GCPS Results Show Strong, Sustained Three-Year Academic Improvement

Granville County Public Schools has reached its highest level of student proficiency in more than seven years, continuing a three-year trend of academic improvement.

The latest state testing and accountability results from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction show solid gains over the past three years in student proficiency, school performance grades, and academic growth.

Overall student proficiency increased to 46.5%, up 3.4 percentage points from last year. That represents an increase of about 8% in one year and 13% over the past three years. Twelve of the district’s 13 schools, or 92%, met or improved their proficiency from the previous year.

“These results represent real and sustained progress for GCPS,” said Superintendent Dr. Stan Winborne. “Lasting improvement is not built on one good year. It comes from making steady progress over time, and that is what we are seeing. Our students and staff should be proud of what they have accomplished, while also knowing we still have work to do.”

The improvement comes at a time when schools across the country are still working to recover from the academic effects of the pandemic. While GCPS continues to face many of the same challenges, its results have improved steadily over the past three years.

School performance grades show that progress clearly. Three years ago, 6 of 17 GCPS schools, or about 35%, earned a C or higher. This year, 9 of 13 schools, or about 69%, earned a C or higher.

Academic growth has improved as well. Three years ago, 6 of 17 schools, about 35%, met or exceeded expected growth. This year, 8 of 13 schools, about 62%, met or exceeded growth expectations.

Several schools also reached important benchmarks. Granville Early College High School once again earned an A. South Granville High School earned a B, only the second time in the school’s history. J.F. Webb High School earned a C.

For the third consecutive year, GCPS is not identified as a low-performing school district.

The academic gains have come during a period of major change for the district. Over the past three years, GCPS has consolidated or closed four schools while working to better align facilities, staffing, and spending with declining enrollment. The district has also worked to balance its budgets, reduce recurring costs, and decrease its reliance on fund balance.

“What makes these results especially meaningful is everything that has been happening around them,” Winborne said. “We have asked a great deal of our employees, students, families, and communities during a period of major change. Through it all, our schools have continued to move forward academically. That says a lot about the commitment of the people who work in and support our schools.”

Board of Education Chairwoman Baker said the results show that the district’s focus is producing progress.

“We are proud of what our students and staff have accomplished, but we are not satisfied,” Baker said. “We will continue focusing on strong teaching, supporting our students, and helping every school improve.”

GCPS will continue working toward higher proficiency, stronger academic growth, and its goal of every school earning a C or higher.

Winborne also cautioned against viewing state accountability results as the only measure of student success.

“State test scores, school grades, and academic growth are important, but they do not tell the whole story,” he said. “Every day, our students grow through athletics, clubs, special programs, internships, apprenticeships, career opportunities, the arts, and many other experiences. Just as important are the relationships our educators build with students.”

“Those opportunities and relationships may never appear in a state accountability report, but they matter deeply. They help prepare our students for what comes next and make our schools and communities stronger.”

“The people of Granville County should be proud of the progress our students and staff are making,” Winborne said. “Our public schools belong to this community, and their success matters to all of us.”