Asheville City Schools Academic Report

Under new testing methods adopted for 2012-13, Asheville City Schools students fared very well compared to the rest of the state.

The state released the 2012-13 test scores from January (for the 2012 fall semester) and from May and June for end-of-grade and end-of-course tests. The results reflect a new curriculum, new assessments, and higher standards, under which all eight city schools met or exceeded expected growth.

Despite the “higher achievement bar” resulting in lower numbers of students being proficient across the state, city students in grades 3-8 continued to exceed state averages by 12% to 14% for proficiency in reading (Asheville, 56%; statewide, 44%); in math (56%-42%); and in science (64%-52%).

Similarly, Asheville High and SILSA academy both outperformed the statewide average for three end-of-course tests (Asheville Middle School is included in the math proficiency): Math I, 48% v.42% for the state); biology (60%-45%); and English II (65%-51%).

One hundred percent of Asheville City Schools met or exceeded academic growth expectations in the 2012-13 school year compared to 71 percent of North Carolina public schools, according to an accountability report presented to the State Board of Education. As expected, test scores dropped significantly in the first year of more rigorous standards.

“Students are now expected to master more difficult material earlier in their school career,” Acting Superintendent Bobbie Short said on Nov. 6. “Consequently, we expected lower scores. But we are pleased with how well our students performed in this first year of a much more rigorous curriculum and standards. That’s a tribute to our teachers, administrators, and parents.”

Statewide and local data is available at www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reporting. The information provided is more detailed than in the past and includes a user’s guide and technical notes to assist users.

Results from the state’s new assessments align more closely to the National Assessment of Educational Progress results, generally considered to be the Nation’s Report Card of record for public schools.

NAEP’s 2013 results also were released and are available online under “news” at www.ncpublicschools.org.

For more information about the specifics of the new READY accountability model, please review the READY Background Brief at
www.ncpublicschools.org under Highlights.