An analysis of the data does show a persistent achievement gap between white and black students in several areas. In Geometry white students scored 11.5 % points higher than black students, Algebra II showed a 6.3% points differential, while English 1 white students scored 5.3% higher than black students.

Despite this achievement gap, black student performance has improved in several End-of-Course test areas. In Algebra II, the percentage of black students who performed at or above level III improved from 0% in 2002-2003 to 60% in 2003-2004, Algebra I maintained 100% when comparing those two years, English 1 black students achieving level III or above improved from 80% to 83.3% and black students in Physical Science improved from 60% to 77.8%. Several areas did show a decline in black student performance. Geometry noted a drop from 60% to 33.3% and Biology dropped from 75% to 60%. (Black student enrollment in EOC courses varies greatly and in some cases is too small to be a valid comparative statistic.)

NC COMPETENCY TEST IN READING AND MATH – Students who do not meet proficiency levels of III or IV on the End-of-grade (EOG) test in Reading and Math in the 8^th grade are required to meet proficiency on the NC Competency Test in high school in order to graduate with a diploma. The test is administered at the end of each semester. For students who transfer from out-of-state. Reading and Math scores from nationally standardized tests may be used to establish proficiency.

At the end of 2003-04, Croatan was 95.8% proficient (up from 86.6% in 2002-03). Females outscored males by 3.9% in Reading and Math. The gap between whites and blacks in Reading and Math continues to exist but has decreased 2.7% since 2002-03. Whites outscored blacks by 19% as compared to 16.3 % in 2003-04.

NC COMPUTER SKILLS TEST – Students who do not pass the NC computer Skills Test in the 8^th grade are required to meet proficiency in high school in order to graduate with a diploma. Students must pass both a Multiple choice and Performance Test. At the end of 2003-04, Croatan was 97.8% proficient, up 5.3% from the previous year. Females outscored males slightly (1.3%); Whites continued to outscore blacks, but the gap has significantly decreased from 2002-03 to 2003-04.

10^th GRADE HIGH SCHOOL COMPREHENSIVE TEST (HSCT) – The HSCT in Reading and Math was administered to all 10^th graders in the spring of 2004. In 2002-2003, 79.3% of the 10^th grade students scored a level III or level IV in Math, a 3.6% increase from the previous year. In addition, 78.2 % of the students scored a level III or level IV in reading, a 2.9% increase from the previous year. In 2003-2004, whites outscored blacks by 16.7% in Math and by 11.6% in reading. Females outscored Males by 4.7% in math and by 16.1% in reading.

DROPOUTS – Specific statistical data related to Croatan High School's dropouts is located on Table 1-7.

The percentage of students dropping out of Croatan High School has steadily decreased from 9.4% the first year the school opened to 6.5% during the 2001-2002 school year to its lowest level during the 2003-2004 school year of 3.4%. The positive reduction in dropout numbers is a result of intervention strategies focusing on supporting “at-risk” students.

Index