The top reported proficiency rate is 30% in Science. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dillard Academy
Dillard Academy is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Goldsboro, North Carolina. It is the county's only charter school and serves a student body that is overwhelmingly African American, with nearly all students qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch. The enrollment is small and stable across the elementary and middle grades.
The school's state assessment results show proficiency levels in math and reading that are below midpoint for North Carolina standards. In mathematics, roughly less than one-third of tested students in grades three through eight met the state proficiency bar; in reading, the result was similar. Science results were comparable. Because the school serves mixed grades and enrollment in tested cohorts is modest, parents should look directly at the school's own reporting and ask what student growth measures and intervention supports are in place, as single-year snapshots can mask progress trajectories or subgroup performance. State data does not include measures of chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing, so a prospective family would benefit from conversations with the school about daily attendance patterns and the stability of the teaching corps.
Dillard Academy is one of the very few charter schools operating in Wayne County, and it has recently repositioned itself around STEAM education as a curriculum anchor. In summer 2025, the school ran a community-sponsored STEAM camp that drew a meaningful enrollment, and the school intends to carry STEAM forward as a central emphasis in regular instruction during the 2025-26 school year. For families drawn to a K-8 environment with hands-on science and engineering framing, this is a tangible pedagogical choice.
The school also provides universal free breakfast and lunch to all students through the federal Community Eligibility Provision, meaning no family paperwork or payment barriers exist at the school. A substantial share of students participate in the breakfast program each morning.
Goldsboro itself is the county seat of Wayne County in eastern North Carolina. The downtown core along Center Street has undergone significant public investment in pedestrian infrastructure, wide sidewalks, bike lanes, and public gathering spaces, anchored by the newly renovated HUB transit and park complex. Outside the downtown, the city spreads across suburban retail corridors and residential neighborhoods shaped partly by proximity to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. The city is in a growth phase, with multiple plans underway for new housing, downtown commercial development, and infrastructure. The housing market in the Goldsboro zip code sits modestly below the state median home value, and monthly rent for a typical unit is stable year over year.
For a family considering Dillard Academy, the fit hinges on whether the STEAM emphasis and the K-8 structure appeal, whether the current proficiency picture aligns with the family's expectations and supports, and whether a small charter environment in a downtown-adjacent setting matches the school choice the family is seeking.
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