For the first time, Cabarrus County Schools had no schools classified by the state as low-performing, making it the only one of North Carolina’s 10 largest school districts without a school carrying that designation.
Cabarrus Superintendent Dr. John Kopicki sits in on this class at Harrisburg Elementary School.
The milestone comes as CCS saw gains in state testing and school performance measures during the 2025-26 academic year, according to results released Wednesday by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. CCS ranked seventh among North Carolina’s 115 school districts for overall proficiency, while nearby Union County ranked first.
The state’s largest school districts include Wake County, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Guilford County and Winston-Salem Forsyth County schools. The top 10 also includes nearby Union and Gaston county districts. Cabarrus ranks eighth in enrollment among North Carolina school systems.
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Twenty-five district schools earned A or B performance grades, including 11 schools receiving an A and 14 receiving a B. That is five more A- or B-rated schools than last year and the highest number the district has recorded, according to a district news release.
Spirit Day at W.M. Irvin Elementary School when Gov. Stein visited this year.
“These results are something our entire community can be proud of,” Superintendent John Kopicki said in the release. “They represent the work of our students, our staff, our families and the people who support them every day.”
The gains were spread across much of the district.
Thirty-two of CCS’ 40 schools increased their overall school performance score from the previous year, while 14 improved enough to move up at least one letter grade. Twenty-one schools received their best performance grade since the state began issuing the measure.
The state’s low-performing designation applies to schools that receive a D or F performance grade and do not meet or exceed expected academic growth.
Districtwide student proficiency also reached a new high. About 68.1% of CCS students tested at or above grade-level standards across End-of-Grade and End-of-Course exams, an increase of 4.4 percent from last school year. That rate also surpassed the district’s pre-pandemic high. In 2019, 66.6% of students were considered proficient.
A student receives a high-five from a Concord Police officer at his school.
High schools accounted for some of the strongest results. Five received an A and six received a B, while nine of the district’s 11 high schools exceeded state expectations for academic growth.
The district also reported its highest four-year graduation rate, with 92.5% of students graduating within four years.
Kopicki said the district still has room to improve despite the latest results.
“We celebrate these results because of what they mean for our students,” he said. “At the same time, we know our work continues. We want every school improving and every student growing.”
