Stanly County Schools

The Stanly County Schools district in North Carolina comprises 23 schools, including 11 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 7 high schools, and 1 alternative school. The district serves a diverse student population, with some standout high-performing schools as well as lower-performing ones.

Among the top-performing schools in the district are Locust Elementary, which consistently ranks among the top 10% of North Carolina elementary schools, and the STEM-focused Oakboro Choice STEM school, which ranks in the top 27% of elementary schools statewide. The district's two early college high schools, Stanly Early College High and Stanly STEM Early College, are also standout performers, ranking 60th and 62nd out of 640 high schools in North Carolina, respectively.

However, the district as a whole lags the state average in proficiency rates for end-of-course and end-of-grade exams, with a stark disparity between the highest and lowest-performing schools. The schools with the highest rates of economic disadvantage, as measured by free/reduced lunch eligibility, tend to have the lowest proficiency rates, highlighting the challenge of overcoming poverty. The district's virtual school also struggles significantly, with proficiency rates far below the district and state averages.