The Effingham County Board of Education heard public concerns at its Feb. 2 meeting as it continues to consider a redistricting recommendation that will redistribute 200 students from Ebenezer Middle School between the other two middle schools.

“I’m kinda feeling defeated,” said parent Melissa Kessler, whose child will be moved to the Effingham County Middle district, after the presentation, saying she understood why the lines were drawn this way. “… The other part was the test scores. I would rather my child be at a school at almost full capacity and the test scores be higher than one that’s not as many students and the test scores are lower.”

ECMS did not meet its Adequate Yearly Progress target last year because test scores for black and economically disadvantaged students did not reach the bar, even though the school as a whole did.

For the complete story, see Friday's print edition of the Effingham Herald.