Local Schools Receive High Marks

None of the schools received a mark lower than "distinction," the second highest ranking.

These positive ratings are the latest phase in an upward trend in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools.

The ABCs accountability program measures each school's progress in raising student proficiency in required end-of-year testing.

The ABCs program awards the title of "excellence" to any school where 90 percent of the students achieve a "proficient" score on their end-of-year tests.

Schools that attain a proficiency rating of at least 80 percent are awarded the title of "distinction."

The ABCs program sets a certain percentage of proficiency as the expected growth for a school.

Any school that increases its proficiency levels by at least 110 percent is considered a school of high growth. Ten of the 14 schools in the system achieved this rating. Seven of these high-growth schools also were schools of "excellence."

Diane Villwock, director of the Office of Testing and Program Evaluation for the school system, said she is pleased with the progress made by the students and is optimistic that the proficiency ratings will continue to rise in years to come.

"We have every expectation that the proficiency scores will continue to meet growth expectations," Villwock said. "The recent scores definitely indicate that the kids are learning what they are supposed to."

Another positive aspect of last year's tests was the continued increase in black students' proficiency ratings, which jumped 5 percent for the second straight year.

Villwock attributed this steady increase to the district's effort to close the achievement gap, which is one of the system's goals this academic year.

She added that the district had been focused in recent years on creating a curriculum aligned to every child.

The black community in the school system also performed well compared to peer groups throughout the state.

In Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools, 74 percent of black students tested proficiently in grades three through eight.

Kim Hoke, spokeswoman for Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools, said the average proficiency rating of black students in the state is 56 percent.

Hoke said she is pleased with the schools' scores and added that the school system is bolstered by its outstanding teachers, students and overall community.

She said that teachers in the area do their jobs well and that the community and students both recognize the importance of education.

"(The community members are) willing to invest their own personal time to ensure that the students are getting the best possible education."

Villwock echoed Hoke's sentiments, saying a combined effort of students willing to learn and teachers willing to teach is the main reason the system has experienced an increase in test scores.

"No single group was responsible for our increase -- it was the combined effort of parents, teachers, administrators and kids."

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.