Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

As the new school year gets underway, public school districts across the state are receiving their yearly “report cards.”

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) released the annual School Performance Grades on Sept. 4 based on data from the 2023-24 school year.

The “report card” system has been in place since the NC General Assembly approved it in 2013. The grades are calculated based on each school’s achievement score (weight of 80 percent) and each school’s academic growth (weight of 20 percent). Achievement scores are based on test results while academic growth results are divided into three categories: exceeded expectations, met expectations, and did not meet expectations.

A numerical grade is determined and then each school is assigned a letter grade based on a 15-point scale.

Out of the 26 schools (public and charter) in the four counties of the Roanoke-Chowan area, the most common letter grade was D (11 schools) and C (nine schools) in this year’s results. Three schools received an A grade, while only one this year received an F grade – an improvement from three schools who received the lowest grade last year.

School performance grades in the Roanoke-Chowan area for the 2023-24 school year are as follows:

In Bertie County, almost all of the schools met or exceeded growth expectations, and the middle school improved from their F grade last year. The four-year cohort graduation rate at Bertie High improved by two percentage points to 86.6 percent, and the Early College’s graduation rate remained higher than 95 percent.

Aulander Elementary: 69 (C grade) – met expectations

Colerain Elementary: 55 (C grade) – met expectations

West Bertie Elementary: 55 (C grade) – met expectations

Windsor Elementary: 60 (C grade) – exceeded expectations

Bertie Middle: 42 (D grade) – did not meet expectations

Bertie Early College High: 85 (A grade) – exceeded expectations

Bertie High: 57 (C grade) – did not meet expectations

“The State Report Card and recently released test scores do not tell the entire story about student outcomes,” said Bertie Schools Superintendent Dr. Otis Smallwood, “We (the district) are very proud of the success that our students continue to make on End of Year Assessments. We will do whatever it takes to mitigate barriers that impeded high student performance.”

Smallwood noted some specific district accomplishments include decreasing the district’s number of low performing schools down to only one this year, having a four-year graduation rate above the state average, and getting Bertie High School off of the low performing school list for the first time since the A-F grading system was created.

In Gates County, three schools received the same grade as last year, while two others – Buckland Elementary and Gatesville Elementary – dropped one letter grade down. The high school’s four-year graduation rate was 89.1 percent, an improvement of around three percentage points from the previous school year. The district, however, has been labeled “low performing” by NCDPI due to three of the five schools receiving a low grade and not meeting expectations.

Buckland Elementary: 49 (D grade) – did not meet expectations

Gatesville Elementary: 53 (D grade) – did not meet expectations

TS Cooper Elementary: 57 (C grade) – met expectations

Central Middle School: 48 (D grade) – did not meet expectations

Gates County Senior High: 63 (C grade) – did not meet expectations

“The state assessment scores indicate many victories and also many challenges,” said Gates County Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Williams. “We are not satisfied overall with our performance grades.”

Williams pushed back on the “low performing” designation, saying, “It is difficult to accept that under the current accountability system, Gates County Schools scored higher in more than half of the tested courses/subjects than some school districts in our region, and those school districts are now considered ‘performing’ while GCS is considered low-performing.

“Regardless of these issues,” he continued, “we are confident that the steps to be taken during the 2024-2025 school year will show marked improvements in performance and growth.”

Dr. Williams said he was proud of the hard work being done by the teachers, students, and administration each day, and he appreciates the support of staff, students, and parents as they continue to address student performance and growth.

He also noted that the district recently underwent an accreditation review by Cognia, and their assessment is based on culture of learning, equity, leadership capacity, and more. Gates County Schools scored 315 points and received full accreditation from Cognia.

Grades for Hertford County’s seven schools ranged from A to F, with the Early College and CS Brown STEM taking the top spots. Both high schools had four-year graduation rates above 95 percent, while Hertford County High’s rate was 75.3 percent. Hertford County Middle improved by one letter grade over the F they received last year.

Ahoskie Elementary: 58 (C grade) – exceeded expectations

Bearfield Primary: 38 (F grade) – met expectations

Riverview Elementary: 50 (D grade) – met expectations

Hertford County Middle: 42 (D grade) – exceeded expectations

Hertford County High: 50 (D grade) – did not meet expectations

Hertford County Early College: 89 (A grade) – exceeded expectations

CS Brown STEM: 87 (A grade) – exceeded expectations

Hertford County’s results took the district off the low-performing list this year thanks to increased proficiency in a number of areas.

“I’m incredibly proud of the progress our educators and students have made,” said Hertford County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jesse Pratt. “HCPS remains committed to driving forward with innovative teaching strategies, rigorous academic standards, and a supportive learning environment.

“We will continue to build on this momentum as we pursue even greater success in the future,” he concluded.

Northampton County Schools was also removed from the low-performing district list this year. Many of their schools received the same letter grade as the previous year, but improved by exceeding expectations. Northampton Early College remained the top school in the district, and had a graduation rate of over 95 percent. The graduation rate at the high school, however, dropped down a few percentage points to 67.6 percent.

Central Elementary: 55 (C grade) – met expectations

Gaston STEM Leadership Academy: 48 (D grade) – exceeded expectations

Conway Middle: 50 (D grade) – exceeded expectations

Northampton Early College: 74 (B grade) – exceeded expectations

Northampton County High School: 47 (D grade) – met expectations

Northampton Virtual Academy: Insufficient data

“Our journey toward academic excellence is a testament to our unwavering dedication and collective effort,” said Northampton Schools Superintendent Dr. Rosa Atkins. “As we continue to strive for greatness, we remind ourselves that true success comes from our commitment to ‘going for the gold’ – not just in meeting expectations, but in exceeding them. Our students and community deserve nothing less than our very best, and together, we are achieving extraordinary milestones.”

Atkins also thanked the county Board of Education and the local community for their support along the way.

NCDPI also provides performance grades for charter schools in the state. Locally, the only charter school is KIPP Gaston College Preparatory in Northampton County. This year, the school received a 52 (D grade) and exceeded expectations. The K-12 school had a graduation rate of 84 percent, which is slightly higher than last year.

In statewide statistics, NCDPI reported that the four-year graduation rate was 86.9 percent, which is about a half percent increase from the prior school year. The number of schools considered “low-performing” dropped this year from 804 to 736 across the state. More schools also received an A, B, or C grade this year, while the percentage of schools with a D or F decreased by two percentage points. Approximately, 72.5 percent of schools met or exceeded growth in 2023-24.

“We are proud of the steady progress reflected in this year’s state test scores,” said State Superintendent Catherine Truitt in a press release. “This progress highlights the hard work and incredible dedication of educators and students across the state. This year’s data shows us that we’re headed in the right direction in most areas, but that we must remain committed to advocating for additional support for our teachers.”