Editor’s NOTE: Issued Wednesday, this press release from Edenton-Chowan Schools tells folks how after years of sliding test scores, lost students and eroding public confidence, Edenton-Chowan Public Schools has officially exited the state’s “District Low Performing” designation — a milestone district leaders say marks the payoff of Superintendent Tammi Ward’s two-year push to rebuild the system from the classroom up. As to the photo accompanying the story, I like that happy look on an Aces’ grad’s face rather than the standard report card graphic — see below.

EDENTON — Edenton-Chowan Public Schools (ECPS) is proud to announce a major milestone in academic achievement: the district has officially exited the District Low Performing designation following the release of the latest school performance data for the 2025–26 school year. Here is that information from the NC Department of Instruction.

Speaking on behalf of the Board of Education, Board Chair George Lewis highlighted the collective effort behind the milestone:

The Edenton-Chowan Public Schools Board of Education is profoundly proud of our students, educators, staff, administrators, families, and community partners whose shared commitment has helped produce this extraordinary progress. In just two years, Superintendent Tammi Ward’s Exceed to Achieve vision—grounded in meaningful data, high expectations, an inclusive and nurturing leadership climate, focused intervention, and the empowerment of change agents at every level—has measurably transformed both ECPS as a district and our individual schools. We have moved from a period marked by declining confidence and the loss of students and talented professionals to one defined by renewed pride, stronger engagement, and significant academic growth.

Building a Solid Foundation for Sustainable Success

“Getting out of District Low Performing status is not a coincidence—it is the direct result of laying a firm foundation,” said Superintendent Tammi Ward.

This achievement comes after several years of focused work to strengthen teaching and learning across ECPS. The district has worked to ensure that every student has access to strong, grade-level instruction and challenging learning opportunities, while providing additional support when students need it. Building a strong foundation starts with our early learners.

Micah Lynch, White Oak Elementary Principal states: I am incredibly proud of the commitment our teachers have made to growing our youngest learners at White Oak. We know that the foundation we build here at White Oak is one that D.F. Walker, Chowan Middle, and John A. Holmes will continue to build upon as students prepare to move into college, careers, and the workforce. When students become confident, skillful readers, that success has a way of trickling into every area of their learning and opening the door for continued growth and success.

Student confidence is built by using student data to adjust instruction, providing teachers with coaching and professional development, and ensuring all students have access to a consistent, high-quality curriculum.

Victoria Brinson, Curriculum Director, now principal at JAHHS explained this task: “We leaned into the productive struggle, confronted data tracking gaps, and aligned our resources directly to classroom instruction. Our theme last year was ‘Exceed to Achieve,’ and our teachers and students took that challenge to heart.”

Celebrating Academic Growth and Culture Shifts Key highlights from district performance metrics include:

● Increased Student Proficiency: Improved proficiency trends across elementary, middle, and high school levels demonstrated measurable progress in reading and math competencies, driving overall performance scores upward.

● Supporting the Whole Student: Through MTSS, restorative practices, and school-based support, the district continues to address students’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs.

● Strengthened Educator Support: Realigned Beginning Teacher programs, coaching frameworks, and targeted professional development created a collaborative environment focused on continuous instructional improvement.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT A GLANCE School 24-25 SPG*

Looking Ahead

While exiting the District Low Performing designation marks a moment of celebration, ECPS leadership remains focused on continuous improvement for all our students. Sights are set on all schools being removed from low performing status and meeting or exceeding growth.

Chair of the Board of Education Lewis: This Board made a purposeful decision to place students first and to support leadership and policies that expand opportunity, encourage meaningful and inclusive choice, and value the contributions of every student, parent, employee, and community partner. While we recognize there is more work ahead, the change for Chowan is real: key indicators are moving in a positive direction, ECPS is increasingly becoming the district of choice in Northeastern North Carolina, and we remain committed in the years ahead to sustaining—and building upon—this momentum for every child.

