Test scores start to bounce back in North Carolina’s Border Belt schools

By Ivey Schofield and Sarah Nagem

iveyschofield@borderbelt.org

More students in North Carolina’s Border Belt region passed state exams last school year, but the numbers continued to lag behind pre-pandemic scores. 

Data released Thursday during a state Board of Education meeting shows that public school performance in Bladen, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland counties fell below statewide averages during the 2021-2022 school year. 

Last school year was the third impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and North Carolina education leaders urged caution when comparing scores to previous years. 

“Last year’s accountability results are really a testament to the resilience, dedication and commitment of thousands of educators across the state,” state superintendent Cathy Truitt said in a news release. “They know as I do that we still have a steep hill to climb and that every step matters.”

Here are a few things to keep in mind: 

  • Statewide, 51.2% of students passed exams last school year. 
  • Growth expectations are based on state exams. 
  • Letter grades assigned to schools are calculated using achievement scores and academic growth. 

Here’s a breakdown of how local school districts fared. 

ROBESON COUNTY SCHOOLS

Last school year, 31.1% of Robeson County students passed state exams, up from 21.2% the prior year. 

But the figure is below that of 2018-2019, when more than 45% of students passed state exams. 

Most Robeson County schools met or exceeded growth expectations on state exams. Seven schools did not meet expectations –  Deep Branch Elementary, Rosenwald Elementary, Townsend, Red Springs Middle, Fairmont High, Red Springs High and Purnell Swett High. 

Only two schools earned A or B letter grades: PSRC Early College and East Robeson Primary. Four schools earned a C, and 29 got a D or F. 

COLUMBUS COUNTY SCHOOLS

Last school year, 42.3% of students in Columbus County Schools passed state exams, up from 35.4% the prior year. 

But the figure is below that of 2018-2019, when 51.9% of students passed state exams. 

Most schools in the district – 10 – did not meet growth expectations. No schools exceeded expectations, and four met expectations: Acme Delco Elementary, Old Dock Elementary, Tabor City Middle and West Columbus High. 

No schools earned an A or B letter grade. Four earned a C, and nine got a D. One school got an F – Evergreen Elementary. 

WHITEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS

Last school year, 50.8% of students in Whiteville City Schools passed state exams, up from 47% the prior year. 

But the figure is below that of 2018-2019, when 60.3% of students passed state exams. 

Central Middle and Classical Charter Schools of Whiteville met growth expectations; Edgewood Elementary and Whiteville High did not. 

No school in the tiny district earned an A or B letter grade. Two got a C – Central Middle and Whiteville High. Two got a D – Edgewood Elementary and Classical Charter Schools of Whiteville. 

BLADEN COUNTY SCHOOLS

Last school year, 35.2% of Bladen County students passed their state exams, up from 27.3% the prior year. 

But the figure is below that of 2018-2019, when 47.5% of students passed state exams. 

Eight schools in the district met or exceeded growth expectations last school year. Four schools did not meet expectations: Bladenboro Primary, Dublin Primary, Elizabethtown Primary and Elizabethtown Middle. 

Five schools earned C grades, five earned D grades, and two schools – Elizabethtown Primary and Elizabethtown Middle – earned F grades.

SCOTLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS

Last school year, 34.3% of Scotland County students passed state exams, up from 27.8% the prior year. 

During the 2018-2019 school year, 45% of students passed state exams. 

Three schools exceeded growth expectations: South Johnson Elementary, Scotland Neck Elementary Leadership Academy and Spring Hill Middle. Three schools met expectations: Laurel Hill Elementary, Carver Middle and Scotland Early College High. 

One school earned an A letter grade: Scotland Early College High. One school got a C, and six got a D or F. 

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

For more data on the state, district and school levels, check out this chart published by The News & Observer.