North Carolina released last year’s statewide test results on Wednesday, and local officials found a lot to like about how Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools performed — especially that a record number of schools came off the state’s “low-performing school” list.
The state took 31 CMS schools off the “low-performing” list last school year – the largest single-year drop in CMS history. It also added 7 new schools to the list, the smallest addition in years. All of that means CMS reduced the total number of “low performing” schools by 24. The number on that list now stands at 32, or roughly 18% of the total schools operated by CMS. That’s the best in at least seven years.
CMS Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer Beth Thompson credited CMS taking a more districtwide approach to providing supports, instead of targeting only those deemed “low-performing.”
“We learned that if we focus all of our support only on schools with the low performing designation, we run the risk of neglecting the needed support that will cause other schools to receive that designation for the upcoming school year,” Thompson said.
Superintendent Crystal Hill told the media Wednesday the district is aiming to have zero schools with an “F” performance rating by next year. A school is deemed "low-performing" if it has a D or F ranking and does not exceed its growth expectations in a given school year.
“Next year, the number of schools – I already told the team – zero schools should have a school performance grade level of an ‘F,’ and quite frankly it’s going to be really hard to have any schools that have a low-performing designation,” Hill said.
That was one of several standout statistics from what CMS officials described as a “historic” year in school growth. CMS ranked 10th in the state in terms of growth this yea, the district’s highest-ever ranking.
- State data show 156 schools, or roughly 89%, either met or exceeded their academic growth expectations, the highest number and percentage in district history. That beat the statewide number of 71.2%.
- Meanwhile, 123 schools scored at least an A, B or C on their school report cards last year — 21 more than last year, which is also a district record.
“Let's be clear,” Thompson said Wednesday. “There's still room for improvement. We don't want any schools to have a low performing designation. But what took place in 24-25, as Doctor Hill says, beat the GPS and shows great promise in achieving that desired target.”
- Overall, across all tests and subjects administered last year, CMS outperformed the state average by one percentage point, with 56% of students achieving grade-level proficiency. Grade 3-8 reading scores were up 5.2% while 3-8 math scores were up 4.6%
- The new state data also points to some areas for improvement. While schools across the state saw graduation rates increase to 87.7%, the highest in 10 years, the CMS graduation rate dipped a tenth of a percentage point to 84.3% – which also lags behind comparably-sized districts like Forsyth, Guilford and Wake County schools.
“These achievements align with the CMS Strategic Plan, which focuses on raising academic achievement, closing opportunity gaps and ensuring that every student graduates ready to be enrolled, enlisted or employed. While there is more work ahead, the district is committed to building on this momentum and ensuring that all students benefit from the progress being made," Hill said.
