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RALEIGH -- North Carolina's annual report cards for public schools was released one last time Thursday. It shows how students performed on end-of-the year and end-of-course tests taken in grades 3 through 12.

According to the report, 79.5 percent of North Carolina public schools met or exceeded their academic growth goals. This was a slight decrease compared to last year when 81.4 percent of schools met or exceeded their growth goals.

The report also found 53.8 percent of all schools did not meet all of their Annual Measurable Objectives. AMOs replaced the Adequate Yearly Progress measures previously required by the U.S. Department of Education. AMOs are proficiency targets that are set for each student subgroup.

Figures also released Thursday show 80.2 percent of North Carolina public school students are now graduating from high school in four years. That's up from 77.9 percent the year before, a total of a 12 percent increase since 2000.

It's the 16th and final year North Carolina unveiled the report that established reputations for which schools were failing and which were considered excellent.

The school accountability effort is being replaced by online testing and school ratings based on skills students need for college or work.

Also starting next year, schools will be graded like students on an A to F scale.