State test scores released today show almost 90 percent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools met their academic growth goals, but many poorer and inner-city schools continue to struggle.

The scores show school-by-school results on the state end-of-grade and end-of-course tests. They follow the release two weeks ago of countywide results on the tests - scores Interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh described as "considerable regression," especially in the high schools, after four years of rising scores.

The scores released today show overall pass rates fell at at least 10 high schools. A few, like South Mecklenburg, Berry and Harding, managed to post increases. Eight schools did not get state ratings because they didn't test at least 95 percent of eligible students, as required by state rules. It wasn't immediately clear why, but CMS officials were expected to hold an 11 a.m. press conference where they planned to go over the results.

The numbers released today show that even with the declining scores, suburban schools such as Providence High, Ardrey Kell High and others continue to fare well, with pass rates well over 90 percent. So do some magnet or specialty-themed campuses with heavy minority representation, like Berry Academy of Technology, Harding High, Garinger New Tech and Olympic Renaissance.

But many urban schools serving predominantly poor and minority populations continue to lag their suburban peers. Elementary schools such as Byers, Druid Hills, Billingsville, Sedgefield and Nations Ford saw 50 percent or more of their students fail the tests.

Also among the schools with high failure rates were some of the schools critical to CMS' plans to open new preK-8 campuses this fall, as well as campuses former Superintendent Peter Gorman targeted for extra help in his "strategic staffing" initiative, one of the signature reforms of his five-year tenure.

Conceived as a three-year turnaround plan for struggling schools, the initiative moved star principals to low-scoring campuses. It allowed them to take hand-picked teachers with them, using $10,000 bonuses as incentive.

But Reid Park Elementary logged a 51 percent pass rate on the latest tests. Bruns Avenue Elementary had 55 percent pass. And at Westerly Hills Elementary, about 60 percent passed.

All three will become preK-8 schools this fall; CMS officials have voiced hopes the elementary schools can help lift students from the three struggling and now-closed middle schools who are headed to their campuses.

Statewide, about 83 percent of all N.C. schools that had scores met or exceeded their growth goals, with just over 42 percent making high growth. That compares with 89 percent of CMS meeting or exceeding growth, including 50 percent at high growth. Wake fared even better, with 95 percent meeting or exceeding their goals and a whopping 70 percent at high growth.

About one in five CMS schools registered pass rates of 90 percent or higher, compared with 11 percent statewide and about the same in Wake. CMS and the state as a whole had about 5 percent with proficiency of 50 percent or lower, compared with 2 percent in Wake.