicapping conditions and a large number of students with mild learning and behavioral problems that have not been accommodated successfully by the regular educational program. The result is a large system of self-contained, resource, and itinerant services to meet the needs of 701 speech and language impaired, 1,323 learning disabled, 118 emotionally disabled, 864 mentally impaired, and 360 physically handicapped, deaf, blind, and other handicapped students. Special education classes served approximately 15.8% of all students in grades 1 - 12 during 2001-2002.
Exit Exam - not passing all parts of Exit Exam on first attempt in the 10th grade in 2002:
479 students did not pass all parts
37% of students did not pass all parts
Achievement Trends: How has performance on standardized achievement tests changed over the past 20 years? During the 1980s, student performance on the BSAP tests improved dramatically. Between 1981 and 1990, the percentage of 8th grade students in Florence County who did not meet standards declined from 55.5% to 26.8% in math and from 51.9% to 22.9% in reading. During the 1990's the BSAP trend changed, with 37.5% not meeting 8th grade math standards in 1998 and 31.5% in reading. On standardized tests, the first year when South Carolina students take the exam is comparable to the challenge encountered by the national norm group which took the test only once. Looking at first year data, the percentage of 4th grade students at or below the 25th percentile of national norms was 34.8% in 1983 on the CTBS, 31.8% in 1990 on the Stanford, and 34.8% in 1995 on the Metropolitan; for 9th graders, the percentage in the bottom quarter was 32% in 1990 and 31.8% in 1995. Although not comparable, the percent below basic on the 4th grade PACT in 1999, the first year of administration, was 42.6%, but in 2002 26.7% of 4th graders were below basic in reading and math; the percentage of 8th graders below basic in reading and math averaged 46.8% in 1999 and 47.9% in 2002.
PACT: The Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT) was first administered in 1999 for grades 3 - 8 in math and reading/language arts. Math assesses skills in numbers, numerical and algebraic concepts, patterns and functions, geometry, measurement, probability and statistics. The percentage of students scoring below basic in math has decreased by 21.7% of students in grades 3-8 between 1999 and 2002. In 2002 there were 2,549 students below basic in grades 3-8 but there would have been an additional 706 at 1999 performance rates.
Test Results of Students on PACT Math in 2002 (%)
| Test Result & Grade | Total | WM | WF | AA&OM | AA&OF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below Basic, Grade 3 | 32.8 | 18.2 | 18.3 | 47.2 | 39 |
| Below Basic, Grade 4 | 28.4 | 16.8 | 14.9 | 40.4 | 37 |
| Below Basic, Grade 5 | 37.3 | 23.6 | 17.1 | 51 | 47 |
| Below Basic, Grade 6 | 35 | 19.1 | 18.1 | 50.4 | 46 |
| Below Basic, Grade 7 | 51.6 | 32 | 31.4 | 69.9 | 65.8 |
| Below Basic, Grade 8 | 54.5 | 36.5 | 36.3 | 74 | 66.4 |
| Basic, Grade 3 | 43.7 | 46.4 | 46.6 | 40.1 | 43.3 |
| Basic, Grade 4 | 40.7 | 38.1 | 39.2 | 40.6 | 43.9 |
| Basic, Grade 5 | 39.4 | 40.2 | 38.7 | 39.8 | 38.9 |
| Basic, Grade 6 | 38.6 | 40 | 39.4 | 35.6 | 39.7 |
| Basic, Grade 7 | 30.9 | 36.6 | 39.9 | 23.8 | 26.1 |
| Basic, Grade 8 | 36.5 | 44.1 | 49.5 | 23.3 | 31.5 |
| Proficient, Grade 3 | 17 | 23.1 | 25.2 | 9.9 | 14 |
| Proficient, Grade 4 | 18.5 | 25.9 | 22.8 | 13.5 | 14.1 |
| Proficient, Grade 5 | 15.2 | 20.5 | 28.2 | 6.7 | 11.3 |
| Proficient, Grade 6 | 17.3 | 23.4 | 29.8 | 8.6 | 11.5 |
| Proficient, Grade 7 | 11 | 17.5 | 19.4 | 4 | 5.8 |
| Proficient, Grade 8 | 6.6 | 13.4 | 10.8 | 1.6 | 2 |
| Advanced, Grade 3 | 6.5 | 12.3 | 10 | 2.8 | 3.6 |
| Advanced, Grade 4 | 12.4 | 19.3 | 23.1 | 5.5 | 5 |
| Advanced, Grade 5 | 8.1 | 15.7 | 16 | 2.6 | 2.8 |
| Advanced, Grade 6 | 9.1 | 17.5 | 12.8 | 5.4 | 2.9 |
| Advanced, Grade 7 | 6.5 | 13.9 | 9.3 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Advanced, Grade 8 | 2.5 | 6 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0 |
Reading/Language Arts assesses reading, listening, speaking, writing, research, and communication with technology. The first PACT assessment found a high percentage of elementary and middle grades students performing below standards and only a modest number above basic. The percentage of students scoring below basic in reading/language arts has decreased by 20.9% of students in grades 3-8 between 1999 and 2002. In 2002 there were 1915 students below basic in grades 3 - 8 but there would have been an additional 506 at 1999 performance rates.
