Four Richland One schools have been named Visible Learning Certified Schools. John P. Thomas Elementary, Webber Elementary, Heyward Gibbes Middle and Hopkins Middle schools were recognized during the Visible Learning Conference, which was held July 13-18 in Nashville, Tennessee.
These four schools were among the nine nationwide to be named Visible Learning Certified Schools this year.
Visible Learning, which is part of a partnership between Corwin, a leading educational publishing company, and Australian education researcher professor John Hattie. The program is based on research that identifies the instructional practices with the greatest impact on student achievement. Its primary goal is to help teachers better understand the effectiveness of their teaching while empowering students to take greater ownership of their learning. By promoting evidence-based teaching strategies, Visible Learning aims to improve educational outcomes and foster a culture of continuous growth or both teachers and students.
Visible Learning School Awards recognize the progress and achievements schools make in implementing the program and embedding its methods in all levels. There are three awards a school can obtain: Associate School, Partner School and Certified School. Being named a Visible Learning+ Certified School is the highest award a school can obtain.
Eligibility for each of the three awards includes an assessment process, evidence of impact requirements, and required performance standards. In addition, each school is assessed to the extent to which the Visible Learning mind frames are present; whereby leaders, teachers and students are evaluators of their own impact. The award is valid for wo years, and schools must reapply to maintain their award status.
Hopkins Elementary School became the first Richland One school and the first school in South Carolina to be named a Visible Learning Certified School in 2024. In 2025, Hyatt Park earned that same distinction, becoming the second school in both Richland One and the state of South Carolina to receive Visible Learning certification. These achievements reflect the district’s commitment to implementing evidence-based instructional practices that support student learning and achievement.