Marvin Ridge posted the highest student performance score in Union County as the district topped North Carolina in proficiency for the second straight year, with 73.8% of students scoring proficient on state exams.

The results, announced at the Wednesday, Sept. 2, Board of Education meeting, put Union County Public Schools (UCPS) 14.6 percentage points above the statewide average of 59.2% on End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) tests. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released the 2025-26 accountability data the same day.

Marvin Ridge led the district with a 94.8 student performance score, a composite metric used in state accountability rankings, according to QC News. Cuthbertson Middle School improved its School Performance Grade from a B to an A.

UCPS also posted a 93.4% four-year graduation rate, the highest in district history under the current state accountability model and the top rate among the state's 12 largest districts. North Carolina's statewide graduation rate hit a record 88.8%, according to WFAE.

Superintendent Andrew Houlihan said the district has increased proficiency by 10.8 percentage points over the past five years and surpassed pre-pandemic test scores.

"To have the highest proficiency rates in the state for two consecutive years is quite an achievement," Houlihan said in a district news release. "We have made a 10.8 percentage point increase over the last five years and have surpassed pre-pandemic test scores."

Across the district, 46 of 50 schools met or exceeded growth expectations. All UCPS high schools met or exceeded growth. A total of 47 of 50 schools (94%) earned a School Performance Grade of A, B or C, up from 90% in 2024-25. No UCPS school received an F for the second consecutive year.

Seven schools improved their letter grades. Beyond Cuthbertson Middle and Kensington Elementary, which both moved from B to A, Indian Trail Elementary, Parkwood Middle and Sun Valley High each climbed from C to B. Monroe High and East Elementary rose from D to C, exiting the state's low-performing list. UCPS now has three low-performing schools, down from 13 in 2021-22.

High school students earned 13,312 Career and Technical Education (CTE) credentials, up from 13,259 the previous year. Students took 8,588 Advanced Placement exams, compared with 8,083 in 2024-25, and the district's AP pass rate rose to 82.9% from 80%.

UCPS ranked first statewide in all reading, math and science EOGs combined, NC Math 1, NC Math 3, English 2, Biology, ACT proficiency and both four-year and five-year graduation rates, according to the district's release. The next UCPS Board of Education meeting date had not been posted as of Sept. 3.