FCS CELEBRATES RECORD-BREAKING STATE ACCOUNTABILITY SUCCESS AND HISTORIC GRADUATION RATES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Office of Public Affairs | Franklin County Schools
Phone: (919) 496-2600
Email: communications@fcschools.net

FCS CELEBRATES RECORD-BREAKING STATE ACCOUNTABILITY SUCCESS AND HISTORIC GRADUATION RATES

LOUISBURG, NC — September 2, 2026 — Franklin County Schools (FCS) is proud to announce historic academic achievements and milestone successes following the official release of the 2025-2026 North Carolina state accountability data. Framed under the district's inspiring 2026 theme, "Rooted in Purpose," the results showcase remarkable progress toward the ambitious benchmarks established in the district’s newly launched Blueprint 2030 strategic plan.

This year's data highlights massive strides in student graduation readiness, academic growth across core subjects, and exceptional regional performance in mathematics. Most notably, 75% of schools within the district met or exceeded state growth expectations, demonstrating a robust and unified commitment to academic excellence across all grade spans.

Key accountability achievements include:

1. Graduating Prepared (Goal 1: Career & College Readiness)

• Historic Graduation Rate: The district's four-year cohort graduation rate reached a historic 10-year high of 90.6%, representing a strong 1.7% increase from last year and successfully surpassing the Blueprint 2030 target of 90.0%.
• Perfect Graduation Excellence: Franklin County Early College High School maintained its exceptional standard of excellence, achieving a perfect 100% graduation rate.

2. Math Excellence & Regional Leadership (Goal 2: Academic Achievement)

• Regional Distinction: NC Math 1 proficiency scores rose significantly to 50.7%, easily outperforming the North Carolina state average of 42.1% by 8.6 percentage points. This outstanding achievement ranks Franklin County Schools #2 in the entire North Central Region for Math 1 proficiency.

3. Outperforming the State in Reading and Science (Goal 2: Academic Achievement)

• Grade 4 Reading Growth: Grade 4 Reading Grade Level Proficiency (GLP) climbed to 59.4%, beating the North Carolina state average of 57.4%.
• Grade 5 Science Jump: Grade 5 Science GLP surged to 70.5%, significantly outpacing the state average of 67.7%.

4. High-Performing School Recognition

The 25-26 accountability data also highlighted exceptional school-specific performance grades across the district:

• "A" Honor Roll School: Franklin County Early College High School earned a stellar "A" grade with an outstanding performance score of 93.
• "B" Honor Roll Schools: Six district schools earned prestigious "B" performance grades, indicating top-tier achievement and growth:
  • Bunn Elementary School
  • Edward Best Elementary School
  • Royal Elementary School
  • Youngsville Elementary School
  • Franklinton High School
  • Louisburg Magnet High School

Leadership Reflections

"These results demonstrate a powerful truth: storms only reveal the strength of our roots," said Superintendent Dr. Nakia Hardy. "Our educators, administrators, support staff, students, and families have worked tirelessly and honestly. This success is the direct result of a community that has aligned its daily work with a shared, strategic mission. By being Rooted in Purpose, we are ensuring that every single decision, investment, and relationship remains focused on the growth and lifelong success of our children. We are growing forward together, and this is only the beginning."

Meghan Jordan, Chair of the Franklin County Board of Education, expressed gratitude for the collective effort: "On behalf of the Board of Education, I want to congratulate our outstanding students and dedicated staff on this historic achievement. Blueprint 2030 was built upon the direct input of our school community, and seeing these milestones met and exceeded so early in its implementation validates our strategic path. We remain committed to investing in public education, supporting our teachers, and building a stronger community—one lifelong learner at a time."

About Franklin County Schools

Franklin County Schools (FCS) is the largest and most influential organization in Franklin County, NC, proudly serving more than 7,900 students across 16 schools from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Grounded in the core mission of preparing students for lifelong success through academic excellence, career readiness, and strong community partnerships, FCS offers a diverse range of opportunities including robust Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, Spanish dual-language immersion, and advanced college-readiness programming.

For more information on the district's accountability results or the Blueprint 2030 strategic plan, please visit https://www.fcschools.net/community/strategic-plan-2030.