GCS Special Friday Notes from the Superintendent

September 17, 2007

2007-08 Academic Focus

During the past several weeks, members of my staff and I have reviewed 2006-07 school and district-wide student achievement data.  For the first time since the No Child Left Behind legislation was introduced in 2003, GCS was above the state average and outperformed the other five large school districts in the state (Charlotte Mecklenburg, Cumberland, Durham, Forsyth and Wake) in the percentage of schools making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).  I would like to congratulate everyone for their effort, hard work and dedication to our children.

While we have made much progress, there is much left to accomplish if we are to reach our goal of becoming the country’s premier metropolitan school district. Last year’s student academic results clearly point to the following areas of focus for the current school year.  We cannot forget that the state will raise End of Grade (EOG) Reading proficiency standards as well as AYP targets for EOG Reading and Math and End of Course (EOC) Algebra I, English I and writing this school year.

1. High schools must:
   1. Sustain our 2006-07 Graduation Rate of 100%;
   2. Expand the number of high schools making AYP.  Seventy-eight percent of our high schools made AYP in 2006-07.  We cannot regress and must work hard if all high schools are to make AYP in 2007-08;
   3. Raise ABCs Performance Composite (PC) scores (the overall percentage of students who are proficient in all tested subjects) on EOC test  to at least one seventh of the gap between each school’s PC in 2006-07 and 100 -- so schools can increase their PC to 100 by 2013-14;
   4. Significantly improve Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, without sacrificing the participation rate. Close the gap between GCS and Charlotte Mecklenburg within two years; close the gap between GCS and the state within four years, and close the gap between GCS and Wake County by 2013-14.
2. Middle schools must:
   1. Significantly increase EOG math scores without neglecting reading, especially for students receiving free and reduced- priced lunch and our African-American students, and pay attention to writing and science;
   2. Increase the number of schools making AYP by working with low performing school-level groups under the higher EOG reading proficiency standards and higher AYP targets in both math and reading starting in 2007-08;
   3. Increase ABCs PC under the new EOG reading proficiency standard starting in 2007-08. Close the gap between GCS and the state within one year and close the gap between GCS and Wake County within three years.
3. Elementary schools must:
   1. Significantly strengthen our pre-kindergarten through second grade literacy program;
   2. Significantly improve the reading scores of students receiving free and reduced-priced lunch and our African-American students and – while meeting the academic needs of other students and not ignoring other academic areas;
   3. Sustain high percent of schools making AYP under the higher EOG reading proficiency standards and higher AYP targets in both math and reading starting in 2007-08;
   4. Increase ABCs PC under the new EOG reading proficiency standard starting in 2007-08. Close the gap between GCS and Mecklenburg/state within one year and close the gap between GCS and Wake within four years.
      
4. All schools must:
   1. Focus on providing additional support to students receiving free and reduced meals and African-American students to achieve all three thematic goals (Click here to view the district’s thematic goals). The achievement gap between these groups and our white and affluent students is real.  Without helping African-American and free and reduced meal students make significant progress, GCS will not make needed gains in 2007-08; 
   2. Focus attention on our top performing academic students.  We must move more of our ‘low’ Level IV students into the ‘high’ Level IV category.  Simply stated, we are not challenging many of our brightest performers.  We must remember the importance of differentiating instruction in our classrooms. 

While we will continue to strongly support educating the ‘whole’ child, we cannot forget the federal and state governments’ measure the effectiveness of our schools based on criteria such as math and reading scores, student attendance and high school graduation rates.  We fully understand that school improvement plans will vary from school to school across the district.  However, if we expect to continue our current level of progress and academic success, it is crucial that everyone understand the areas of focus listed above. 

Again, congratulations to everyone who contributed towards an outstanding 2006-07 school year.   To our new employees, you have joined a great dedicated team.  Welcome to GCS!

Please call me at 370-8992, should you have questions or comments.