State and local education leaders honored Meeting Street Elementary – Burns on Monday for unmatched student growth on the SC Ready standardized test for the 2025-26 school year.
Meeting Street Elementary ranked No. 1 in the state for its improvement in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards in English/language arts. The school jumped 22 percentage points in one year, from 46 percent of students at or above grade level to 68 percent.
The school’s gains in math also ranked among the best in the state. The school was No. 3 in math, moving from 38 percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards to 59 percent.
“Meeting Street Schools are redefining what’s possible for students, and we’re just getting started,” said Josh Bell, president of Beemok Education, a portfolio of nonprofit education organizations that includes Meeting Street School, the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund and the Excellence in Teaching Awards. “We’re proud of our students who worked so hard, the teachers who taught them so well and the families who partner with us daily. We have a clear vision and high expectations, and we hope our model sparks more conversation about how we can better serve students across South Carolina.”
This is the second consecutive year that Meeting Street Schools showed strong year-over-year improvement across the board.
At nearby Meeting Street Elementary & Middle – Brentwood in North Charleston, the elementary grades ranked No. 12 statewide for growth in math while its middle grades ranked No. 14. In English/language arts, its middle school ranked No. 2 statewide for its gains.
Meeting Street Academy – Spartanburg, a charter school operated by Meeting Street Schools, ranked No. 11 in the state for its growth in English/language arts.
Both Burns & Brentwood are Public Schools of Innovation, which are similar to traditional public schools in that there’s no cost or admissions criteria. Any student who lives in its attendance zone is eligible to attend.
The schools are different in that they are managed by Meeting Street Schools, a nonprofit organization that has autonomy to determine how it operates, from curriculum and staff to budget and calendar. Meeting Street Schools were founded in 2008 by philanthropists Ben and Kelly Navarro to give more students the opportunity to access an excellent education.
The Charleston County School Board approved in February a 10-year agreement for Meeting Street Schools to continue operating both Burns and Brentwood.
The improvement at Burns in particular is significant. The school has faced persistent academic challenges over the years, including periods of low proficiency and state support.
“Every one of our students is capable of excellence, and we know with high expectations and hard work they can achieve it,” said Burns Principal Nik’Toshia Flowers. “We are so proud of what our kids have accomplished and we’ll continue working toward our goal of every student performing at or above grade level.”
Across South Carolina, scores improved 1.7 percentage points to 61.3 percent meeting or exceeding state standards in English/language arts and 8.2 percentage points in math to 52.1 percent.
“Being ranked in the top spot for academic growth is an exceptional accomplishment, but what stands out most is the journey. Just a few years ago, Burns was facing significant challenges. Today, its students are among the highest performers in South Carolina. That kind of transformation doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when talented educators, strong leaders, committed families, and partners who believe children are worth investing in come together around a shared vision,” State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver said. “We are grateful to Superintendent Anita Huggins, the Charleston County School District team, Meeting Street Schools founders Ben and Kelly Navarro, and the many educators and community partners who have worked together to make this success possible. Burns is a powerful example of what can happen when public and private partners unite around the common good of helping every student thrive.”
Both Weaver and Huggins visited Burns on Monday to celebrate its achievement.
Photos provided by the South Carolina Department of Education