Test Results of Students on PACT Reading in 2002 (%)
| Test Result & Grade | Total | WM | WF | AA&OM | AA&OF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below Basic, Grade 3 | 24.6 | 14.4 | 12.4 | 39.3 | 25.8 |
| Below Basic, Grade 4 | 25.0 | 18.8 | 9.5 | 40.8 | 27.1 |
| Below Basic, Grade 5 | 34.1 | 20.3 | 11.5 | 53.8 | 39.1 |
| Below Basic, Grade 6 | 34.6 | 22.6 | 16.7 | 54.4 | 38.9 |
| Below Basic, Grade 7 | 32.8 | 21.4 | 11.0 | 58.0 | 35.1 |
| Below Basic, Grade 8 | 41.3 | 26.3 | 21.1 | 63.7 | 49.4 |
| Basic, Grade 3 | 41.8 | 35.6 | 31.0 | 44.3 | 51.1 |
| Basic, Grade 4 | 48.7 | 49.0 | 43.3 | 47.3 | 53.8 |
| Basic, Grade 5 | 49.5 | 55.6 | 51.6 | 41.1 | 52.3 |
| Basic, Grade 6 | 37.2 | 39.6 | 33.3 | 32.1 | 42.8 |
| Basic, Grade 7 | 46.6 | 52.2 | 46.3 | 36.2 | 52 |
| Basic, Grade 8 | 38.8 | 44.0 | 42.5 | 31.6 | 38.2 |
| Proficient, Grade 3 | 32.2 | 48.4 | 52.4 | 16.1 | 22.7 |
| Proficient, Grade 4 | 24.9 | 31.1 | 43.0 | 11.2 | 19.1 |
| Proficient, Grade 5 | 15.5 | 22.9 | 34.1 | 4.9 | 8.6 |
| Proficient, Grade 6 | 24.8 | 34.8 | 42.6 | 12.1 | 15.4 |
| Proficient, Grade 7 | 18.1 | 23.3 | 36.4 | 5.4 | 11.9 |
| Proficient, Grade 8 | 16.2 | 24.4 | 27.8 | 4.2 | 11 |
| Advanced, Grade 3 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Advanced, Grade 4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 4.3 | 0.7 | 0 |
| Advanced, Grade 5 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 0 |
| Advanced, Grade 6 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 7.4 | 1.3 | 2.9 |
| Advanced, Grade 7 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 6.3 | 0.4 | 1 |
| Advanced, Grade 8 | 3.7 | 5.3 | 8.5 | 0.5 | 1.3 |
Dropout Rate - 8th grade students no longer enrolled in grade 12 (average of students for the three years ending 2000-2002)
637.7 students drop out annually
33.1% students drop out*
*Note: Data calculated by using 8th grade enrollment to graduation data.
Dropouts: Distressing numbers of students drop out and fail to graduate. An average of 32.88% of 8th graders failed to graduate from county schools five years later during the period 1980-84, 38.20% during 1985-89, and 36.73% during 1990-94, 31.2% during 1995-97 and 36.2% during 1998-2000.
Fortunately, many dropouts enroll in adult education programs and either earn a high school diploma or obtain a GED. During 2001-02, 9 Adult Education high school diplomas were awarded to school completers and in 2001 220 GEDs were awarded in the county. Over time, adult education high school diplomas and GEDs increase the effective school completion rate substantially. In the 2000 Census, 16.9% of county resident 25 - 34 year-olds said they had not completed either high school or a GED.
Achievement Summary: The numbers of students testing below basic on the PACT and dropping out range from 24.6% to 54.5%. Thus, far too many students fail to acquire the knowledge, skills, learning habits, and motivation necessary to compete in the economy or contribute to society in the 21st Century.
