Smithfield — Last year, Johnston County students fared poorly on the state’s new year-end math test. This year, all Johnston schools raised their scores, and most schools improved on the annual writing test, too.

Statewide, students in grades 3-8 struggled with the new test when it was introduced in the 2006-07 school year. In the school year just ended, 79 percent of Johnston students performed at or above grade level on the math test, compared to 71 percent a year earlier.

On the writing test, almost 64 percent of Johnston fourth-graders scored at grade level or better, up from 54 percent a year ago. Sixty-six percent of seventh-graders passed, up from 52 percent. And 69 percent of high school sophomores passed, up from 55 percent.

School board Chairman Kay Carroll said he wanted to know if any particular teaching methods helped with students’ writing successes this year.

“I think in terms of looking at instruction in writing at one school ... they put their own spins on it, and it’s really difficult to say it’s this program or that program,” said Associate Superintendent Keith Beamon.

Beamon did say the schools are giving feedback to students on their writing progress during the year. Associate Superintendent E.D. Hall also took time out to acknowledge the testing staff’s hard work. He said they scored almost 48,000 tests in 2007-08.