Johnston County Public Schools

The Johnston County Public Schools district in North Carolina encompasses 48 schools, including 24 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, 10 high schools, and 2 alternative schools. The district serves a diverse range of students and showcases a mix of high-performing and lower-performing schools.

Several schools stand out as exceptional performers within the district. Johnston County Early College Academy ranks 11th out of 640 high schools in North Carolina and consistently earns 5 out of 5 stars from SchoolDigger, with over 90% proficiency on end-of-course exams. Similarly, The Innovation Academy at South Campus ranks 64th out of 793 middle schools and boasts very high proficiency rates on end-of-grade exams. Johnston County Schools Career Technical is another high-performing high school, ranking 13th in the state with exceptional test scores.

In contrast, the district as a whole is ranked 90th out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 3 out of 5 star rating from SchoolDigger. Proficiency rates on state assessments vary significantly across the district, with some schools struggling to achieve even 30% proficiency in certain subjects. This performance gap correlates strongly with poverty levels, as measured by free and reduced-price lunch rates, suggesting that socioeconomic factors play a major role in student outcomes. The district's higher-spending schools tend to be the lower-performing ones, hinting at potential inefficiencies in resource allocation that could be addressed to improve equity and overall district performance.