Academic achievement is greatly influenced by the prevailing youth culture which often promotes popularity with peers and partying rather than studying and doing well in school. The prevalence of adolescent risk-taking and under-achievement is illustrated by the poor grades of substance-abusing teens.
Substance Abuser Rates at Levels of Academic Performance
| Behavior | Usual School Grades in A Range in Past Year | Usual School Grades in B Range in Past Year | Usual School Grades in C Range in Past Year | Usual School Grades in D Range in Past Year | Usual School Grades in F Range in Past Year | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoked Cigarettes(in past 30 days) | 14.1% | 25.7% | 29.9% | 39.2% | 58.0% | 25.6% |
| Drank 5 or More Drinks on One Occasion in past 30 days) | 14.1% | 25.7% | 29.9% | 39.2% | 58.0% | 25.6% |
| Used Any Illicit Drug (in past 30 days) | 9.9% | 13.3% | 24.6% | 27.7% | 47.8% | 17.0% |
Source: 2001-02 DAODAS South Carolina Survey
As influence from parents and other adults declines during adolescence, significant numbers of students engage in violence, crime, school offenses, depressive emotions and attempted suicide:
Risk Behaviors Participated in During Past 12 Months
| White Male | White Female | AA Male | AA Female | Total | Total (Grades 7-12) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle School | High School | Middle School | High School | Middle School | High School | Middle School | High School | Middle School | High School | ||
| Carried a handgun or knife for self-defense? | 17.9% | 24.0% | 3.8% | 7.3% | 10.6% | 18.4% | 5.5% | 7.8% | 9.3% | 14.0% | 11.7% |
| Carried a handgun or knife as a weapon? | 6.9% | 8.5% | 0.2% | 1.9% | 7.8% | 12.7% | 4.2% | 4.4% | 4.8% | 7.0% | 5.9% |
| Been in a fight with someone? | 39.6% | 27.7% | 17.7% | 16.2% | 36.6% | 25.0% | 30.4% | 21.2% | 31.2% | 22.5% | 26.7% |
| Hit your boyfriend or girlfriend? | 2.7% | 2.2% | 5.1% | 10.4% | 6.7% | 4.8% | 18.2% | 30.4% | 8.6% | 13.1% | 10.9% |
| Been hit by your boyfriend or girlfriend? | 5.0% | 7.5% | 5.5% | 7.6% | 13.3% | 7.8% | 8.5% | 12.7% | 8.2% | 9.2% | 8.7% |
| Rec'd detention or in-school suspension? | 34.1% | 28.3% | 14.2% | 17.4% | 38.6% | 33.4% | 36.9% | 24.2% | 31.3% | 26.0% | 28.6% |
| Been suspended from school? | 18.0% | 21.7% | 6.5% | 10.6% | 26.5% | 24.7% | 21.9% | 16.0% | 18.5% | 18.4% | 18.4% |
| Stolen anything worth more than $5? | 11.0% | 12.4% | 4.5% | 7.1% | 11.0% | 12.3% | 7.0% | 5.2% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 8.7% |
| Had an accident while driving? | NA | 17.0% | NA | 13.4% | NA | 6.9% | NA | 4.8% | NA | 10.2% | NA |
| Been arrested and booked? | 3.5% | 5.1% | 0.7% | 2.4% | 3.2% | 8.0% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 4.6% | 3.7% |
| Felt hopeless for two weeks or more? | 11.5% | 17.7% | 18.6% | 29.8% | 12.2% | 14.7% | 22.7% | 24.4% | 16.5% | 21.6% | 19.1% |
| Seriously considered attempting suicide? | 5.9% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 15.4% | 3.2% | 4.1% | 7.0% | 6.3% | 5.6% | 8.1% | 6.9% |
Source: 2001-02 DAODAS South Carolina Survey
Adolescence is often a time of taking risks and asserting independence from adults. When asked whether they would tell an adult about a problem, the following percentages of Florence County students said they would be "not likely" or "very unlikely" to tell if they:
Alcohol Use:* In the county during 2001-02, 17.9% of 7th and 8th graders and 33.3% of high schoolers said they had used alcohol in the past month. Of White males in grades 7 - 12, 32.2% had used it in the past month, compared with 26.1% of African-American males; likewise, 32.7% of White females said they had used alcohol, compared with 20.8% of African-American females. Many youth first used alcohol at an early age: 10.1% had used alcohol by age 11 or younger, 25.0% by age 13, and 52.4% by age 15.
