School officials from Sampson County are looking to improve academic success at its middle level.

During a recent work session for Sampson County Schools, Sheila Peterson, director of education for middle grades, presented an update to the Sampson County Board of Education presented End-of-Grade (EOG) test results from math, reading and science.

For the 2015-2016 school year, middle schools from the Hobbton, Midway and Union areas of the district met growth. Roseboro-Salemburg Middle School (RSMS) did not meet growth.

In math, Sampson County ended with a 51.64 percent proficiency rate for all of its middle schools. That amount is an increase of 5.64. Peterson highlighted that Union Middle School achieved a 10 percent growth at 48 percent in math. Hobbton Middle School improved by 9.4 percent with 55.4 proficiency rate.

At RSMS, math dropped from a 45 percent proficiency rate to 36. Peterson attributed to turnover rates with teachers.

“We had six new teachers who did not have the educational training to come into classroom in our four areas,” Peterson said.

Another eighth-grade teacher was absent because of paternity leave.

In reading, the EOG rate slightly dipped to 54.72 percent. Overall, Midway Middle School (MMS) showed the most growth with a 48.7 success rate, an increase of 3.7 percent. Hobbton Middle followed with 56.8, an improvement of 0.8.

Peterson said eighth-grade students throughout Sampson County were “90-percenters” in EOG testing for Math I. For 2015-2016 the score improved to 97.7 percent proficiency rate.

In eighth-grade science, a lot of school improved after summer school. After the end of the previous school year the total score for the district was 68.3 percent, but improved too 72 after summer school. In 2014-2015, the score was 69. MMS improved by 8.1 percent. RSMS exceeded growth expectations in science, while the other schools did not.

By Chase Jordan

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Reach Chase Jordan at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.