The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction releases academic report

Data shows signs of improvement

LELAND, NC (WWAY) – The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has released its academic report following a third year of pandemic impact, with signs of improvement.

According to state education leaders, the report shows performance is improving but remains below pre-pandemic levels, and stressed the results were expected due to classroom time missed because of COVID-19.

“We expected a continuation of lower rates of proficiency as well as an increase in schools designated as low performing,”  said NCDPI Deputy Superintendent Michael Maher.

Despite the dip in performance, the NCDPI is pleased with the reports, the data shows recovery is happening, but will take time.

According to Maher the reports show a nationwide trend.

“North Carolina is not the only state that’s experiencing this issue,” he said. “From what we learned from other states we expected to see declines in graduation rates.”

While test scores are on the rise, those numbers show many students will need months of additional learning time over the next few years.

“Pretty consistently the trend is an increase from the 2020-2021 school year but not back to where we were in 2018-19,” said NCDPI Senior Director of Accountability and Testing Tammy Howard.

About 376 schools, and 21 districts have been designated as ‘low performing’.

“Low performing schools are those that has a performance grade of D or F,” said Howard.

The reports show third-graders in the state appear to be on a steady decline when it comes to reading, with less than 18 percent reading at an acceptable level, compared to 2018-2019. Fourth through eight graders are showing a slight improvement in reading scores.

A newly-created dashboard has been created to make the data available to educators, and the public.

“It is for test scores only,” she said. “We are going to add test performance grades eventually.”

Both Maher and Howard attributes the hard work of educators, parents and students for the improvements made.

To see how area schools preformed click on corresponding links,

New Hanover, Bladen, Pender, Columbus and Brunswick.

For the full department of public instruction meeting click here or NCDPI reports click here.