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Ten of the 15 schools in the district met Adequate Yearly Progress standards and expected or high growth, and four were recognized as being "schools of excellence" based on this year's test scores.
Halifax County Schools went from 46.7 percent of the schools meeting AYP in 2002-03 to 66.7 percent meeting AYP in 2003-04, according to the school district.
"We're very, very pleased with the performance of our schools," said Willie J. Gilchrist, superintendent of Halifax County Schools.
Gilchrist credited the district's educators and support staff for the results, which finds 12 of the district's 15 schools at or above grade level.
There were eight schools of high growth, two schools of expected growth and five schools with no recognition. There are three schools of distinction, where 80 percent of the students scored at or above proficiency, and, four schools of excellence, where 90 percent of the students scored at or above proficiency.
"We are continuing to make steady, discernible improvements in our schools," Gilchrist said. "The success of our school system can be clearly seen in how well our students are performing. They are getting the education they will need to compete with anyone in the state and nation."
For the 2003-04 school year, 10 of the district's 15 schools met the state's target for expected or high growth. There were no low performing schools.
"We are definitely moving in the right direction," said Tyrana Battle, HCS director of testing and accountability. "We have been able to capitalize on our strengths and have been writing diagnostic prescriptions to address our weaknesses."
Four Halifax County schools achieved "excellence" status this year - Hollister Elementary, Inborden Elementary, McIver Elementary and Pittman Elementary.
"Excellence is no accident," Battle explained. "We worked extremely hard and our results are indicative of our hard work. We are very excited about the upcoming school year."
Hollister's scores increased by seven percentage points to 92.1 of students at or above grade level. It also met AYP status.
Inborden's 92.4 score is an improvement of 12.2 percent. This is the first year it has achieved School of Excellence status and met AYP.
McIver was also named a School of Excellence for the first time with a composite score of 99 percent, nearly 10 percent better than last year. It also made AYP.
Pittman achieved School of Excellence status for the second consecutive year, maintaining its composite score of 94.6 percent while meeting AYP standards.
Aurelian Springs Elementary had 87.8 percent of its students at or above grade level, Brawley Middle had 84.7 percent and Everetts Elementary had 81.6 percent. They were named as Schools of Distinction. Aurelian Springs also met AYP standards. Dawson Elementary had 74.5 percent of students performing at or above grade level and was named a School of Progress. It met AYP.
Northwest and Southeast Halifax high schools met expected growth, with 43.7 percent of students at or above grade level.
"No recognition" status, which means the schools did not make expected growth but were not low performing, was given to Bakers Elementary, which had 68.1 percent of students at or above grade level; Eastman Middle, with 84.7 percent; Enfield Middle, with 74.9 percent; Scotland Neck Primary, with 68.1 percent; and W.R. Davie Middle, with 76.7 percent.
"I can't say enough about the job our educators are doing," Gilchrist said. "We still are not where we would like to be, but these results prove that we are well on the way."
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