Wilmington —Douglass Academy students ranked as top performers among neighboring public schools according to the End-of-Grade testing results for the 2018-2019 school year. The test results were recently released by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and measure achievement on the state’s Common Core curriculum which is mandated for all state-run schools.
Douglass Academy in Wilmington is one of a family of tuition-free charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy. As charter schools, they are permitted to teach their own classical curriculum with topics such as grammar, spelling, cursive, literature, history, traditional math, Latin, and other fundamental topics that have been largely abandoned in Common Core schools. However, the schools are required to administer the state’s Common Core tests to all their students.
“The fact that our students score highly on Common Core tests in spite of not being taught Common Core speaks volumes for the versatility and the timeless value of classical subjects,” explains Douglass Headmaster Nikki Chaney. “Coupling the classical curriculum with our caring classroom atmosphere makes a winning combination that effectively benefits every student,” Chaney added.
“Our responsibility is to teach your Kindergarten child to read before Easter. Being able to read in Kindergarten does wonders for your child’s self-confidence and eagerness to learn,” said Teaching Coach Amanda Kelly. “With that foundation skill, your child can then be guided progressively to build skill upon skill to become a life-time independent learner,” she said.
Douglass Academy’s achievement score of tests passed, including a large number of transfer students, is 48.6% on the Common Core End-Of-Grade tests. For comparison, the four neighboring elementary schools—Rachel Freeman, Snipes Academy, Gregory, and D.C. Virgo—reveal that 25.8%, 34.1%, 52.5%, and 30.9% of tests were passed, respectively. Douglass Academy also met its growth expectation in both reading and math as well as among all subgroups of students.
Dechandra Berry, a Douglass Academy parent, commented, “I wouldn’t choose a different school at all. The structure and the Classical Curriculum are great, and the teachers are so attentive. If I message my daughter’s teacher, I typically have a response within the hour.”
Douglass Academy is one of four charter schools managed by The Roger Bacon Academy, Inc. founded in 1999 by education pioneer Baker Mitchell. The other schools include Charter Day School in Leland, Columbus Charter School in Whiteville, and South Brunswick Charter School in Southport with a combined enrollment of over 2,200 students in K-8. All four are tuition-free, charter schools that welcome all students, regardless of income, ability, or address. To learn more or enroll online, please visit EnrollRBA.com
