District Performance: 25-26 Accountability Highlights

The 2025-2026 accountability results were recently released by the state, and Wilson County Schools continued to see INCREASES in overall proficiency and growth! Our results are INCREDIBLE! Our proficiency moved from 56.4% to 60.2%, which is a 3.8 percentage-point increase and the highest proficiency rate ever recorded for our district! The highest percentage in the state was 73.8%. WCS is now ranked 36th among 115 districts statewide and is just 3 percentage points from being one of the top 20 performing districts in the state.

“I am incredibly proud of our students and the outstanding progress they have made. I also want to thank our teachers, staff, administrators and district leaders for their hard work and dedication, as well as families for supporting their students,” said Superintendent Dr. Ben Williams. “These results are a testament to the work being done every day and are more than just numbers - they represent students learning and growing, which is the ultimate goal. Achieving this level of success year after year takes a collective effort and reflects the shared commitment to student success across our entire district.” 

Proficiency

The proficiency gains, which refers to the percent of students achieving at grade level on the End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) tests, by subject were: 

• Reading EOG (Grades 3-5): increased 3.7% to 60.8% proficient
• Reading EOG (Grades 6-8): increased 3.1% to 58.9% proficient
• Overall Reading EOG: increased 3.1% to 59.5% proficient
• Math EOG (Grades 3-5): increased 0.8% to 66.0% proficient
• Math EOG (Grades 6-8): increased 1.0% to 54.0% proficient
• Math EOG + EOC (Grades 6-8): increased 2.4% to 61.5% proficient
• Overall Math EOG: increased 2.4% to 61.5% proficient
• Science EOG (Grade 5): increased 11.4% to 72.7% proficient
• Science EOG (Grade 8): increased 18.9% to 72.6% proficient 
• Overall Science EOG: increased 14.8% to 72.1% proficient 
• English 2 EOC High School: increased 2.9% to 62.7% proficient
• Math 1 EOC Middle School: up 5.5% to 93.5% proficient
• Math 1 EOC High School: decreased 2.0% to 25.8% proficient
• Math 3 EOC High School: decreased 7.5% to 66.1% proficient
• Biology EOC High School: increased 6.9% to 51.2% proficient 

Wilson County Schools increased overall grade level proficiency by 3.8%. Our proficiency moved from 56.4% to 60.2%, which is the highest proficiency rate ever recorded for our district! As a result, we rank 36th out of 115 NC school districts. Here’s a look at where we have ranked historically:

• 2016 - 90th (47.4% Grade Level Proficiency - GLP)
• 2017 - 89th (48.5% GLP)
• 2018 - 59th (57.6% GLP)
• 2019 - 58th (57.2% GLP)
• 2020 - Covid Year (no results)
• 2021 - 71st (40.0% GLP) – Remote Instruction year; reset baseline
• 2022 - 56th (49.8% GLP)
• 2023 - 41st (55.2% GLP)
• 2024 - 37th (56.1% GLP) 
• 2025 - 34th (56.4% GLP) – Highest State Ranking Ever!
• 2026 - 36th (60.2%GLP) – Highest GLP Ever!

60.2% is only 3 percentage points away from a top 20 ranking! The highest district in the state was 73.8 proficient%.

Nineteen schools increased in proficiency, including all six middle schools. The following schools recorded their highest-ever proficiencies: 

• Barnes Elementary
• Elm City Middle
• Daniels Learning Center
• Lee Woodard Elementary
• Speight Middle
• Springfield Middle
• Vinson-Bynum Elementary
• Wilson Academy of Applied Technology 

These schools have increased grade-level proficiency for 5 consecutive years:

• Barnes 41.6% increase
• Elm City 18.4% increase
• Speight 24.0% increase
• Stantonsburg 26.4% increase
• Vinson-Bynum 30.2% increase
• Wilson Academy of Applied Technology  25.9% increase

Growth

The district’s growth scores indicate the tremendous work of students and staff. Growth is a measure based on achieving one year’s worth of learning for students. If a school exceeds expected growth, that means it has a growth score at or above +2.00 where students are growing more than expected within a year. Met growth indicates a growth score between -2.00 and +1.99 where students are growing as expected within a year. Growth Highlights:

• 17 of 24 schools met or exceeded expected growth
• 12 of 13 elementary schools, 3 of 5 middle schools and 2 of 5 high schools met or exceeded expected growth
• 3 schools exceeded expected growth: 
  • Forest Hills Middle, Lee Woodard Elementary & Wilson Early College Academy
     

School Performance Grades

North Carolina School Performance Grades are calculated with 80% of the score based on a school's Achievement Score (student proficiency on standardized tests) and 20% based on Academic Growth. The combined score is converted to a 100-point scale, and then assigned a letter grade.

A Schools

• Wilson Academy of Applied Technology
• Wilson Early College Academy 

B Schools

• Elm City Middle
• Frederick Douglass Elementary (First B in 8 years)
• Gardners Elementary
• Lee Woodard Elementary (First B ever)
• Lucama Elementary
• New Hope Elementary
• Rock Ridge Elementary
• Springfield Middle (First B ever)

C Schools

• Barnes Elementary (exited continually low-performing status)
• Beddingfield High
• Fike High
• Forest Hills Middle
• Hunt High
• Jones Elementary
• Speight Middle
• Stantonsburg Elementary
• Vinson-Bynum Elementary (was only 1 proficient score from a B)
• Wells Elementary
• Wilson Academy of Virtual Education 

D Schools

• Darden Middle
• Hearne Elementary
• Vick Elementary
   

Graduation Rate

The cohort graduation rate for Wilson County Schools is 82.9%. This is the fourth year in a row that it is above 80%.

Additional Highlights

• 1,159 “College and Career Promise” Credits earned with a 83.9% pass rate
• 5 graduates earned the Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone Diploma
• 55 graduates earned AP Awards
• 5 seniors earned the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme Diploma
• Combined ACT / WORKKEYS (AWA) Data: 56.3% (up 6.9% from 2024-25)
  • These graduates earned at least one of the following:
    • 17+ or higher on the ACT (UNC system requirement) and/or
    • Silver/Gold/Platinum WORKKEYS certificate if a concentrator.