Performance at Orange County Schools

Orange County spends more, per capita, on education than any other county in North Carolina. Yet, even with OCS officials and district leaders pouring extensive resources into equity initiatives, our students continue to fall farther behind. 

We have the elements in our county to be a top school system. Sadly, in nearly every measure that matters, OCS is a failing system. 

Reading & Math

Less than 50% of students are proficient in reading and math. Despite years of investments in equity, the achievement gap remains staggeringly wide. 

These charts can be difficult to read because they are showing data that doesn't make sense. How can the majority of our students be functioning below grade level? In each category, the "Not Proficient" is substantially higher than "Proficient". 

Comparing Graduation Rates

While CHCCS outperforms OCS by nearly 10%, our schools don't even keep up with the state average for graduation rates. 

Orange County Schools ranks below Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

In nearly every metric, CHCCS outperforms OCS, even though both districts are in the same county. There are many dynamics at play that determine this outcome. However, this divergence (20pts or more for many measures) can only be explained by a failure in district leadership, policies, and systems at OCS. 

One might think that demographic makeup could explain the difference in performance between the two districts. However, within each group, the disparity between OCS and CHCCS remains consistent. 

What should be done?

OCCIE is committed to doing our part to have a positive impact:

We're tracking and disseminating this information. Reporting progress, in and of itself, often has a profound impact on outcomes. 

We're sharing ideas and solutions for our community to consider. In the coming months, OCCIE will publish new analyses and proposals for policies and systems improvements, as well as suggestions for direct action by citizens to help enact change for the better.