More Than Half of DPS Schools Earn A, B, C Grades
Data from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction indicates that more Durham Public Schools are earning higher performance grades with more students reaching growth and proficiency goals since the pandemic. This information was presented to the State Board of Education today.
More than half of the district's schools earned an A, B, or C grade, with the highest number of A schools since the pandemic. Of 57* schools have earned grades of A,B, or C, with more schools earning an A grade since the 2018-19 school year. (*54 of the district’s 57 schools participate in the accountability program.) Additionally, Durham Public Schools also surpassed its Strategic Plan Goal 1A benchmark for the 2024-25 school year with 47 of 54 schools, or 88.9 percent meeting or exceeding growth, the highest since the 2018-19 school year. This is approximately 17 percent higher than the state’s average.
Durham Public Schools also achieved:
Reading proficiency gains in every grade level from third through eighth grade;
Math proficiency gains in six of seven areas;
End-of-course proficiency gains in four of five areas;
and a 7.9 percent point increase in English Learner progress. (33 of 55 schools surpassed the 60 percent benchmark)
Schools with an A Grade | Schools with a B Grade | Schools with a C Grade |
|---|---|---|
Lakewood Middle Montessori City of Medicine Academy J.D. Clement Early College Middle College High School at Durham Tech (now Durham Early College of Health Sciences) | Burton Elementary Easley Elementary George Watts Montessori Elementary Lyons Farm Elementary Mangum Elementary Morehead Montessori Elementary Pearsontown Elementary Rogers-Herr Middle Durham School of Technology Durham School of the Arts | Club Boulevard Elementary E.K. Powe Elementary Forest View Elementary Glenn Elementary Holt Elementary Hope Valley Elementary Merrick-Moore Elementary Oak Grove Elementary Southwest Elementary Little River Montessori Elementary James E. Shepard Middle Githens Middle The School for Creative Studies C.E. Jordan High Riverside High |
The state rates alternative schools on a unique accountability system. Lakeview School and Durham Performance Learning Center have earned “Excelling” and “Succeeding” ratings, respectively.
“As the leader of instruction for this district, I am proud of the progress that we continue to make, proud of our teachers who inspire our scholars to learn, proud of our principals who in turn inspire our teachers and staff, and grateful to the parents and community who place their trust in our ability to provide an education that is preparing them for life beyond graduation,” Dr. Lewis said.
Durham Public Schools ranks among the top 10 districts across the state for meeting and exceeding growth and leads the largest 12 districts in the state for growth:
Schools that Exceeded Growth | Schools that Met Growth |
|---|---|
Burton Elementary C.C. Spaulding Elementary Eastway Elementary Eno Valley Elementary Forest View Elementary Holt Elementary Lyons Farm Elementary Mangum Elementary Merrick-Moore Elementary Morehead Montessori Elementary Oak Grove Elementary Brogden Middle Carrington Middle James E. Shepard Middle Lakewood Montessori Middle Lucas Middle Rogers-Herr Middle Githens Middle The School for Creative Studies City of Medicine Academy Durham School of Technology Durham School of the Arts J.D. Clement Early College | Bethesda Elementary Club Boulevard Elementary Creekside Elementary Easley Elementary Fayetteville Street Elementary George Watts Montessori Elementary Glenn Elementary Hillandale Elementary Hope Valley Elementary Lakewood Elementary Little River Montessori Elementary Pearsontown Elementary R.N. Harris Elementary Southwest Elementary Spring Valley Elementary W.G. Pearson Elementary Y.E. Smith Elementary Ignite! Online Academy Lowe’s Grove Middle Neal Middle C.E. Jordan High Hillside High Riverside High Southern School of Energy and Sustainability |
Three schools are ranked in the top 100 of all North Carolina schools for growth: J.D. Clement Early College (20), City of Medicine Academy (44), and James E. Shepard Middle School (69).
Fifteen DPS schools are ranked in the top 20 percent of the state’s 2,590 schools for academic growth:
Burton Elementary
C.C. Spaulding Elementary
Holt Elementary
Lyons Farm Elementary
Mangum Elementary
Morehead Montessori Elementary
Oak Grove Elementary
James E. Shepard Middle
Lakewood Montessori Middle
Lucas Middle
Rogers-Herr Middle
Durham School of Technology
J.D. Clement Early College
City of Medicine Academy
Durham School of the Arts
Durham Public Schools also announces three fewer low-performing schools this year, and that seven schools have moved out of low-performing status: Eastway, Eno Valley, Holt, Hope Valley, Little River, Spring Valley, and Lucas.
This year’s low-performing schools are Bethesda, Creekside, Fayetteville Street, Hillandale, Lakewood, Murray-Massenburg, Parkwood, R,N. Harris, Sandy Ridge, W.G. Pearson, Y.E. Smith, Ignite!, Lowe’s Grove, Neal, Hillside, Northern, and Southern.
“We will buttress our schools with the resources and best practices necessary to reinforce and expand the work they’re already doing to support their scholars,” Dr. Lewis said.
Additional Accountability Data for 2025:
Four-Year Graduation Cohort Rate: 80.4
Math Course Rigor: 94.5
ACT*: 49.2
ACT WorkKeys (WorkKeys is a system of assessments created by ACT that measures an individual's "real-world" skills needed for success in the workplace): 56.7
ACT/ACT WorkKeys: 45.3
DPS High Schools with ACT WorkKeys Higher Than 61.4 Percent:
J.D. Clement Early College
City of Medicine Academy
Middle College High School at Durham Tech (now DECHS)
Durham School of the Arts
High Schools with Cohort Graduate Rate of More Than 86.4 Percent:
100 Percent
J.D. Clement Early College
City of Medicine Academy
Middle College High School at Durham Tech (now Durham Early College of Health Sciences)
86.4-99.9 Percent
Durham School of the Arts
Durham School of Technology
The School for Creative Studies