At a glance
North Carolina gives each school an A-F performance grade, published on the NC School Report Cards. The grade is based mostly on test achievement, with a portion for growth.
How this state rates schools
The A-F grade comes from a 0–100 score that is 80% school achievement (test proficiency and, for high schools, other measures) and 20% academic growth. The score maps to a letter (A through F). Note the heavy weight on achievement means the grade partly reflects student demographics — read the growth component too.
What gets measured
Under the federal ESSA law, every state rates schools using several indicators. They typically include:
- Academic achievementHow students score on state tests (proficiency in reading/ELA and math)
- Academic growth / progressHow much students improve year to year — not just where they land
- Graduation rateFor high schools (the 4-year cohort rate)
- English-learner progressHow English learners are progressing toward proficiency
- School quality / student successAn extra indicator — often attendance/chronic absenteeism, college/career readiness, or similar
Finding & reading the report card
Look up any school on the NC School Report Cards. Review the growth rating (Exceeded/Met/Not Met) alongside the letter grade — growth often tells you more about the school’s effect.
How families should use ratings
A rating is a helpful starting point, not a verdict. Use it wisely:
- Read it in contextA school’s score reflects its students’ circumstances too, not only its quality
- Look at growth, not just scoresGrowth shows how much a school moves students — often more telling than raw proficiency
- Check the trendIs the school improving over time?
- Look past the summaryDig into the underlying data (subgroups, attendance, readiness)
- Then visitData raises questions; a visit answers them (see our guide on evaluating a school)
Tips for families
- Start on the official portalLook up your specific school, not just district averages
- Weigh growth heavilyHow much a school moves students matters as much as test scores
- Mind the contextRatings partly reflect student demographics and circumstances
- Compare a few schoolsRatings are most useful for comparison, in context
- Pair data with a visitNumbers plus a tour give the real picture
Frequently asked questions
- How does North Carolina rate schools?North Carolina assigns an A-F grade from a 0–100 score (80% achievement, 20% growth).
- What do the ratings measure?Test scores, growth, graduation rate, English-learner progress, and a school-quality indicator.
- Where do I look up my school?On the state’s official report-card portal (see below).
- Should I choose a school by its rating alone?No — use it as a starting point, weigh growth and context, and visit.
- What are CSI and TSI?Federal labels for schools flagged for Comprehensive or Targeted Support and Improvement.
At a glance
- FormatA-F school performance grades
- Scale0–100 mapped to a letter
- Mix80% achievement, 20% growth
- ToolNC School Report Cards
- Look up atncreportcards.ondemand.sas.com
Where to look it up
Look up a specific school on the official portal: