Warren County Schools Make Strides in State Test Performance, Building Momentum for Continued Growth

WARREN COUNTY, N.C. — Warren County Schools is celebrating academic improvements in the 2024–2025 school year, as reflected in the state test results released by the NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) today. While the district is classified as a Low Performing District, our results show progress is being made. The district's overall student grade level proficiency for levels three, four, and five increased from 29.5% in the 2023–2024 school year to 31% in 2024–2025.

One of the most significant highlights is Vaughan Elementary School (VES), which is no longer designated as a low-performing school after meeting its growth goals and earning a performance grade of 55%(C). In the previous school year, VES did not meet growth and received a 49%(D), which represents a 6% increase in proficiency.

Warren County High School (WCHS) improved from 50% (D) in 2023–2024 to 54% (D) in 2024–2025 - just one percentage point away from earning a “C” rating. Significant gains were seen in Math I and Math III, with scores increasing by 5.6 and 1.8 percentage points, respectively. Additionally, both ACT and WorkKeys scores saw double-digit improvements, rising by 19.5 and 17.7 percentage points.

How Scores Are Calculated and Categorized

School performance grades are comprised of two parts: 80% is based on achievement and 20% on growth. Achievement is determined by the percentage of students who scored at or above grade-level proficiency (GLP), which includes levels three, four, or five on their state end-of-grade (EOG) and end-of-course (EOC) tests. High schools also incorporate four-year cohort graduation rates, math course rigor, and achievement on the ACT/WorkKeys assessments into their achievement scores. The remaining 20% of the grade reflects the progress that students made over the previous year, also known as their growth. Schools can show growth even if they do not meet achievement targets.

Key Academic Gains

The district saw notable gains in both reading and math proficiency:

Overall reading proficiency for grades three through eight improved from 24.1% in 2023–2024 to 31.1% in 2024–2025, with eighth-grade reading proficiency seeing the most significant jump, from 21.7% to 34.5% (see Table 1).
High school Math I scores showed a substantial increase, rising from 15.4% proficient in 2023–2024 to 27.5% in 2024–2025 (see Table 2).

The district continued to make meaningful progress, with several schools demonstrating growth and improvements in key academic areas (see Table 3).

Warren County Middle School also improved proficiency for grades six and eight in reading, and grades six, seven, and eight in math. Additionally, Warren Early College continued its track record of excellence by exceeding growth for the third year in a row.

While celebrating these achievements, the district acknowledges that there is still much work to be done to improve teaching and learning. Targeted areas for improvement include:

Grade 7 Reading
Grades 5, 6, 7 Mathematics and Math 1
Grades 5 and 8 Science, and Biology
Increasing the graduation rate at Warren County High School

In response, the district has launched several initiatives to support students and teachers, including:

Implemented instructional coaching at both the elementary and secondary levels to build teacher capacity and provide real-time, evidence-based feedback to improve teaching and learning, support student mastery of challenging concepts, and enhance instructional quality through targeted professional development.
Built principal leadership capacity by providing tools and strategies for instructional improvement, data-driven decision-making, and effective teacher feedback.
Strengthened the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to ensure consistent, data-based academic and behavioral interventions that improve outcomes for all students.
Secured the Golden LEAF grant to enhance middle school math instruction through targeted professional development, resources, and support to boost student achievement.

"For Warren County Schools to truly reflect our students’ capabilities, we need parents, teachers, staff, and the community to work together to ignite children’s passion for learning so each one can meet their true potential. This year's theme is All In, We Win and as we work together, we can become Champions for Children with Kindness."

-Superintendent Dr. Carol Montague-Davis

WARREN COUNTY SCHOOLS