Sept. 1, 2026
Information provided by Transylvania County Schools
Rosman Elementary School has been named a “Bright Spot” school by The 74, a nonprofit newsroom that covers national education issues.
The Bright Spots Project identifies schools nationwide where third-grade reading achievement significantly outpaces what would be expected given a school’s economic profile. Researchers examined the relationship between economic factors and third-grade reading performance within each state using spring 2024 third-grade English language arts results and 2023-24 federal data on student need from the Common Core of Data. Schools needed at least 30 third graders tested to be eligible.
The project’s analysis covered 41,883 schools, more than 3.16 million students, and 10,414 districts nationwide. Of those, 2,158 schools were named “Bright Spots” for exceeding early literacy expectations, including a number of schools serving lower-income student populations. Rosman Elementary School is among that group.
“I am so very proud of the teachers and staff who have worked and dedicated themselves to growing the children of this community. It is not a one-person job,” Rosman Elementary School Principal Bob Dinsdale said in a news release from Transylvania County Schools. “Teaching strong reading skills is a multiyear effort that starts in PreK and Kindergarten and continues as students move through these halls over the years. Teachers have put in the work day in and day out to help our students become great readers and great human beings. Rosman is a wonderful place because of the people who work here, the students who attend here, and the families and community members that support all of us.”
Third-grade reading proficiency is widely considered a key predictor of long-term academic success, and schools that outperform expectations in this area are seen as models for effective literacy instruction, according to the release.
In the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, Rosman Elementary has steadily increased its proficiency in all areas, including End-of-Grade tests.