During the previous year, 22.4% of 7th and 8th graders and 30.9% of high schoolers said they had ridden with a drinking driver. Of seniors who drive, 15.5% said they had driven after drinking. Widespread use is encouraged by the ready availability and perceived low risk of alcohol use. Among students who expressed an opinion, 39.1% of eighth graders and 66.8% of seniors felt that beer was easy to get. Also, 69.3% of eighth graders and 66.9% of seniors felt there was not a great risk in drinking two drinks a day, and 46.3% of eighth graders and 50.9% of high schoolers felt there was not a great risk in drinking 5 drinks every weekend.
Heavy Drinking:* In 2001-02, 6.5% of 7th and 8th graders and 16.5% of high school students in the county reported drinking 5 or more drinks in a day during the past month. When asked how many drinks, if any, they usually consume, 11.1% of all county students in grades 7 - 12 in 2001-02 responded 3 or more drinks at a time and 5.7% reported usually 5 or more drinks. Among high school students, 15.5% reported usually drinking 3 or more drinks at a time and 8.2% 5 or more. Among seniors, 17.4% reported usually drinking 3 or more drinks at a time and 7.8% 5 or more; however 16.2% of seniors said that they drank 5 or more drinks in a day once or more during the past month.
Drugs:* In 2001-02, 7.3% of 7th and 8th graders and 17.0% of high schoolers in the county reported using illegal drugs during the previous month. Among students in grades 7 - 12, use was reported by 16.5% of White males, 14.1% White females, 18.1% of African-American males, and 5.6% of African-American females. Some young people initiated drug use at an early age: 4.3% had experienced their first use by age 11 or sooner; 12.1% had used a drug by age 13, and 28.2% by age 15.
* County participation in the DAODAS South Carolina Survey of adolescent substance abuse and risk-taking was not complete but county data is presented to provide the best available picture of teen risk-taking attitudes and behavior in Florence County. Five of 5 districts participated, but there was partial participation by the largest (District 1).
In the past year, 7.4% of all high school students in the county who drive and 9.7% of seniors who drive said that they had driven after using drugs. Such use is encouraged by the ready availability of drugs: 18.7% of 8th graders who had an opinion said it is easy to get marijuana and 8.7% said it is easy to get cocaine or crack; 62.6% of seniors said it is easy to get marijuana and 34.1% said it was easy to get cocaine or crack.
Sexual Activity and Pregnancy: Many teenagers now engage in sexual activity. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) administered to a representative sample of high school students throughout South Carolina in 2001 showed that sexual activity begins at an early age: 7% of female and 21% of male students have engaged in intercourse before age 13; by age 15, 38% the females and 49% of males have engaged in sexual intercourse. Statewide, 48% of females and 50% of males in the 11th and 12th grades reported engaging in intercourse during the past three months. Furthermore, 27% of female and 33% of male 12th graders have had intercourse with four or more partners during their lifetimes.
Premature sexual activity often results in pregnancy. In the county, 119 girls between the ages of 14 and 17 became pregnant in 1999, 126 in 2000 and 125 in 2001. This represented 3.3% of all girls ages 14 - 17 in 2001; several times this percentage become pregnant at least once by age 18. The 2001 pregnancy rate for ages 14 - 17 was 2.5% for Whites and 4.0% for African-Americans and Others. Of all pregnancies of 14-17 year olds, 93.6% resulted in live births, with almost all other pregnancies ending in abortions.
Teen pregnancy rates increased substantially across the state during the 1980s; as a result, greater emphasis was devoted to preventing teen pregnancy. Since 1989, the teen pregnancy rate in has decreased by 3386.8%. Overall, it has decreased by 13.8% for Whites, and decreased by 47.4% for African Americans and Others.
Juvenile Delinquency: In 2001-02, 708 individual juvenile offenders in the were referred to the Solicitor for delinquency; of these, 16.2% were age 12 or younger, 32.6% were 13 or 14, and 51.1% were 15 or older.
Of the referrals to the family court, 9.6% of all referrals were for violent and serious crimes which include drug trafficking, acts against persons for murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, and serious property offenses for arson and burglary. Also, 134 juvenile cases constituting 14.1% of all referrals were for status offenses. Status offenses include truancy, running away, incorrigibility, and other offenses that would not be crimes for adults.
Delinquents are likely to live in families with low income: 26.9% lived in families with income under $10,000, 34.0% with $10,000-$19,999 and 39.2% with $20,000 or more. Furthermore, only 16.6% of delinquents lived with both natural parents, while 55.9% lived in a single parent household, 24.8% lived with other relatives, and 2.7% in other situations including parent plus step-parent. Delinquency or criminal activity occurs among many related family members: 38.4% had at least one family member who was delinquent or had some criminal record.
