Less than half of NC students passed most state tests last spring

RALEIGH, N.C. — The results of North Carolina’s standardized tests given this spring — more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and inconsistent learning modes — are in: For most tests, less than half of students passed.

Fifth and eighth grade science tests, as well as high school English II tests, yielded the best results, with 53.9% of fifth graders and 70.3% of eighth graders passing their tests. For English II, 58.9% passed, just slightly below the 59.7% who passed in 2018-19.

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction officials presented the results Wednesday to the North Carolina State Board of Education, describing the data as just the first nugget of insight into how effectively students learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, the board will get a more comprehensive report on “learning loss” during the 2020-21 school year.

North Carolina is just the latest place to release standardized test results, which have shown declines across the nation.

The tests results are lower than those from the last tests given, during the 2018-19 school year. But the years can’t be directly compared. Some of the tests’ defined achievement levels were altered, some tests had been revised and a lower share of students took the tests than normal. (Read more)

State’s education department details big school cuts–Source: News & Observer

RALEIGH — North Carolina could lose more than 5,300 teachers and all public school classes would be larger under a proposal for education cuts prepared for Gov. Bev Perdue’s budget office.

The state Department of Public Instruction was the first large state agency to release its budget cut proposal in response to a request by The News & Observer last week. Funding for public education through 12th grade consumes about 40 percent of the state’s budget. (Read more)

Annual Standardized Test Scores Released In NC – Source: NBC-17

RALEIGH, N.C. –

More of North Carolina’s public schools met or exceeded expectations on standardized tests compared to the year before, and fewer schools received the lowest-performing label, state education officials announced Thursday. (Read more @ NBC-17)

Superintendent congratulates Tyrana Battle for serving as chairwoman – Source: The Rocky Mount Telegram

State Superintendent June Atkinson and others congratulated Tyrana Banks Battle for serving as chairwoman of the 2010 Accountability Conference held in Greensboro during February. (Read more @ The Rocky Mount Telegram)