Editorial: NC School performance scores challenge income and location myths: 2025–26 tri-county report

Learning is not predictable based on which school a student attends or the student’s household income, according to the available data. School performance predictions based on location and economic theories clash between Moore, Lee and Harnett counties. This is important to know for anyone relocating to the tri-county area, for people considering a switch to a different school or hoping for a voucher, or parents searching for a scapegoat for their students’ grades.

A former school board member once said, “Show me the poverty levels and I’ll show you the grade levels.” However, the data bucks that theory along with the idea that school location affects school performance.

The North Carolina Department of Education (NCDPI) released the 2025-26 performance scores on Sept. 1. This article shares each school’s score. It reviews school rurality and socioeconomics using the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) with 2024-25 numbers, the nearest available. Note that NCES bases economic status on eligibility for free lunch.

In the tri-county area, the celebration continues for improved scores.

The most improved schools were in economically challenged areas: Erwin Elementary in Harnett led all districts with an 18-point increase to 57, followed by 15-point jumps at Johnsonville Elementary, now at 72, and Western Harnett Middle at 67, with 14-point lunge for Crain’s Creek Middle in Moore rising to 67, East Lee Middle in Lee surged to 53, and LaFayette Year-Round in Harnett jumped to 75. North Moore High School improved by 11 points to 71.

The facts challenge rural location as a determinant for high scores. For example, performance scores in Moore County’s rural schools spanned from 47 to 81.

Robbins Elementary saw the biggest drop, falling 11 points to 47. Northwest Harnett Elementary’s score fell 10 points to 63. West Pine, Pinehurst, and Vass-Lakeview elementary schools in Moore County, along with Overhills Middle in Harnett County, all saw significant score drops. Performance at Western Harnett High was at 59, Deep River Elementary earned 65 points, and Harnett County Early College at 93, remained unchanged from 2024–25.

Performance depends on school strategies, interventions, and staff, not income levels or location. In sports, football teams study the winners’ tactics and work to elevate their strategies, and from the following scores, it looks like it’s time for a tri-county huddle.

Moore County Schools

West Pine Middle, on the rural fringe, with 99.6% eligibility for free lunch earned a B with 81 points, and Crain’s Creek, also on the rural fringe, with 99.4% eligibility improved to 67. McDeeds Creek Elementary, a small-city school with 21% of students eligible for free or reduced meals, scored 75 but fell two points.

Moore County Schools’ academic performance is not fully explained by economic disadvantage or rurality.

Improvement over 2024-25 scores occurred in some of the most economically disadvantaged schools: Elise scored 13 more points; North Moore earned 11 points and Cameron scored 5 more points.

Aberdeen Elementary, grades K-5, earned a D.

The performance score was 54 in 2025–26, up 3 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Cameron Elementary, grades K-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 64 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Carthage Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a B.

The performance score was 73 in 2025–26, up 4 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Highfalls Elementary, grades K-8, earned a C.

The performance score was 69 in 2025–26, down 1 point from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported.

McDeeds Creek Elementary, grades K-5, earned a B.

The performance score was 75 in 2025–26, down 2 points from 2024–25, and the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Pinehurst Elementary, grades K-5, earned an A.

The performance score was 85 in 2025–26, down 4 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported.

Robbins Elementary, grades K-5, earned a D.

The performance score was 47 in 2025–26, down 11 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Vass-Lakeview Elementary, grades K-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 64 in 2025–26, down 4 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

West End Elementary, grades K-5, earned a B.

The performance score was 78 in 2025–26, unchanged from 2024–25, and the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

West Pine Elementary, grades K-5, received a C.

The performance score was 68 in 2025–26, down 5 points from 2024–25, and the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Westmore Elementary, grades K-5, received a B.

The performance score was 71 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Crain’s Creek Middle, grades 6-8, earned a C.

The performance score was 67 in 2025–26, up 14 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Elise Middle, grades 6-8, earned a C.

