State Superintendent Mo Green discusses academic gains during a Wednesday press conference at the State Board of Education meeting. (Screengrab: NCDPI video stream)
North Carolina’s public schools reached their highest graduation rate in history last year, while students also posted a three-year high on most standardized tests, according to test data presented Wednesday to the State Board of Education.
The state’s four-year cohort graduation rate climbed to 87.7% for the 2024-25 school year, marking the third consecutive increase.
“We’re very excited, of course, today to recognize the highest four-year cohort graduation rate for North Carolina at 87.7%,” said Tammy Howard, the Department of Public Instruction’s senior director of accountability and testing, during a press conference on Wednesday. “This is a consistent increase for the past three years, but most notable, the highest ever.”
The report showed improvements in 12 of 15 reading and math exams, including gains on every end-of-grade math test for grades three through eight. Howard said the results also revealed steady progress across all racial and ethnic groups, the strongest performance in three years.
“These results represent more than just numbers,” said State Superintendent Mo Green. “They represent thousands of students better prepared for their next phase in life.”
One of the standouts was Nash Early College High School, which earned an overall A rating and exceeded academic growth targets for the sixth year in a row. Students there achieved proficiency rates of 83% in biology, 89% in math and 96% in English.
Principal Thomas B. McGeachy attributed the school’s success to its strong culture of teamwork and willingness to take risks.. “I’ve tried to create an environment where I encourage staff and scholars to take risks,” he said during the press conference. “Don’t be afraid of failure, because if you didn’t achieve what you wanted to that means you reflect on the experience and you build upon it.”
Frederick Lindsay, a 13th-grader at the school, said the school’s dual enrollment program with Nash Community College gave him new experiences that reshaped his goals.
“Since we’re linked with Nash Community College, we have a wide variety of opportunities,” Lindsay said. “I got to experience a new country for the first time for $500 to stay there for five days. That’s an opportunity that you wouldn’t get many places.”
Challenges remain
While math proficiency is nearing pre-pandemic levels, only 52.5% of third- through eighth-graders were proficient in reading last year, a rate still below the 57.3% recorded six years ago.
“Reading is more difficult and takes more time,” said said Stacey Wilson-Norman, chief academic officer. “Our teachers have been trained, but we just need to align some of the other supports to really accelerate that progress.”
Green noted that North Carolina ranks 48th nationally in per-pupil spending, nearly $5,000 less per student than the national average, which could constrain future improvements. That gap, he said, makes it harder to attract the best teachers and to offer a full range of resources.
Officials also pointed to lingering setbacks from the pandemic and natural disasters, including lost instructional days in western school districts impacted y Hurricane Helene.
Despite these challenges, state leaders said the gains mark an important step toward their goal of making North Carolina’s public schools the best in the nation by 2030.
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