North Carolina Students Hit Record High Graduation Rate, See Better Test Scores

Public schools in North Carolina reached 87.7 percent graduation rate this year: the highest ever. Students scored better on most standardized tests, with gains in 12 out of 15 exams, state officials said.

Test scores jumped to 55% statewide. This marks four years of steady gains since COVID-19. Math and reading scores went up across most grades. Only three areas saw drops: third-grade reading, English II, and Math I.

"While the progress and growth shown in these reports deserve praise, we must continue our work to promote excellence for all students," State Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green said in a statement to The Center Square.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg beat state averages. Their passing rate hit 56%, up three points from 2024. Schools earning top grades increased sharply: 39% got A or B marks, a seven-point jump from last year.

Wake County showed strong results with 64.4% passing. More than half their schools earned A or B grades. "This year's results reflect both our successes and our challenges," Wake Superintendent Robert Taylor said in a statement to The News & Observer.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools ranked second statewide at 70.3%. Johnston County bounced back strong, with scores now better than pre-pandemic levels at 57.2%.

Student growth data brought more good news. Nine out of ten Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools hit or passed growth targets. This beat the state's 71% average by a wide margin. Across North Carolina, the count of struggling schools dropped by half.

ACT scores inched up to 18.2 from last year's 18.1. Ten mountain-area schools missed testing due to Hurricane Helene's impact in the fall.

Education leaders outlined new steps to boost basic skills. "We must increase the percentage of students reading on grade level, because this is a milestone that sets the foundation for future learning," Chief Academic Officer Stacey Wilson-Norman said per WUNC.

Board member Jill Camnitz stressed that test scores only tell part of the story: "While they are valuable measures, they do not capture the full breadth of a student's learning, growth, or school experience," Camnitz said, according to The Center Square.