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LCPS reports mixed assessment results: several schools post historic gains while some middle‑school measures lag
Summary
The board heard 2024–25 testing and cohort results showing districtwide gains in multiple grades and assessments — including strong math 3 and ACT improvements and an 88% graduation rate — while leaders flagged declines in some middle‑school composite and eighth‑grade science scores tied to a new assessment and staffing vacancies.
Lenoir County Public Schools presented detailed 2024–25 testing results to the board on Sept. 8, reporting an overall pattern of improvement in many grades and tests while highlighting concerns in specific middle‑school measures.
District curriculum staff told the board that Southeast Elementary and several other schools produced strong proficiency and growth gains; Southeast gained 46 proficiency points in an identified subject and rose a letter grade. The district reported nine schools that increased their letter grades last year and maintained them this year. District presenters said LCPS’s four‑year graduation rate is 88% — above the state average for a second consecutive year.
Not all measures improved. Presenters singled out eighth‑grade composite scores and a new eighth‑grade science assessment that showed decreases in proficiency, noting the norming process for the new test and a number of vacancies in middle‑grade math as contributors. Presenters emphasized cohort analysis — following the same students across grades — to show that some apparent declines reflected different cohorts and that growth measures remain promising in many cases.
High‑school indicators also showed gains: NC Math 3 proficiency rose by about 11.5 percentage points districtwide and individual schools posted strong increases; ACT and WorkKeys proficiency improved, helping the district’s AWA indicator. Curriculum leaders said some gains reflect targeted interventions, coaching and cross‑district partnerships to support instructional alignment.
Board members asked about the formula used to compute school performance grades (80% proficiency/20% growth), and presenters noted ongoing state discussions about changing the weight of proficiency versus growth.
District leaders closed the segment by describing next steps: principals will present school improvement plans to the board in September and monitor progress through mid‑year reviews.
Board members praised teachers and staff for the results while acknowledging schools that remain labeled with lower performance grades and the need for continued focus on staffing and targeted intervention.
