ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. – Newly released accountability results from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction show strong academic progress across the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District (RRGSD), with several schools moving up a letter grade and two schools exiting low-performing status during the 2024–2025 school year.
District leaders credit the results to the dedication of teachers, staff, students, and families, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement aligned with the State Board of Education’s Strategic Plan: Achieve Educational Excellence for Every Child and RRGSD’s Strategic Plan: Vision 2035.
The overall proficiency composite for Roanoke Rapids Graded School District increased from 45% in the 2023–24 school year to 50% in 2025–26. This score reflects student performance across all grade levels and subject areas included in the state’s accountability model.
Belmont Elementary School moved up a letter grade to a C, exited low-performing status, and increased proficiency in every grade and every subject area. Belmont Elementary also earned their highest school performance grade since the school performance grade system was established. Chaloner Middle School moved up a letter grade to a C, exited low-performing status, and saw significant improvements in reading and math achievement in grades 7 and 8. Manning Elementary School earned a C, continued to grow, and showed large gains in reading and math for grades 4 and 5. While Roanoke Rapids High School slipped one point into a D, they saw significant increases in Math 1 and Math 3 proficiency while continuing to support English Learners and other subgroups. Roanoke Rapids Early College once again earned an A rating, exceeded growth expectations, and kept a 95%+ pass rate in English II.
“Across our district, we are seeing the results of hard work from students, teachers, and staff,” said Dr. Julie Thompson, Superintendent of Roanoke Rapids Graded School District. “Our elementary and middle schools made notable jumps in achievement and growth, and our Early College continues to be a model of excellence. While we acknowledge areas where we still need to improve, especially at the high school, these results show that we are on the right track.”
These outcomes align with statewide trends showing higher test scores, improved graduation rates, and rising English Learner progress. In 2024–25, nearly 71% of North Carolina schools met or exceeded growth, and the statewide graduation rate reached 87.7%, the highest in a decade.
RRGSD also showed improvement compared to similar districts across the state. According to the NC School District Typology released in April by the Carolina Population Center at UNC Chapel Hill, Roanoke Rapids is grouped with Asheboro City, Hickory City, Kannapolis City, Lexington City, Newton-Conover City, and Thomasville City Schools. Among these seven, RRGSD moved up from #3 to #2 in overall proficiency, trailing only Newton-Conover City Schools.
In the Roanoke Valley and surrounding region, RRGSD holds the #2 spot in overall proficiency, behind Pitt County Schools. This ranking highlights the district’s steady academic progress and positions RRGSD as one of the top-performing districts in the area.
“While our priority is always to push ourselves to exceed last year’s gains, it is also valuable to see how our progress compares to similar districts doing the same work,” said Dr. Thompson. “The School District Typology gives us meaningful context for that progress, and the results are very encouraging. Our achievements reflect our belief that Together, We Succeed.”
