Summary:
John A Holmes High is the only high school in Edenton-Chowan Schools, serving grades 9 through 12 in Edenton, NC, with 554 students and a 15.3 student-teacher ratio. Nearly all students — 99.46 percent — qualify for free or reduced lunch, making it a school serving an extremely economically disadvantaged population. Because it is the district's sole high school, John A Holmes High's results directly represent the district's high school performance, and the district's overall 1-star rating is tied more to other grade spans than to this high school.
The school displays several clear strengths. Its 91.9 percent graduation rate exceeds the state average of 88.8 percent, a notable achievement given the high poverty level. English II proficiency reached 66.4 percent, above the state's 64.6 percent, and improved 8.4 points year over year. Math III also improved substantially, rising from 52.3 to 63.1 percent proficiency. Biology improved from 44.9 to 52.0 percent, though it remains below the state's 58.5 percent. The school's state ranking has climbed from the 29th to the 37th percentile in two years, and its star rating improved from 1 to 2.
The greatest concern is Math I. Only 14.1 percent of students are proficient, compared to 42.1 percent statewide — a 28-point gap — and this represents a sharp decline from the school's own prior-year rate of 21.5 percent. Chronic absenteeism is also elevated at 26.9 percent, above the state rate of 24.2 percent. While the school is not a top performer overall, currently at the 37th percentile, the trajectory is positive: three of four tested subjects improved in the latest year, and the school now outpaces the state in graduation rate and English II. Addressing early high school math readiness and attendance appear to be the most urgent opportunities for continued improvement.
Thank you for your feedback!