JLF education analyst Terry Stoops has just released his second-annual ranking of North Carolina public-school systems based on their “parent-friendliness.” The grades reflect such factors as student performance, school safety, bureaucratic bloat, and working conditions for teachers.

Among systems in Southeastern North Carolina, the new report found New Hanover improving from a D+ to a C. Brunswick County schools matched New Hanover’s jump from D+ to C. That means all area school systems earned overall C grades in the latest report. That list includes Columbus, Onslow, Pender, and Whiteville public schools.

The local trend was mirrored statewide:

Districts across the state earned more C grades and fewer D’s in the John Locke Foundation’s second-annual assessment of “parent-friendly” schools. That’s a sign of progress to the JLF analyst who graded every district.

“The good news is that the number of overall D grades dropped from 27 school districts to 19 districts this year, while the number of C’s climbed from 64 to 75,” said Terry Stoops, JLF Education Policy Analyst. “The bad news is that most districts are still earning C’s and D’s. No district earns an overall A grade, and the number of B’s dipped slightly this year from 19 to 17.”

This is the second year that Stoops has assigned each school district a “parent-friendly” grade, so it’s the first time he’s had a chance to note signs of progress or back-pedaling. The Clay County public school system raised its grade this year from B to B+, securing the No. 1 ranking in the state. Cherokee County earned the only other B+, ranking No. 2. Fifteen other districts earned a B or B-, while 75 earned some form of C. Nineteen districts earned D grades, while Bertie, Hoke, and Vance counties joined the Weldon City Schools in earning F’s.

Subsequent Squall Lines posts will delve into the local findings in greater detail. To start with, Columbus County had the highest GPA of systems in the region, but only because its ratings on administration and teaching conditions were Bs. Its academic performance rated only a D.

Download the PDF here and get more details about your local school system.

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