By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction announced on Wednesday that public school students achieved a record-high graduation rate in 2025-26 and improved performance on most standardized tests.
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The four-year cohort graduation rate rose to 88.8% in 2025-26, up from a record 87.8% in the previous year, thereby marking a new historic high, NC DPI said in a news release.
“This graduation rate moves North Carolina’s public schools closer to reaching a ‘Best in Nation Measure’ as identified in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s (NCDPI) strategic plan,” the release said.
The all-subject and all-grade composite score for end-of-grade (EOG) and end-of-course (EOC) assessments reported 59.2% of students proficient – the highest in the past three years.
The percentage of students who were grade-level proficient, was also the highest in the past three years for 14 of 15 reading and mathematics tests, the state news release said.
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Also, results for all race and ethnicity subgroups were the highest of the past three years.
“These academic achievement results are a testament to the incredible work happening across North Carolina’s public schools,” North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green said.
The state released a presentation that provided an overview of the graduation rates on Wednesday.
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For a look at schools across the state, click here.