North Carolina students scored better on standardized tests this spring than last year, indicating some rebound toward pre-pandemic academic achievement.
In 2023 half of the state’s students in grades 3 to 8 earned grade-level scores in reading, and 53% hit that mark in math. The rates are up a couple of percentage points over 2022 but still six or seven points below 2019.
The scores show that 81% of Asian students and 67% of white students earned grade-level scores, compared with 36% of Black students and 42% of Hispanic students.
Economically disadvantaged students showed a 40% proficiency rate, compared to 69% for students who were not in that category.
The number of schools considered “low-performing” dropped to its lowest level in years, according to annual data released by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.