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Johnston County Public Schools highlights test-score gains, awards and new $1.32 million safety grant
Summary
District leaders told the board Jan. 14 that proficiency rose from 55.2% to 56.4%, low-performing schools dropped from 14 to one since 2020, and Johnston County Public Schools secured a competitive $1,320,000 grant to fund middle and elementary school resource officers.
Johnston County Public Schools officials on Jan. 14 told the school board they are seeing measurable academic gains across the district and announced several awards and new grant funding.
Superintendent Dr. Bracey and other leaders said district proficiency increased from 55.2 percent to 56.4 percent year over year, and that the district has reduced its number of low-performing schools from 14 when the current leadership began in 2020 to one school now. "We've made great progress," a district leader said, noting that 85 percent of Johnston County schools met or exceeded growth last year compared with 75.2 percent statewide.
District staff also reported that the district's performance composite rose, placing Johnston County Public Schools about 35th in the state; 27 schools improved their overall performance composite, 37 maintained their letter grade, and seven schools improved at least one letter grade. Examples named by staff included Benson Elementary, Clayton High and Princeton Elementary moving from a C to a B, and Benson Middle, Virtual Academy and Riverwood Middle improving from a D to a C.
The board heard several personnel and school recognitions tied to that progress, including Benson Elementary receiving the 2025 North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (NCASCD) Lighthouse School Award. District officials invited board members to join the school’s presentation at the NCASCD conference on Jan. 30.
On safety funding, the district announced it has been awarded $1,320,000 in competitive grant funding from the North Carolina Center for Safer Schools to support middle and elementary school resource officers. The superintendent described the award as "very, very excited about that" and said the funding will enhance safety efforts in the district. The district also reported seven teachers received Bright Ideas grant awards for classroom projects.
Board business during the meeting included routine approvals: the board approved the Dec. 10, 2024 regular- and closed-session minutes, advisory council appointments, and consent items 1 through 5 by voice votes.
The district said it will continue implementing targeted instruction and support programs—citing interventions such as Math 180 and a focus on subgroup achievement—to sustain growth. District leaders scheduled several follow-up dates, including a work session on Innovation Academy and interviews Jan. 29 to select firms for the Clayton High School rebuild design.
The board did not take any new policy votes on these academic or safety items at the Jan. 14 meeting; most announcements were informational and celebratory, with formal approvals limited to minutes, appointments and consent items.
