North Carolina public school students, including those across the High Country in Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties, posted another year of significant academic gains in the 2025-26 school year. Data presented to the State Board of Education this month indicates a record-high graduation rate and improved performance on most standardized tests.
The four-year cohort graduation rate rose to 88.8% in 2025-26, surpassing the previous record of 87.8% from the year prior. State officials indicated that this milestone moves North Carolina closer to a “Best in Nation” goal outlined in the state's strategic plan, Achieving Educational Excellence.
Statewide test proficiency also improved, with the combined rate across all end-of-grade and end-of-course exams reaching 59.2%. This marks the highest proficiency in three years. Of 15 reading and math tests, 14 posted three-year highs. Results improved across all race and ethnicity subgroups as well. College and career readiness, measured by a score of 4 or 5 on state exams, increased to 37.5% of students, up from 34.7% the previous year, showing improvement on 16 of 18 tests statewide.
Science scores saw a notable jump, led by biology proficiency, which rose from 48% to 59%—an 11-percentage-point increase in a single year. English Language Learners also posted gains, with 36% of students making progress or exiting EL status, up from 27% two years ago.
The average ACT composite score for 11th graders rose to 18.4. Fifty-five percent of students scored a 17 or higher, which is the minimum for admission to a UNC System school. State officials noted that this year's ACT results included a one-time statistical bump from a nationwide rescoring correction following a technical issue with spring 2026 testing, and stated they would watch how results compare in future years.
School performance grades also improved, with the share of schools earning a D or F dropping to 23%, down from 31% the year before. This represents 162 fewer low-performing schools than in the previous year. Only 10 school districts statewide were designated low-performing this year, the fewest since the 2018-19 school year.
State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green commented that these academic achievement results "are a testament to the incredible work happening across North Carolina's public schools." NCDPI Chief Accountability Officer Dr. Michael Maher added that students and educators across North Carolina should be proud of this progress.