Latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Midlands

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina high school leaders don't like the way the state calculates graduation rates, but state officials say they are just doing what federal rules require.

The Post and Courier of Charleston reports high school leaders think that the state's method makes graduation rates look worse than they are.

For example, the state automatically counts all students in a high school's feeder middle schools as students who should be expected to graduate, even if some of those middle school students go to another high school.

Local school officials say it takes too much paperwork to prove that some students never enrolled in the expected high schools.

Gary West with the state education department says officials are trying to reduce the paperwork requirements.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)