Columbus County Schools: 10 of 12 schools met or exceeded growth; district exits low‑performing status
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Summary
District staff presented year‑end accountability results showing gains in growth and proficiency, three schools removed from low‑performing listings and areas for targeted improvement — second‑to‑third‑grade reading, English II and middle‑grade math — were identified.
District staff told the board on Sept. 22 that Columbus County Schools made measurable gains in 2024–25, including growth improvements across most campuses and removal of three schools from low‑performing status.
"We had 10 schools that either met or exceeded. We had 9 schools that met growth and 1 school that exceeded growth," said Tamara Carter during the accountability overview, summarizing the district’s year‑end report. Carter presented the testing calendar and then summarized the state accountability results provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
The district’s data recap, presented by Laura Hunter, detailed trends across grade bands and subjects and identified persistent challenges even amid gains. Hunter told the board that 10 of the district’s 12 schools met or exceeded growth measures for the year and that three schools came out of low‑performing status: Chadbourne Elementary, Hallsboro Artesia Elementary and West Columbus High School.
The presentations highlighted several key points the district plans to target:
- Early‑grade reading: staff described a widening gap from kindergarten/first grade to second and third grade and emphasized stronger decoding (phonics) instruction in second and third grade (reading‑horizons) and increased vocabulary and writing instruction to close the cohort gap.
- Secondary English: English II proficiency is below the state average; district staff said they are expanding teacher coaching, monthly PLCs and classroom visits focusing on standards‑driven instruction and increased writing across disciplines.
- Math: District presenters said third‑grade math proficiency is above state average, but scores fall sharply in fourth grade as students face multi‑step word problems; the district is investing in math foundations training for fourth through sixth grades and coaching for middle‑grade teachers.
- Science: A newly normed science exam produced declines in proficiency consistent with re‑norming expectations; district leaders said they will increase laboratory‑based, application‑focused instruction and cited a dedicated science coach.
Other district highlights presented to the board included a graduation‑rate increase (district reported 88.5 percent), strong FAFSA completion rates (district reported leading the state and nation in completion), and gains in districtwide growth metrics: for 2025 the majority of schools met growth, with Old Doc Elementary noted as exceeding growth.
Board members praised staff for measurable progress while asking for school‑level presentations in upcoming meetings. The board voted earlier in the meeting to approve the draft testing calendar and a revised 2025–26 school calendar, both of which were prepared using North Carolina Department of Public Instruction guidelines.
"If we continue to meet and exceed growth, then proficiency is gonna follow," Hunter said. The board asked that principals present school‑level improvement plans in coming months to show how district strategies will translate into classroom instruction.