To translate this vision into classroom reality, administration, instructional coaches, and school staff proactively planned and began professional development across the district during the summer, putting processes and resources in place for the new school year. Some targeted efforts include:

New Strategic Plan: To guide these efforts, ECPS launched a comprehensive four-year strategic plan grounded in local data, community feedback, and research-backed frameworks. Implementing this plan requires an active, shared partnership among our schools, families, and community, where every partner plays a vital role in elevating student achievement and holding ourselves accountable for success.

Instructional Focus: Data analysis reveals inconsistent growth as student cohorts transition from one grade level to the next. To eliminate these learning drops, we are actively strengthening cross-grade alignment, elevating classroom rigor, and providing targeted interventions to ensure every cohort maintains and expands its academic gains year over year.

White Oak Elementary School (WOS): While WOS shares the same designation as DFW, summer efforts focused on building students’ early literacy foundation. In 2024-25, WOS exceeded state and national proficiency averages in Kindergarten and 1st Grade in reading and matched North Carolina’s 70% proficiency rate in 2nd Grade. Targeted interventions increased the number of students performing above the high-risk level, surpassing state and national averages by the end of the year. This year, WOS will build on that progress by strengthening successful practices and continuing to move students toward growth and proficiency.

D.F. Walker (DFW): Angie Walston reflected that she is proud of the significant academic growth DFW students and staff have achieved this past year.

“By increasing our overall proficiency and reaching our highest number of proficient test scores in four years, we have demonstrated the power of our collective dedication. We are fully committed to building on this momentum.”

Steps already implemented at the start of the year include strengthening both intervention and enrichment efforts by adding part-time reading and math support and using Title I funds for early, in-school assistance through a multi-tiered system of support for academic and behavioral needs. At the same time, expanded STEM and AIG opportunities will challenge students to explore, problem-solve, and build on their strengths. Revised walkthroughs and intentional instructional feedback will further strengthen teaching practices and build internal capacity to support continued student growth and achievement.

Chowan Middle School (CMS): “CMS is incredibly excited and proud to celebrate the status of exceeding growth. This accomplishment belongs to our entire Bulldog team. It is the result of every staff member choosing to do a little extra, giving a little more time, making one more connection, and providing one more intervention that creates an individualized experience where students can be successful,” stated Mrs. Brittney Lopez, Principal.

CMS continues to expand STEM, career exploration, hands-on learning, athletics, arts, and community partnerships throughout the year. These steps are important because academic achievement is strongest when students see purpose and relevance in coming to school. We know we need to continue our efforts on the three areas of focus that created last year’s environment for student success: strong whole group instruction, intentional interventions and student ownership.

John A. Holmes High (JAH): The motto “Be the Change” became a commitment to making a difference every day through the leadership of Mrs. Sonya Rinehart: This accomplishment of moving from a C to B school reflects the incredible hard work and determination of the ACES staff and students. Each year, our staff grew stronger and closer as a team. Through construction challenges and a mid-year move, the ACES family continued to rise to every challenge and remain focused on student success. Most importantly, the staff helped students believe in themselves and that they are more than a predictive score. It represents perseverance, teamwork, belief, and a community that refuses to let obstacles define what is possible.

During summer planning, administration and faculty continued to build momentum ahead of the school performance data release by launching a school-wide “WorkKeys Wednesdays” initiative to prepare students for ACT/WorkKeys assessments. The math department will be piloting a dedicated Foundations of Math 1 class to strengthen foundational math skills and build confidence for high school mathematics. These additions will help ensure rigor and growth for sustained academic performance.

Last word

Superintendent Ward summarized her thoughts on the school performance results as follows: I am deeply grateful for the unwavering dedication of our teachers, staff, students and families who have made these achievements possible. Guided by our Board of Education’s vision and energized by our 2025-26 outcomes, our district will reach even greater heights as we deepen the connections between school, home, and community.