Youth referred to the family courts are likely to have been there before. In 2001-02, 51.6% had at least one prior referral and 21.5% had been referred to court 3 times or more. Many were referred at an early age. For delinquents 15 - 17 years old, 3.1% had been referred by the age of 10, 10.8% by the age of 12, and 26.5% by the age of 14.
During 2001-02, 360 youth ages 15 to 17 were referred to the family courts. In the , 6.2% of all youth 15 to 17 were referred to court in one year and roughly double that percentage are referred at least once by age 18. Furthermore, the National Youth Survey indicates that typically across the United States the proportion of youth engaging in crime is two or three times the number ever apprehended. In 2001-02, there were 30 juveniles committed from the county to DJJ custody and placed in residential programs.
Not in School or Employed: During 2000, 802 teenagers ages 16-19 were idle, meaning they neither worked any hours nor were enrolled in school, even part-time. Idle teens comprised 10.3% of their age group: 7.4% for White and 13.4% African-American & Other teens. A much larger number, perhaps twice as many, were not engaged in either school full time or work full time. The data reflect a serious failure in both school completion and the critical transition from school to work, significantly affecting their development as future workers. For an in-depth description of the problems of young adults seeking to enter the labor force, visit our website at www.scyoungadults.org for our state and county reports on 18-29 year olds.
Deaths: During 1997-2001, 44 youth ages 15 to 19 died. Historically, automobile accidents have been the major cause, resulting in 16 deaths between 1996 and 2000; homicides killed 3 youth 15 to 19 years old during the five-year period, and 4 youth committed suicide. Alcohol use is often a significant factor in deaths among teenagers.
Facing the Scope of Problems: The data on families, economic status, health, readiness, school achievement, and adolescent risk behaviors provide a troublesome picture of the condition of children in . The 34.2% of children in single-parent families, 22.7% in poverty, 36.2% not graduating from school, 33.3% of high school students using alcohol and 17.0% using drugs each month, and other data profiled in this report suggest that too many children are at risk of not growing up to become self-supporting adults, good family members, and responsible community citizens.
Emphasizing the Positive: South Carolina Kids Count reports have been developed to describe the problems of children in each of the counties. Fortunately, the majority of children and youth are doing well, and some very well. One simple description is the percentage of children who do not fall into the problem categories reported. For the , 84.5% of children are born to non-teen mothers ages 20 or older, 54.8% are born to married parents, and 65.8% lived in two-parent families; 77.3% were not poor and 53.5% lived in families with incomes above twice the poverty level for a family of three, $30,040 in 2002; 88.6% of babies were born with normal birthweights; 85.8% were assessed as ready for the first grade, 45.5% scored basic or better on PACT for 8th grade math and 58.7% for 8th grade reading, 63.0% passed all parts of the Exit Exam in the 10th grade, and 63.8% graduated with their class. In a typical month, 66.7% of high school students do not drink alcohol, 83.0% do not use drugs, and 74.3% do not smoke. Unfortunately, the absence of a problem is not always an indicator of success. Some data is available for exemplary performance: for example, 33.6% of 3rd graders and 19.9% of 8th graders scored proficient or advanced on PACT in reading and 23.5% of 3rd graders and 9.1% of 8th graders in math. Unfortunately, data on success is not generally available.
Despite the limitations of success data, we must emphasize the positive in providing good support and appropriate influences for children and youth. Recent philosophy and publications such as those of the Search Institute (700 South Third Street, Suite 210, Minneapolis, MN, 55415-1138, tel. 1-800-888-7828), emphasize the critical importance of "developmental assets" to promote and support positive development. One short book from the Search Institute, (What Kids Need to Succeed, by Peter J. Benson, Judy Gailbraith, and Pamela Espeland, 1995) presents an excellent array of suggestions for promoting developmental assets through families, community, faith congregations, and schools. If each family, school, religious congregation and community organization assertively worked to build such assets, the problems described in this report would be reduced dramatically. Such positive family-school-community efforts could improve South Carolina's national Kids Count ranking from the bottom 10 to the average or even into the top 10 by prevention of unnecessary problems affecting children and youth.
All data presented in this report is the most recent available at the date it goes online. This version of the Kids Count report will be revised as more recent and additional data become available. Please send us your corrections and suggestions for improvement. We welcome your ideas for ways to make the state and county reports more useful and accurate. Please utilize local data sources whenever possible to supplement the profile provided through our report.