NEWTON, N.C. - The 2023-24 North Carolina state test results show continued gains for students across most grades and subjects according to the 2023-24 state test results presented to the State Board of Education today. Notably, math performance improved for the second consecutive year, with increases in college-and-career readiness (CCR) and grade-level proficiency (GLP) for grades three through eight and NC Math 1, despite a slight decline in NC Math 3 scores.

State school performance grades also showed progress, with more schools earning A, B, or C grades, and fewer receiving D or F grades. Additionally, the percentage of schools meeting or exceeding growth increased to 72.5%, up from 72.3% the previous year.

Reading scores saw slight increases overall, though there were declines in fourth and seventh grades. English II scores improved, while science results were mixed, with a small increase in fifth-grade scores and decreases in eighth grade and biology.

The student achievement data for the 2023-24 school year is based on analysis of all end-of-grade (EOG) and end-of-course (EOC) tests, which are aligned to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study in English Language Arts (Reading) and Mathematics and the Essential Standards in Science for all public schools in North Carolina. The data provides the percentage of students who scored at Level 3 and above (grade-level proficiency), at Level 4 and above (college-and-career readiness), and at each academic achievement level. There are four achievement levels for state testing: not proficient, 3, 4, and 5, with 5 representing the greatest mastery of the subject matter.

Catawba County Schools is proud to announce that our district's performance data has exceeded the statewide average. An outstanding 89% of our schools achieved or exceeded their academic growth goals, far surpassing the state average of 72.5%. Additionally, 24 of our 28 schools earned a performance grade of C or higher.

In total, 16 schools met expected growth standards, while seven schools—Balls Creek Elementary, Bandys High School, Banoak Elementary, Blackburn Elementary, Catawba Elementary, Snow Creek Elementary, and St. Stephens High School—exceeded their growth targets. Catawba Rosenwald Education Center does not receive a growth rating. Additionally, Sherrills Ford Elementary, Bandys High School, and Jacobs Fork Middle School earned a performance grade of B, with Challenger Early College High School proudly achieving an A.

We are particularly pleased to highlight the progress at Lyle Creek Elementary, which has successfully moved out of “low-performing” status. With a growth index of 0.4, Lyle Creek Elementary improved its performance grade to a C, demonstrating the dedication and hard work of its students, staff, and community.

The Catawba County Schools Cohort Graduation Rate continued its upward trend, reaching a commendable 89.1% for 2023-24, up from 86.7% in the previous year. As a comparison, the state’s four-year cohort graduation rate increased slightly to 86.9%, from 86.5% in 2022-23.

When asked about the district’s performance data, Superintendent Matt Stover notes, "Our data offers just a glimpse of the excellence that defines our students and staff in Catawba County Schools. I am incredibly proud of the dedication our educators and staff bring to fostering student growth across the district.

Together with our parents, our teachers, teaching assistants, and administrators are nurturing student success in every area of the curriculum—this is the heart of our mission in education. We remain committed to finding new ways to engage, inspire, and empower our students, ensuring they have the power to shape their own futures rather than letting the world define them by test scores alone."

About Catawba County School System: Catawba County Schools System (CCS) is a district with a bold vision for today – and an eye toward our future. The largest school district in Catawba, CCS, is comprised of 28 schools in five geographical attendance zones with an enrollment of approximately 15,700 students. With 16 elementary, five middle, and five high schools, as well as an early college high school and alternative high school, CCS offers diverse and intriguing choices that give students access to the amenities and activities of a large district while remaining agile and responsive to evolving needs. To learn more about Catawba County Schools, please visit www.catawbaschools.net.