Nash County Public Schools reports preliminary test gains, safety upgrades and staffing wins at board retreat

NASH COUNTY, N.C. — Nash County Public Schools leaders on Monday summarized academic gains, school-safety work and staffing progress during a board retreat, while cautioning that some student-assessment data remain preliminary and embargoed by the state.

Superintendent-level staff presented district-calculated results showing year-over-year increases across most grades and subjects, highlighted improvements in early-reading measures, and noted that science and final, state-certified school performance grades are pending the state’s application of business rules.

District staff said preliminary measures indicate an increase in overall proficiency equal to about four percentage points districtwide compared with 2023–24, excluding science scores that are still under review. Early-grade foundational-reading screening (DIBELS) results showed reductions in the number of K–3 students at risk of reading failure — the district reported 705 fewer students at risk from the beginning to the end of the year in K–3 foundational reading measures.

Officials emphasized the provisional nature of the results. Presenters repeatedly said the district has not yet received state-applied business rules or finalized EOG/EOC releases; final school performance grades and growth calculations will follow state approvals and the release of science and…