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For the county’s 14 elementary schools, it was a different story. Twelve schools met or exceeded growth expectations in reading, while nine met or exceeded expectations in math and 10 met or exceeded them overall.

The growth in math is the latest increase in a four-year upward trend for the district. In the 2020-21 school year, 40% of Burke County third through eighth graders met proficiency standards in math. Last year it was better than 58%. Nine of 19 elementary and middle schools had at least 65% of students test proficient this year.

In reading, 48.1% of Burke County third through eighth graders tested proficient and 61.5% of fifth and eighth graders made the grade in science.

These results largely mirror the statewide data. Across the state, 53% of third through eighth graders tested proficient in reading, 57% in math and 61% in science.

Chasing COVID

Overall, statewide and in Burke County, scores are up since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but not back to pre-COVID levels. Last year was the first year since federal COVID funding ended in 2024.

Burke County Public Schools Public Relations Officer Cheryl Shuffler said the district has been working hard to ease the transition away from the extra funding since the money first hit schools in 2020.

“We went into it with the mindset that we knew it would not last, and we were careful not to use it for new hires, salaries or other recurring costs that we would not be able to fund from other sources,� Shuffler said. “We have been hit with some reduced state and federal funding and have been able to counteract that through natural attrition.�

Graduation day

The four-year cohort graduation rate also ticked up from 88% to 89% in Burke County last school year. Patton and Draughn high schools graduated more than 95% of students in the 2024-25 school year. East Burke High School’s rate was 92.6% and Freedom’s was 86.3%.

The percentage of Hispanic students graduating from Freedom has risen 10% over the last five years to 81%. About 70% of English language learners graduated last year compared to 52% in 2021.

Making the grade

Thirteen traditional Burke County elementary, middle and high schools received a grade of C in the report. Three schools received a letter grade of B and seven earned a D. Five schools dropped a letter grade compared to last year’s report while two schools improved a letter grade.

Burke Middle College received an A letter grade. The Burke Virtual Academy got a D.

East Burke Middle School and Walter Johnson Middle School both came out of low-performing status this year. Burke County currently has six schools designated as low performing. George Hildebran Elementary is designated as a high growth school.

The whole story

Burke County Public Schools superintendent Mike Swan said the test results are one important tool the district can use to celebrate achievements and address areas for growth.

�As soon as the preliminary results were released, our leadership team began analyzing the data and developing plans to better support teachers and help all students succeed,� he said.

Shuffler said the data helps the district allocate resources more strategically.

“We let research guide our decisions and what curriculum to use,� she said. “We dissect data, diving down into subgroups, to see where the greatest needs are and offer and offer extra resources in that area.�

She also said that it’s important for families and community members to recognize the role they play in the education process.

“We also know that student success depends on support from families and the community,� she said.

Swan said it is important to note that, while test scores can be a helpful tool, they don’t always tell the whole story.

“While test scores provide one snapshot of progress on a single day, they do not tell the full story of our students,� he said. “We continue to advocate for a more balanced approach to accountability, with equal weight given to both proficiency and growth.