Watauga schools score high on state report cards
By Scott Nicholson

Watauga County’s annual “school report cards” show all grade levels performing better than their statewide peers in reading, math, and a number of high school subjects.

The school report cards are released by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction each year, compiling test scores, teacher qualification levels, school population, and other data. The information will be sent home to parents so they can see how their school compares to others in the district and state.

Overall, Watauga’s elementary students in grades three through eight averaged 93.7 percent achieving at or above grade level in reading, compared with a state average of 84.6 percent. In math, Watauga’s elementary schools averaged more than 95 percent at grade level, compared to a state average of 87.3 percent.

Superintendent Bobbie Short said, “We’re very proud of our report cards and the progress we continue to make. We hope parents will look at these as an accomplishment of our students and the wonderful job by our staff, teachers and administrators.”

Short said school officials are always monitoring data and test scores, not just when the once-a-year reports roll out. “We look at the data on a daily basis to make good instructional decisions and use our resources appropriately to ensure continued success for our students,” she said.

Watauga High School students outscored their North Carolina counterparts in English I, Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, Physical Science and Physics.

Ninety-three percent of the system’s eighth graders passed the computer skills test, compared to 81 percent for the state.

The average SAT score for Watauga High School students was 1,101 this year, 91 points above the state average. Watauga also has a higher percentage of fully-licensed teachers under No Child Left Behind standards, who have more advanced degrees than their statewide counterparts, according to the report cards.

Fifty-nine percent of Watauga’s teachers have 10 or more years of experience. However, the teacher turnover rate of 20 percent is above the state average.

While the average cost per pupil in the state is $1,822.96 in local tax dollars per year, Watauga County spends $2,333.87 locally. State and federal spending adds another $5,500 in annual per-pupil spending.

Complete report cards for each school are available online at www.ncreportcards.org.

• Scott Nicholson may be contacted at nicholson@wataugademocrat.com.