Johnston County Board of Education moves to help low-performing schools

NC, nation see significant drops in 4th- and 8th-grade reading and math

Scores in N.C. and nationwide dropped by statistically significant amounts across all four tests administered since the last NAEP exam in 2019: fourth-grade reading, eighth-grade reading, fourth-grade math and eighth-grade math. Scores in fourth-grade math, eighth-grade math and eighth-grade reading are the lowest they’ve been since test-taking procedures last changed in 2002 and 2003. In fourth-grade reading, scores in North Carolina are about as low as they were in 2005.

North Carolina schools remain on par with national performance.

The meeting tonight will discuss low-performing schools…it comes after the nations report card showed a concerning trend.

The state is already working to take action, rolling out a new phonics-based reading program and pushing to increase tutoring at schools.

Experts say learning loss in N.C. has been trending in the wrong direction.

"There has been some drop, but there has been some drop since 2012, so it was pre-pandemic drop," said Lance Fusarelli with the N.C. State College of Education. "It’s really difficult to look at these numbers and say, ‘There’s been significant learning loss and scores are falling off a cliff.’ That’s not the case.”

The Johnston County Board of Education will meet at 5 p.m.