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RALEIGH-- Data is being released on how well school systems and schools all across the state educated students this past school year. The Superintendent of North Carolina's largest school system, Wake County, held a briefing Thursday afternoon.

Wake Schools Superintendent Tony Tata said it is mostly good news for the state's largest school system.

End of Course and End of Grade Tests show Wake students increased proficiency at every grade level and in every subject tested, with the sole exception of seventh-grade math. Those results only dropped by two-tenths of a percentage point.

The Superintendent said it is because more middle-schoolers are taking algebra and pre-algebra courses. Therefore in the long run, it is a step in the right direction.

Possibly one of the brightest spots in all of Thursday's numbers is the results for economically disadvantaged students; who traditionally do not perform as well academically as students from middle class or wealthy families.

The test results show Wake Schools are closing that achievement gap, with economically disadvantaged students increasing their scores at greater percentages than other students.
Superintendent Tata said that is because of extra attention, funding, and highly qualified staff at schools that had been struggling the most.

"The majority now of our Title I elementary schools now have all highly qualified teacher assistants so now they can not have to go in and pull children out. But they can provide instruction to the children that need it, where they need it throughout the school regardless of income status," said Tata.

While most of the results are positive and promising, there are about a dozen schools that did not meet their expected growth rate. There are also a handful of schools where less than 60 percent of students were proficient.

Superintendent Tata said officials will take a close look at these schools and what needs to change to get those scores up to ensure every child in Wake County is learning what they need to know.