North Carolina's students are seeing the fruits of their labor with a notable upturn in standardized test scores and graduation rates for the 2024-25 school year. According to the latest data presented to the State Board of Education, there's been an increase in both these crucial educational benchmarks. Improvements were recorded in 12 out of 15 math and reading assessments, although third-grade reading, English II, and NC Math I experienced a slight drop from the previous year's scores, as reported by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
In a detail that suggests the resiliency and focus of its high schoolers, the state reported that the average ACT composite score for 11th graders made a comeback to 18.2, marking a recovery from the dip to 18.1 in the preceding academic cycle. These academic metrics also reflect a trend of ascending graduation rates, as the four-year cohort graduation rate climbed to an impressive 87.7%, topping off a decade-long peak.
The push towards educational excellence does not end with graduation rates and test scores; it also encompasses efforts to support all students, including those facing linguistic barriers. English Language learners have marked their progress with 35% meeting progress targets or exiting EL status, a notable improvement from 27% in the previous academic year. Amidst these gains, some schools affected by Hurricane Helene were granted waivers for lost instructional days, an acknowledgment of the trials they faced.
Another metric that speaks to the ongoing educational uplift is the performance of North Carolina schools themselves. The proportion of schools receiving a grade of A, B, or C has risen. Meanwhile, those rated D or F dropped, indicating a shrinking number of schools categorized as low performing. With the implementation of initiatives like Marzano's High Reliability Model in Cleveland County middle schools, the results have been telling — none were deemed as low-performing, and a majority met or exceeded their growth goals.
"I'm proud of our students and educators who have worked hard to improve these metrics even as we acknowledge that our students are more than test scores," State Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green articulated in the report, advocating for continued progress towards educational excellence. The state's strategic plan, highlighted in Green's comments, aims to position North Carolina's public schools at the forefront by 2030, setting ambitious targets like raising the average ACT composite score to 20 and lifting the adjusted four-year cohort high school graduation rate to 92%, according to the press release from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
Nash County Schools too are witnessing the benefits of strategic planning and data-informed decisions. Nash Early College High School, with their "A" rating and a remarkable 100 percent graduation rate, exemplifies this success.
