Johnston County leader is 1 of 8 finalists for NC’s Superintendent of the Year

T. Keung Hui
·2 min read

Johnston County Superintendent Eric Bracy has been named a finalist for North Carolina Superintendent of the Year.

Last week, Bracy was named the Central Carolina Regional Education Service Alliance Superintendent of the Year. He is now among eight finalists for the 2024-25 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year award that will be given this fall.

“We congratulate Dr. Bracy on this wonderful recognition,” school board chair Lyn Andrews said in a news release. “His leadership has moved our school district forward in not only academic performance but in the utilization of financial resources.

“The focus of his work has always been to provide the needed resources to teachers and staff members to enhance all educational opportunities for our students. He is committed to making Johnston County Public Schools the best in the state.”

Scores are improving in schools

Bracy has been superintendent of North Carolina’s seventh-largest school district since July 2020. The former Sampson County superintendent brought stability to Johnston County after its prior leaders left under a cloud.

He also took over during a time when schools were trying to figure out how to educate students during the pandemic and deal with the resulting learning losses.

Bracy set a goal of having every district school receive an A, B or C school performance letter grade from the state. Now, just six low-performing schools remain in the district, compared to 14 schools two years previously.

The district experienced a 2% increase in overall performance, which resulted in 35 schools improving their performance composite score. Also, 29 schools exceeded growth expectations on state exams.

“The Johnston County Principals and Assistant Principal Association would like to congratulate Dr. Bracy on winning this prestigious award, and we thank him for the continued leadership offered towards our school district and families,” said Ryan Ewell, the association’s chair and principal of Cleveland Elementary School.