Adam Holt, the district accountability presenter, told the Jackson County Public Schools Board of Education on Sept. 23 that state accountability data for the 2024-25 school year show both gains and ongoing challenges for the district.

Holt said the district’s graduation rate rose to 87.6%, above the state average, and highlighted increases in several end‑of‑course (EOC) subject areas, including a 13‑point gain in NC Math 3 at the secondary level. He reported districtwide increases in grades 3–8 reading proficiency and said Jackson County ranks 19th of 115 districts on the percentage of students meeting the UNC system’s ACT benchmark (60.5% of juniors scored 17 or higher vs. a statewide 53.8%).

The presentation included definitions of how the state calculates school performance grades: proficiency (80% of the calculation) and growth (20%), with growth rated on a negative‑10 to positive‑10 index before conversion to a 50–100 scale used in final ratings. Holt said teacher‑level growth data would arrive in about four to six weeks after the state release.

Why it matters: State accountability results feed the school performance grades that shape district planning, recognition and targeted supports. The data release prompted questions from the board about how gains were achieved and how the district will respond to schools that remain in lower performance bands.

Board discussion centered on what drives growth at the classroom level. A board member pressed whether observed gains reflected teacher practices or cohort effects; Holt answered that teacher‑level data would make it clearer and that the district shares exemplars from high‑growth classrooms with principals and instructional teams. Superintendent Nathan Ayers described a recent change in the instructional coach model — coaches now serve across schools rather than being tied to a single building — and said principals have welcomed that change as a lever for spreading effective practices.

Holt emphasized cohort tracking as the methodology for growth measures: "They look at how well did students do in their previous testing histories ... then they do a comparison within that small group." Ayers later added that reading gains across cohorts (grades 4–8) were showing progress and credited both curriculum resources and the coaching model for some of the improvements.

A board member expressed alarm at the number of schools still graded D and urged the board and community to rally behind district improvement efforts, saying in part, "...we can't keep doing the same thing and expecting to get out of those D's. We've got to do better." Ayers and other board members responded that some gains are visible and pledged continued focus on supports and community engagement.

The board asked for additional detail in future meetings, and Holt offered to answer follow‑up questions and direct board members to the district accountability web page for the state file and school‑level breakdowns.

Ending: Board members asked the administration to present additional context and next steps in upcoming meetings, including teacher‑level growth reports when they become available.