SANFORD, NC – Ten of 14 schools met or exceeded their expected growth, according to annual assessments released today by the North Carolina State Board of Education. This reflects a notable increase in the number of schools reaching this milestone as compared to results from the previous school year. Additionally, the number of low-performing schools within the district has decreased.
School Performance Grades include a series of scores based on statewide testing to assess school achievement and growth. Under current state law, a letter grade is assigned to each school. Eighty percent of the grade is based on how well students perform on year-end standardized tests, while the remaining 20 percent is based on growth, defined as how much academic improvement students achieve during the year.
For the seventh consecutive year, Lee Early College earned an A grade. Tramway Elementary also maintained a B grade, which it has earned six times since the inception of performance grades in 2014. Schools earning a C include B.T. Bullock Elementary, Deep River Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, J. Glenn Edwards Elementary, J.R. Ingram Elementary, Lee County High, SanLee Middle and Southern Lee High.
Several of these schools showed remarkable improvement over the last year. B.T. Bullock Elementary improved their overall performance grade ten points while J. Glenn Edwards improved their overall grade by nine points, including an extraordinary jump in student growth of over eight points. Tramway Elementary saw a nine point gain in student achievement and Greenwood Elementary, SanLee Middle and Southern Lee High saw notable improvement in regards to student growth.
Four schools received a D or F grade, classifying them as low-performing schools for the current year. Schools receiving a D grade were Broadway Elementary, East Lee Middle and W.B. Wicker Elementary. West Lee Middle School received an F grade.
However, some of the results are misleading. Even though the current state formula has classified them as low-performing, Broadway Elementary showed a four-point gain in student growth while both W. B Wicker Elementary and East Lee Middle continued their upward trend by once again meeting expected student growth.
“We are excited to see positive gains in overall academic performance throughout the district,” said Dr. Chris Dossenbach, Superintendent of Lee County Schools. “We still have areas where we can improve and have already put many changes in place that we anticipate will lead to even greater results in the coming years.”
Dossenbach credited these accomplishments to the hard work of others. “Anytime you see significant improvement, it is because a group of people came together to align to the same goal,” said Dossenbach. “Our success is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication of our staff and students,” he said. “Teachers, in particular, play a pivotal role in guiding our students to reach their full potential, but this is truly a team effort." He continued, “From the bus drivers who greet students each day with a smile, the cafeteria staff who keep our students fed, the custodians, mechanics, and maintenance crews who keep us up and running, to the support staff and school administrators—it takes everyone working together to make this happen.” He also acknowledged the invaluable support and collaboration of parents, the community, and the school board, who play a crucial role in fostering an environment where students can thrive.