North Carolina’s public school students continue to demonstrate academic improvement, according to the 2023-24 state test results presented to the State Board of Education at its September meeting. The latest data reveals gains across most grades and subjects, with significant progress noted in math and English language learners.
For the second consecutive year, students achieved increased performance levels in math, according to the new data. Gains were observed in both college-and-career readiness and grade-level proficiency from third to eighth grade and in NC math 1 offerings. Specifically, the percentage of students achieving grade-level proficiency in math rose by up to 2.1 percentage points compared to the 2022-23 school year; but a slight decline was noted in NC math 3 scores, dropping from 58.3% to 57.6%.
The State Board also reported that 73% of schools met or exceeded growth expectations, compared to 72% in the previous year and 70% in 2021-22. The improvement in school performance grades was notable, with a steady increase in schools earning A, B, or C grades and a nearly two percentage point decline in schools receiving D or F grades.
English language learners also saw progress, with an increasing percentage of students meeting progress targets or exiting English learner status over the past three years. From 21% in 2021-22, the percentage rose to 25% in 2022-23, and reached 27% in 2023-24.
Graduation rates continued to climb, as well, with the state’s four-year cohort graduation rate slightly increasing to 86.9%, up from 86.5% in 2022-23.
In a statement, state superintendent of public instruction Catherine Truitt expressed pride in the continuous progress reflected in the year’s test scores. “This progress highlights the hard work and incredible dedication of educators and students across the state,” she said. Truitt emphasized the importance of using the accountability report data to identify successful areas and those needing further support.
Despite the overall positive trends, the data also highlighted areas in need of improvement. Reading scores saw slight increases in most testing areas, but fourth and seventh-grade reading scores actually experienced declines. Fifth-grade science saw a minor increase, while eighth-grade science and biology scores dropped.
“As a state, we have invested an incredible amount of time and effort into teaching our elementary students essential literacy skills using the science of reading,” Truitt noted. She stressed the need for continued investment in literacy supports beyond elementary school to middle and high school levels.
Under the current performance grade model, schools earning a D or F and not exceeding growth targets are identified as low-performing. The number of low-performing schools decreased from 804 to 736, and the number of low-performing districts fell from 25 to 23.
Tammy Howard, senior director of accountability and testing for the NC Department of Public Instruction, acknowledged that while test grades and letter outcomes can’t tell the whole story of school and student success, the growth seen across the board is commendable.
“North Carolina continues to see growth for most grades and subjects. This is something to be proud of,” she said.
Where does that growth stand in the bigger picture? It seems there is more ground to be recovered.
“While it’s good that student test scores are showing signs of recovering from the damage caused by COVID-related disruptions and school shutdowns, let’s not lose sight of the fact that there is much more work to be done,” said Kaitlyn Shepherd, policy analyst for the Center for Effective Education at the John Locke Foundation. “Hundreds of students are still unable to read and do math at grade level. Implementing strong content standards and investing in tutoring will help improve student outcomes. It’s also important for parents to take an active role in the education of their children. One of the easiest ways to do so is by reading with their kids regularly.”