During a recent Union County Public Schools (UCPS) board meeting, officials presented promising academic performance data, reinforcing the district's status as a leading educational institution in North Carolina. The meeting highlighted results from the previous academic year, showcasing UCPS's overall proficiency rate of 69.5%, which surpasses the state average and positions the district as the highest performing among the state's twelve largest districts.

Dr. Tyson, the district's superintendent, emphasized the importance of continuous improvement, stating that while the data reflects significant achievements, the district must remain committed to enhancing educational outcomes. Dr. Slider, the director of research and accountability, provided a detailed overview of the North Carolina accountability model, which assesses student performance through various standardized tests across grade levels.

Key highlights from the presentation included a 6.5 percentage point increase in overall proficiency since 2021, with notable gains in elementary and middle school math scores. For instance, fifth-grade math proficiency rose by 1.7 percentage points from the previous year, while sixth-grade math saw an increase of 11.3 percentage points over the past four years. However, some high school subjects experienced declines compared to the previous year, although they still showed improvement when compared to 2021 data.

The meeting also addressed the district's cohort graduation rate, which reached a record high of 93.3%, marking a full percentage point increase from the previous year. Additionally, 88% of schools in the district either met or exceeded expected growth, with all high schools achieving this benchmark.

Overall, the data presented at the meeting reflects a strong commitment to academic excellence within Union County Public Schools, with officials expressing pride in the district's accomplishments while acknowledging the need for ongoing efforts to maintain and enhance student performance.