The top reported proficiency rate is 12% in English language arts. The lowest is 8% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Choice Plus Academy
Choice Plus Academy is an alternative school located on East Rose Street in Smithfield, serving students in grades six through twelve. The school's enrollment sits at a small level, with the population concentrated almost entirely in high school grades, and roughly twenty students across the middle grades. The school serves a population where a substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting economic need in its enrollment. The racial and ethnic composition is diverse: roughly equal numbers of Black, white, and Hispanic students, with smaller shares of students identifying as multiracial or Asian.
As an alternative school, Choice Plus Academy serves a distinct population within Johnston County Public Schools. State testing results show academic performance that falls well below typical expectations. In English language arts for grades three through eight, the proficiency rate is low. In mathematics for those grades, the data shows proficiency at an extremely limited level, with virtually no students in the tested cohort meeting the state's proficiency bar. Science proficiency, on a smaller tested population, is also very low. These figures reflect the realities of alternative-school enrollment: students who enroll typically arrive with significant academic gaps, complex personal circumstances, or prior disengagement from traditional school settings.
Testing data alone does not capture what alternative schools do. These settings typically emphasize re-engagement, credit recovery, behavioral support, and individualized pathways toward graduation. The school's enrollment pattern shows students concentrated in grades nine through twelve, suggesting it functions as a secondary endpoint within the district's broader system. The particular fit of this school depends heavily on a student's needs: whether the goal is recovery of credits, a smaller learning environment, more intensive behavioral or emotional support, or a non-traditional path to a high school diploma. The state testing results indicate that academic proficiency, as measured by state standards, is not the school's primary metric of success; instead, parents and students evaluating Choice Plus Academy would benefit from direct conversation with school staff about credit recovery rates, graduation pathways, post-secondary planning, and the specific supports available for re-engagement.
Smithfield itself is the Johnston County seat, positioned along I-95 and US 70 roughly thirty miles southeast of Raleigh. The town has a historic downtown with locally owned shops, restaurants, and civic spaces along the Neuse River, alongside highway-oriented retail and rapid residential growth driven by proximity to the capital region. The broader Johnston County Public Schools district is experiencing significant expansion, with two recent school bond referendums funding new high school construction and facility improvements across all feeder patterns. Families moving into the Smithfield area are part of one of North Carolina's fastest-growing counties, and the district is actively building capacity to accommodate that growth. Choice Plus Academy's small, alternative enrollment sits within this larger district context of rapid expansion and infrastructure investment.
See more original research from School Decision →