The motto of Wilson County Schools is “learn, create, inspire” and that is exactly what our 10,200 students and 1,800 staff members strive to do each day. Our district consists of 25 schools - 13 elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools, two early colleges, one alternative school and one virtual school. Students are empowered to stay engaged in their education and to graduate as responsible citizens who are prepared to participate in the global economy. More details can be found in our Fast Facts graphic. Below is our mission, vision, beliefs and most recent accountability highlights.



Mission: The mission of Wilson County Schools is to provide an educational environment which creates success for all students through the community working together.

Vision: Wilson County Schools is a place where students participate in an educational environment in which they are engaged and empowered in their learning and graduate as responsible citizens prepared to compete in the global economy.  Collectively, students, educators, families and community members commit to becoming lifelong learners and ensuring students are prepared for success and equipped with the skills to pursue their dreams.

Belief Statements:
1. Educators set high expectations that drive learning and coursework to be rigorous, engaging and aligned with college and career readiness.
2. Student achievement and success should not be predictable by race, ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic status.
3. Educators believe in and share the responsibility for the development of the whole child.
4. All stakeholders share responsibility for promoting a culture of integrity, honor and respect.
5. Effective family and community partnerships are a cornerstone of the educational experience. 

Accountability Highlights  
Wilson County Schools enjoyed an increase in overall proficiency of 9.8% compared to last school year. For the 2021-22 school year, students scored 49.8% proficient overall compared to 40.0% during the 2020-21 school year. This increase in proficiency helped propel Wilson County past 15 other districts in the overall state rankings to number 56 (out of 115 districts in the state).  This is the highest state ranking Wilson County has ever achieved.  After returning to in-person learning for an entire school year, our growth scores indicate the tremendous impact our teachers have had. Growth is a measure based on achieving one year’s worth of learning for students. Twenty out of 27 schools met or exceeded growth this year (14 exceeded). For context, the district’s best prior year for proficiency gains and growth scores was 2017-18, when Wilson County Schools gained 9.1% in overall proficiency and had 20 of 26 schools meet or exceed growth (11 exceeded). The schools exceeding growth in the 2021-22 school year are:

• Barnes Elementary, Frederick Douglass Elementary, Gardners Elementary, Lee Woodard Elementary, Lucama Elementary, New Hope Elementary, Rock Ridge Elementary, Vinson-Bynum Elementary, Wells Elementary, Winstead Elementary, Forest Hills Middle, Beddingfield High, Hunt High and Wilson Early College Academy 

Wilson Academy of Virtual Education, in its first year of operation, met growth and earned a School Performance Grade of C. Wilson Early College Academy maintained a school performance grade of an A despite the challenge of overcoming learning loss from the pandemic years. Since the inception of the state’s grading system in 2013-14, Wilson Early College Academy has consistently earned an A. Wilson County Schools also had several schools that earned a B School Performance Grade. Those schools are:

• Gardners Elementary, Lucama Elementary, New Hope Elementary, Rock Ridge Elementary, Hunt High and Wilson Academy of Applied Technology 

Our cohort graduation rate (students who graduate in 4 years) ticked up 0.3% to 79.2% - our highest rate since 2015 (81.5%).

Proficiency (percent of students achieving at grade level on the End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) tests)

• Reading EOG: up 7.7% to 45.9% proficient

• Math EOG: up 11.2% to 46.9% proficient

• Science EOG: up 2% to 67.1% proficient

• English 2 EOC: up 6.5% to 59.3% proficient

• Math 1 EOC: up 9.9% to 39.5% proficient

• Math 3 EOC: up 13.3% to 53.3% proficient

• Biology EOC: up 12.3% to 47.7% proficient

Performance Grades (Letter grades assigned to schools by the state based on proficiency and growth)

• Schools that earned an A: Wilson Early College Academy

• Schools that earned a B: Gardners Elementary, Lucama Elementary, New Hope Elementary, Rock Ridge Elementary, Hunt High and Wilson Academy of Applied Technology 

• Schools that earned a C: Frederick Douglass Elementary, Vinson-Bynum Elementary, Wells Elementary, Elm City Middle, Forest Hills Middle, Springfield Middle, Beddingfield High, Fike High and Wilson Academy of Virtual Education

• Schools that earned a D: Barnes Elementary, Hearne Elementary, Jones Elementary, Lee Woodard Elementary, Stantonsburg Elementary, Winstead Elementary and Speight Middle 

• Schools that earned an F: Vick Elementary, Darden Middle and Toisnot Middle

Noteworthy Performances:

• For the first time since growth became a part of the State accountability system, every WCS Elementary School met or exceeded growth in the 2021-22 school year.  

• Lucama Elementary had a growth score of +9.6 which ranks 33rd among 2,597 North Carolina public schools with an overall growth index (Top 1% of Growth in the State).

Link to the presentation shared with the Wilson County Board of Education on Sept. 19, 2022.

About Wilson County
Wilson County Schools is located in Wilson County, which is 45 minutes east of the capital city of Raleigh, two hours from the beach and roughly four hours from the mountains. Once known as “the world’s largest tobacco market,” Wilson leaders have worked to redefine Wilson as a place with all the charm of a small town and all the amenities of a larger city. In Wilson, front porch rocking chairs and whimsical whirligigs coexist with entrepreneurial pathways and a world-class broadband system. Visit www.discoverwilson.com to find out more about our incredible town.