Carter G. Woodson School

Carter G. Woodson School is a K-12 school in Winston Salem, NC, serving 485 students as a standalone district rather than part of Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools. The school serves a highly economically disadvantaged population — 98.1% of students qualified for free/reduced-price lunch — and attendance is a real concern, with 28.4% of students chronically absent, above the state rate of 24.2%. There is positive momentum, though: chronic absenteeism has fallen from 51.2% in 2020-21, and the graduation rate has climbed from 55.2% a few years ago to 75.0% today.

Academically, Carter G. Woodson trails state averages in most subjects, but the pattern of performance is striking. In 3rd grade, math proficiency reaches 64.4%, essentially matching the state's 66.4%. Starting in 4th grade, scores fall sharply, with math proficiency hovering between roughly 13% and 30% through middle school, while the state average sits between 53% and 61%. Reading and science follow a similar path; just 23.5% of 5th graders are proficient in science compared with 67.7% statewide. High school end-of-course scores remain weak, especially Biology at 24.2% proficiency — more than 34 points behind the state — though English II is closer at 44.1% versus 64.6% statewide.

Perhaps most telling, Carter G. Woodson lags even comparable schools serving similar populations. Quality Education Academy serves nearly the same high-poverty student body and faces similarly high absenteeism, yet posts substantially higher proficiency in almost every subject. College Prep and Leadership Academy is another nearby school with a very low-income enrollment that outperforms Carter G. Woodson by wide margins in most grades. This suggests poverty alone does not determine these outcomes. With a student-teacher ratio near 22:1, individualized support may be limited, and small grade-level cohorts mean scores can swing considerably from year to year. For parents, upper elementary and middle school stand out as the critical years when children may need the most attention and support.