Harnett County Schools - Inspiring learners to be leaders!

Lillington, N.C. - The State Department of Public Instruction released school test results and school performance grades on September 3, 2025. Mr. Brooks Matthews, Superintendent of Harnett County Schools, is pleased to announce that Harnett County Schools is no longer designated as a low-performing district. Mr. Matthews stated, “While we still have work to do, this is a very positive step for student achievement." He also shared that test scores for Harnett County Schools again appear to be in line with state trends and continue to move in a positive trend in most areas. 

The state reported that students across the state scored higher in 12 of the 15 math and reading assessments, with only third-grade reading, English II, and NC Math 1 trailing the 2023-2024 results. In Harnett County, students also scored higher in 12 of the 15 math and reading assessments, with a decrease in third-grade reading, math grade 8, and NC Math 1.  

School performance grades also continue to show a steady increase in the number of schools earning an A, B, or C. The state reported the number of schools earning a D or F declined nearly two percentage points, while in Harnett County, the number of schools earning a D or F remained unchanged; one school did move from a C to a B, Northwest Harnett Elementary. Harnett County Early College received an A again this year. Two schools moved from an F to a D, Coats Erwin Middle and Angier Elementary. Two schools received an F: Harnett Virtual Academy and Erwin Elementary. The number of schools exceeding or meeting growth was 53.8% this year. However, six schools exceeded growth this year. They are Dunn Middle, Harnett County Early College, Northwest Elementary, Overhills Middle, South Harnett Elementary, and Triton High School. Schools meeting growth are Buies Creek Elementary, Coats-Erwin Middle, Highland Elementary, Highland Middle, LaFayette K-6 Year Round, Lillington-Shawtown Elementary, Overhills Elementary, and Western Harnett Middle. Under the current school performance model, schools that receive a D or F performance grade and do not exceed growth are identified as low-performing. 

Across the state, English Language Learners (EL) also saw gains. The percentage of students meeting progress targets or exiting English Language learner status has steadily increased over the past three years. Harnett County also had gains with its EL students. Harnett County tested 1897 EL students. Those making progress increased from 19.5% in 2023-2024 to 25.5% in 2024-25. EL students meeting annual progress increased from 16.6% to 18.3%. Students meeting exit criteria increased by 2.2%. 

To meet participation requirements, schools must assess at least 95% of eligible students. Participation requirements are reported for the following student groups: all students, American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Two or More Races, White, Economically Disadvantaged,

English Learners, and Students with Disabilities. Harnett County met the 95% participation requirement and showed increased grade-level proficiency for all subgroups except American Indian and non-economically disadvantaged students. 

The state's four-year cohort graduation rate was 87.7%, while Harnett County's four-year graduation rate was 89.4. This is 3.6% higher than last year and 1.7% above the state's graduation rate. 

In Harnett County, students in grades 3-8 continue to make steady gains in math and reading performance. Students achieving grade-level proficiency in reading increased in all grades 4-7. Fourth and seventh grade saw the biggest gains with a 6.9 percentage point increase at both grades. Just like the state, Harnett County did see a small dip in third-grade reading proficiency. Math grade-level proficiency increased in grades 3-7 with a small (-0.02) decrease in eighth-grade math proficiency. Fourth and seventh grade saw the most significant increase, with a 6.0 and 8.5 percentage point increase in math. Overall, math and reading saw gains in grades 3-8 with a 2.9 increase in reading proficiency and a 4.3 increase in math proficiency. 

High schools in Harnett County showed increased performance in Math 3 and English II. The four traditional high schools earned a C, while Harnett County Early College earned an A. The state saw an improvement in the average composite score for 11th graders taking the ACT, with 18.2, up from 18.1 the previous year. The average composite score in Harnett County is 16.9. Students in Harnett County meeting the UNC admission requirement of a composite score of 17 increased from 31.9% in 2023-2024 to 45.4% in 2024-2025. 

While students in grades 5 and 8 also take science assessments and high school students take Biology assessments, new tests aligned to the new content standards in science and Biology were implemented in the 2024-25 school year, and results should not be compared to previous years. School performance grades were impacted by these changes. Harnett County Schools' fifth-grade science scores saw less than a one-percentage-point decrease and a five-percentage-point decrease in Biology scores. 

The student achievement data for the 2024-2025 school year is based on analysis of all end-of-grade (EOG) and end-of-course (EOC) tests. 

In the state's release, Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green said these scores are a baseline for what's to come. “I'm proud of our students and educators who have worked hard to improve these metrics even as we acknowledge that our students are more than test scores," he said. "While the progress and growth shown in these reports deserves praise, we must continue our work to promote excellence for all students. Our plan is to Achieve Educational Excellence – for every child in North Carolina and to have the best public schools in the nation. I am eager to see this data continue to improve as we work to implement our strategic plan.” 

Superintendent Matthews stated, "These results show we are on the right track. I am proud of our students, teachers, and school leaders for their dedication and resilience. Together, we will continue to build on this progress and ensure that every child in Harnett County has the opportunity to succeed."

For more information about Harnett County Schools' results, please visit the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction website:  

https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/accountability-and-testing/school-accountability-and-re porting/accountability-data-sets-and-reports#2024-25Reports-4468