The performance score was 65 in 2025–26, up 13 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

New Century Middle, grades 6-8, received a B.

The performance score was 78 in 2025–26, up 1 point from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Southern Middle, grades 6-8, earned a C.

The performance score was 64 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

West Pine Middle, grades 6-8, earned a B.

The performance score was 81 in 2025–26, up 4 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Moore-Innovative High, grades 9-9, earned an A.

The performance score was 89 in 2025–26. There is no 2024–25 score for this measure, so no change is shown. The school has been operating one year, so only freshmen scores are available.

North Moore High, grades 9-12, earned a B.

The performance score was 71 in 2025–26, up 11 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Pinecrest High, grades 9-12, earned a B.

The performance score was 79 in 2025–26, up 4 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Union Pines High, grades 9-12, received a B.

The performance score was 79 in 2025–26, up 4 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

The Community Learning Center @ Pinckney, grades 7-12, does not receive a school performance grade of ALT and does not publish a performance score. It reports under an alternative accountability option for schools serving special populations, which does not produce a performance score.

Connect Academy, grades K-12, earned a B.

The performance score was 75 in 2025–26, up 9 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 4 years reported since 2021–22.

Lee County Schools

Across all schools, Lee County saw performance score increases in 2025-26.

East Lee Middle saw the biggest jump, up 14 points to 53. Greenwood Elementary, J.R. Ingram, and Lee County High saw 7-point increases. These gains are significant given the economic disadvantage of many Lee County students, according to NCES.

The district’s rural schools: Broadway, Deep River, Greenwood and Tramway averaged 68.8, outperforming its other schools. Greenwood and Tramway, rural schools with nearly all students economically disadvantaged, according to NCES, achieved Bs.

The performance scores show that rural location and economic disadvantage alone do not determine academic performance.

Lee Early College remained the highest-performing school with consistent As.

B.T. Bullock Elementary, grades K-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 61 in 2025–26, up 3 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Broadway Elementary, grades K-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 60 in 2025–26, up 8 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Deep River Elementary, grades K-5, received a C.

The performance score was 65 in 2025–26, unchanged from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Greenwood Elementary, grades K-5, earned a B.

The performance score was 74 in 2025–26, up 7 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

J. Glenn Edwards Elementary, grades K-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 62 in 2025–26, up 3 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

JR Ingram Elementary, grades K-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 65 in 2025–26, up 7 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Tramway Elementary, grades K-5, earned a B.

The performance score was 76 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

WB Wicker Elementary, grades K-5, received a C.

The performance score was 59 in 2025–26, up 8 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Bragg Street Academy, grades 6-12, and Floyd L Knight Children Center, grades PK-12, do not receive a grade from the state. This school receives a school performance grade of ALT and does not publish a performance score. They report under an alternative accountability option for schools serving special populations, which does not produce a performance score.

East Lee Middle, grades 6-8, received a D.

The performance score was 53 in 2025–26, up 14 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

SanLee Middle, grades 6-8, earned a C.

The performance score was 63 in 2025–26, up 2 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

West Lee Middle, grades 6-8, earned a C.

The performance score was 54 in 2025–26, up 1 point from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Lee County High, grades 9-12, earned a C.

The performance score was 59 in 2025–26, up 7 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Southern Lee High, grades 9-12, earned a C.

The performance score was 59 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported

Lee Early College, grades 9-13, earned an A.

The performance score was 94 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Harnett County Schools

The district celebrated that 18 of its 27 graded schools improved scores. The performance scores continue to question the theory that rural schools always performing better than urban schools.

The 15 rural schools averaged a 59.4 performance score, a 5-point increase. The rural schools, according to NCES, are: Angier Elementary, Benhaven Elementary, Boone Trail Elementary, Coats Elementary, Harnett Central Middle, Harnett Central High, Highland Elementary, Highland Middle, Johnsonville Elementary, LaFayette Year-Round, Lillington-Shawtown Elementary, Northwest Harnett Elementary, South Harnett Elementary, Western Harnett Middle and Western Harnett High. NCES classifies most as Rural-Fringe, while Boone Trail, Benhaven and Western Harnett Middle are Rural-Distant.

