North Carolina school performance grades released
The 2017-2018 North Carolina school performance grades were released Wednesday afternoon.
ABC11 will update this story as we look over the results.
Wake County notes:
- Three Wake County public schools received an F. Those are: Bugg Elementary, East Wake Middle and Creech Road Elementary.
- Charter school Hope Charter Leadership Academy in Raleigh also earned an F grade.
- 13 Wake County schools received an A: Apex Friendship High School, Davis Drive Elementary, Davis Drive Middle School, Green Hope High School, Heritage High School, Jones Dairy Elementary, Mills Park Elementary, Mills Park Middle School, Panther Creek High School, Sycamore Elementary, Wake STEM Early College High School, Wake Early College of Health and Science, Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy.
- Those that got a D include: Aversboro Elementary, Barwell Road Elementary, East Garner Elementary, East Garner Middle, East Middlebrook Middle, Forestville Road Elementary, Green Elementary, Hodge Road Elementary, Knightdale Elementary, Knightdale High, Lincoln Heights Elementary, Millbrook Elementary, Poe Elementary, Powell Elementary, Rogers Lane Elementary, River Bend Elementary, Smith Elementary, Timber Drive Elementary, Walnut Creek Elementary, Wendell Elementary, Wendell Middle, West Millbrook Middle, Wilburn Elementary and Zebulon Elementary.
"Each school is a different animal to itself, so to speak," said Brad McMillen, Assistant Superintendent for Data, Research, and Accountability, "so we're constantly working to improve all of our schools that are struggling in whatever they're struggling ... some struggle with math, some struggle with reading. So the solutions are always unique and are always created for the specific school given their circumstances."
WCPSS is celebrating something big in this "state report card," however. The graduation rate has increased for the sixth consecutive year.
It now stands at an all-time high of 89.1 percent.
Cumberland County notes:
- The schools that received a D grade include: Ashley Elementary, Loyd E. Auman Elementary, Douglas Byrd Middle School, Anne Chestnutt Middle School, Cliffdale Elementary, Luther Nick Jeralds Middle School, Ferguson-Easley Elementary, Glendale Acres Elementary, Ireland Drive Middle School, Lewis Chapel Middle School, Ed V. Baldwin Elementary, Margaret Willis Elementary, Mary MacArthur Elementary, Manchester Elementary, South View Middle, Sherwood Park Elementary, Spring Lake Middle, Teresa C Berrien Elementary
For four consecutive years, Cumberland County Schools have seen the district's overall test score proficiency increase. In 2017-2018, the overall composite decreased slightly (0.9 percent) from 57.3 percent in 2016-17 to 56.4 percent. The CCS had 33 percent or 29 schools identified as exceeding growth, the highest growth attainable, while the state had 27 percent of its schools identified as exceeding growth.
Durham Public Schools notes:
Durham Public Schools improved its academic performance in 2017-18 with DPS students making their highest gains in grade level proficiency in five years.
More schools earned higher grades, and fewer schools were labeled as "low-performing" under the state's accountability structure, according to the superintendent.
- Schools that exited "low-performing" status, either through higher overall school performance or faster year-to year academic growth, included:
Bethesda Elementary, Club Boulevard Elementary, Hope Valley Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, Sandy Ridge Elementary, W.G. Pearson Elementary, Neal Middle, Southern School of Energy and Sustainability
- Six Durham public schools received an F: Brogden Middle School, Eno Valley Elementary, James E. Shepard Middle School, Lakewood Elementary, CC Spaulding Elementary, Y.E. Smith Elementary
Moore County notes:
- The district's graduation rate was 89.4 percent, 3.1 percent higher than the state average.
- Sixteen schools met or exceeded growth.
- CTE credentials earned totaled 1,618; double last year's total of 807.
- Almost all 2017-2018 EOG and EOC scores were above the state average.
"Last year Moore County Schools saw strong growth in student outcomes and we are pleased with being able to maintain that success in our outcomes this year. This demonstrates the strong leadership and work of our principals, teachers, and school staff in supporting student success. We look forward to looking deeper into the data to support continuous improvement in student outcomes." said Tim Locklair, Moore County Schools Chief Officer for Academics and Student Support Services.
Wayne County notes:
- The district's four-year Cohort Graduation Rate is 82.5 percent, compared to 84.3 percent the previous year. This is the fourth highest rate ever produced by WCPS. The state's Cohort Graduation Rate is 86.3 percent.
- 19 of 30 schools (63.3 percent) met or exceeded expected growth.
- Based on a 15-point scale, the following School Performance Letter Grades were received: One A (85-100), two B's (70-84), Fifteen C's (55-69), eight D's (40-54), and four F's (Less than 40).
- 11 of 17 tested areas (64.7 percent) showed improvements in college and career readiness, and 9 of 17 (52.9%) tested areas showed improvements in grade level proficiency.
- 16 of 29 schools (55.2 percent) posted higher school performances scores than in the previous year.
"In looking at this year's accountability results, our schools have remained fairly consistent with the previous year, with some seeing slight gains or losses," said Dr. Michael Dunsmore, Superintendent. "We recognize that there is still much work ahead, and our school and district administrators are now pouring through the accountability data to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. As a district, we have already begun to retool professional development opportunities for our teachers. District administrators are also taking a close look at the myriad of research based strategies and programs which are currently being used in schools, and will be working with school administrators and staff to help ensure we have best practices in place to advance teaching and learning in the classroom."
