Craven County Schools Reports Academic Growth and Progress in 2025-2026 School Performance Results

NEW BERN, N.C. — Craven County Schools is celebrating areas of academic progress following the release of the 2025–2026 School Performance Results, with more schools meeting or exceeding expected growth, more schools earning a School Performance Grade of C or better, and three schools exiting low-performing status.

For the 2025–2026 school year, 15 of the district’s 24 schools met or exceeded expected growth, up from 10 schools the previous year. Additionally, 17 of 24 schools earned a School Performance Grade of C or better, up from 15 last year.

Among the schools demonstrating particularly strong academic growth, James W. Smith Elementary School, Oaks Road Academy, Tucker Creek Middle School, and Craven Early College exceeded growth expectations.

The district also celebrates Bridgeton Elementary School, J.T. Barber Elementary School, and Oaks Road Academy, which exited low-performing status based on the 2025–2026 results. Three of the district’s 10 schools previously identified as low-performing achieved the progress necessary to exit that designation.

“These results reflect the focused work taking place in our classrooms and schools every day,” said Dr. Matthew Cheeseman, Superintendent of Craven County Schools. “We are especially encouraged to see more of our schools meeting or exceeding growth expectations and three schools exit low-performing status. These accomplishments belong to our students, teachers, administrators, support staff, families, and community partners who continue to believe in what our students can achieve. We are proud of the progress, but we also know our work is not finished. We will continue using these results to identify where we are succeeding, where additional support is needed, and how we can provide every student with the opportunities and instruction necessary to grow and succeed.”

Districtwide Academic Indicators Show Improvement

In addition to school-level growth, Craven County Schools experienced improvement across several key district academic indicators.

·         ACT performance increased, with 56.1% of students scoring 17 or higher, compared with 52.9% the previous year.

·         The district’s graduation rate increased to 83.5%, up from 81.5%, representing a two-percentage-point improvement.

·         Grade-level proficiency also increased in Grades 3–8 in both science and mathematics. Science proficiency increased to 64.2% from 61.8%, while mathematics proficiency increased to 56.7% from 54.9%.

·         At the high school level, Biology proficiency increased to 55.3% from 45.7%, representing a 9.6-percentage-point increase from the previous year.

School Performance Grades

School Performance Grades provide one measure of school performance and are calculated using student achievement and academic growth. For 2025–2026, Craven County Schools’ 24 schools earned the following grades:

• A – 2 schools
• B – 4 schools
• C – 11 schools
• D – 6 schools
• F – 1 school

Craven Early College and Early College EAST each earned an A, while A.H. Bangert Elementary, Creekside Elementary, W.J. Gurganus Elementary, and Tucker Creek Middle earned a B.

While School Performance Grades provide information about overall achievement, academic growth measures the progress students make during a year of instruction. Craven County Schools encourages families and community members to consider both measures when reviewing individual school results.

Focused on Continuous Improvement

The 2025–2026 results provide Craven County Schools with important information to celebrate progress while continuing to identify areas requiring additional focus and support.

District and school leaders will use the accountability data alongside classroom, school, and student-level information to guide instructional planning, allocate resources, provide targeted support, and strengthen strategies designed to improve student outcomes.

Craven County Schools remains committed to continuous improvement and academic excellence for every student, in every classroom, and in every school.

“We have momentum, and our responsibility now is to build on it,” Dr. Cheeseman added. “Our goal is not simply to improve a number or a letter grade. Our goal is to ensure our students are growing, achieving, graduating prepared for their next step, and receiving the high-quality educational experience they deserve. That work continues every day across Craven County Schools.”