NCES confirms Angier, LaFayette, Johnsonville, Highland, Northwest, Coats and Harnett Central Middle as Rural-Fringe, while Benhaven and Western Harnett Middle are Rural-Distant.

Socioeconomic conditions varied. LaFayette Year-Round had 32% student eligibility for free lunch, while other schools had over 95%. Despite high eligibility for free lunches, Johnsonville scored 72, while LaFayette scored 75, and other disadvantaged schools scored lower.

School challenges may be linked to poverty and rurality, but these factors do not entirely explain academic results or progress.

Harnett County Early College, grades 9-13, received an A.

The performance score was 93 in 2025-26, unchanged from 2024-25, and the highest of the five years reported since 2021-22.

Harnett Virtual Academy, grades K-12, earned a D.

The performance score was 42 in 2025-26, up 8 points from 2024-25.

LaFayette Year-Round, grades K-6, earned a B.

The performance score was 75 in 2025-26, up 14 points from 2024-25, the highest of the three years reported since 2021-22.

Star Academy does not receive a score from NCDPI

Anderson Creek Primary, grades K-2, received a C.

This school serves early grades, so the grade shown is inherited from South Harnett Elementary, the school that received most of its third graders.

Angier Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a D.

The performance score was 52 in 2025-26, up 11 points from 2024-25, the highest of the five years reported since 2021-22.

Benhaven Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 61 in 2025–26, down 1 point from 2024–25, and the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Boone Trail Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a D.

The performance score was 49 in 2025–26, up 4 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Buies Creek Elementary, grades K-5, received a C.

The performance score was 56 in 2025–26, up 2 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Coats Elementary, grades K-5, earned a D.

The performance score was 45 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Dunn Elementary, PK-5, earned a D.

The performance score was 53 in 2025–26, up 7 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Erwin Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 57 in 2025–26, up 18 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Highland Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 64 in 2025–26, unchanged from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Johnsonville Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a B.

The performance score was 72 in 2025–26, up 15 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Lillington-Shawtown Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 56 in 2025–26, up 6 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

North Harnett Primary, grades PK-2, earned a D.

This school serves early grades, so the grade shown is inherited from Angier Elementary, the school that receives most of its third graders, not computed from its own scores.

Northwest Harnett Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 63 in 2025–26, down 10 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Overhills Elementary, grades PK-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 66 in 2025–26, up 9, points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

South Harnett Elementary, grades 3-5, earned a C.

The performance score was 59 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Coats-Erwin Middle, grades 6-8, earned a D.

The performance score was 49 in 2025–26, up 1 point from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Dunn Middle, grades 6-8, received a C.

The performance score was 56 in 2025–26, up 3 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Harnett Central Middle, grades 6-8, earned a D.

The performance score was 48 in 2025–26, up 3 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Highland Middle, grades 6-8, earned a C.

The performance score was 55 in 2025–26, up 2 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Overhills Middle, grades 6-8, earned a D.

The performance score was 49 in 2025–26, down 4 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Western Harnett Middle, grades 6-8, earned a C.

The performance score was 67 in 2025–26, up 15 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Harnett Central High, grades 9-12, earned a C.

The performance score was 66 in 2025–26, up 6 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Overhills High, grades 9-12, earned a C.

The performance score was 63 in 2025–26, up 5 points from 2024–25, and neither the highest nor the lowest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Triton High, grades 9-12, earned a C.

The performance score was 64 in 2025–26, up 2 points from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Western Harnett High, grades 9-12, earned a C.

The performance score was 59 in 2025–26, unchanged from 2024–25, and the highest of the 5 years reported since 2021–22.

Aug. 3, 2026

Editorial by Stephanie M. Sellers

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