More N.C. students passing end-of-course tests

More students are passing end-of-course tests in North Carolina, according to data released Thursday by the state Department of Public Instruction.

The data from the 2009-10 school year showed that overall numbers were up 9.3 percentage points from the previous school year, with 80.7 percent passing.

The number of economically disadvantaged students passing also is on the rise, up 12.9 percentage points to nearly 70.9 percent.

In Wake County, there was an overall increase of 5.3 percentage points, with an overall 79.9 percent of students passing end-of-course tests. The biggest gains were made by economically disadvantaged students, with the number increasing 10.1 percentage points to 68.6 percent.

Some Wake County Board of Education members credit the use of professional learning teams, in which educators spend time sharing strategies with one another.

There’s also been a push to put more students in advanced courses, board members said.