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Polk County Schools has been recognized as one of the top districts in North Carolina in teaching students to read.

The 74 Million Organization is a nonprofit news organization focused on coverage of America’s education system. The 74 recently conducted an in-depth study looking at every public school district in the United States, calculating the district’s expected reading proficiency rate based on the local poverty rate, then comparing that to the actual reading proficiency rate based on third grade reading scores.

The website explained why it opted to take this approach.

“According to the latest national results, low-income fourth graders read an average of two to three grade levels below their higher-income peers. It’s not new that students in poverty have lower scores on reading tests than more affluent students. Housing prices, parent perceptions and online school ranking websites all focus on those raw, unadjusted scores, which ignore the fact that some schools and districts simply have a harder job.”

Based on its methodology, Polk County Schools had an expected reading proficiency rate of 47 percent given the county’s 18 percent poverty rate. But 64 percent of the district’s students read proficiently by the third grade – the gap of 17 percent above expectation ranking as the second-highest in the state behind Tyrell County Schools.

“I am incredibly proud of this accomplishment and how it reflects the dedication of our district to prioritize the success of every child, regardless of their background,” said Director of Curriculum and Instruction Jan Crump. “It’s truly inspiring to be part of a school district that puts children first and strives to overcome challenges to help them thrive.”

Four other districts in the state were noted as exceptional districts for their proficiency above the expected rate: Camden County, Madison County, Yancey County and Wilson County.