Northampton County Schools

The Northampton County Schools district in North Carolina serves a predominantly African American student population across 6 schools, including 2 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 3 high schools (with 1 early college), and 1 virtual high school. While the district as a whole faces significant challenges, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, one school stands out as a bright spot: Northampton Early College, which has the highest state-wide rankings and notably stronger test scores compared to the district and state averages.

The data reveals substantial performance gaps between the schools, the Northampton County Schools district, and the state. For example, in 8th grade Math, Gaston STEM Leadership Academy had a proficiency rate of 30%, compared to 25.3% for the district and 46.9% for the state. This suggests that the district is struggling to provide equitable educational opportunities, particularly for its economically disadvantaged students, with most schools having over 98% of their students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Despite these challenges, Northampton Early College stands out as a high-performing school, with strong test scores and a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. This could indicate that the early college model is an effective approach for the district, and its success could provide valuable insights for improving educational outcomes across the Northampton County Schools system.