Prepare for Greatness…

The Journey of
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Then & Now

Dr. James L. Pughsley, Superintendent

1
 “ When the situation was
manageable it was neglected,
and now that it is thoroughly
out of hand, we apply too late the
remedies which then might have
affected a cure.
”
Winston Churchill

2
District Profile – Our Employees
Full-Time Teachers 7,354
Teachers with Advanced 2,167
Degrees
National Board Certified 841
Teachers
Student Support Staff 6,322
Administrative/Office Staff 894
Total 14,570
3
District Profile - Our Students
Pre-Kindergarten 3,097
Kindergarten – Grade 5 57,127
Grades 6-8 28,101
Grades 9-12 33,236
Special Education 3,271
Self Contained

Total Students Enrolled 121,561

4
District Profile – Ethnic Distribution
of Students

American Indian 1%
Asian 4%
African-American 43%
Hispanic 10%
White 40%
Multi-Racial 2%

5
Challenges

6
Enrollment by Racial/Ethnic Group

Enrollment by Racial/Ethnic Group

60,000
Number of Students

50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
-
97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05
School Year
White 39.7% African American 43%
Hispanic 10.4% Asian 4.2%
American Indian/Multi-Racial 2.7%

7
Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Population

14,000
11,510*
Number of Students

12,000 10,944
9,885
10,000
8,035
8,000 6,822
5,570
6,000 4,339
4,000 2,649
1,732 2,259
2,000
0
95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05
School Year

8
Free and Reduced Price Lunch
The number of students who receive free or reduced-price lunch continues
to increase, with 45% of the student population qualifying in 2004-05. In
1997-1998, 38% of the student population in CMS qualified for free or
reduced price lunch.

Students Qualifying for Free or Reduced Price Lunch

46.0% 45.0%
44.2%
Student Population

44.0%
Percent of Total

42.1%
42.0%
40.0%
40.0% 38.9% 38.9% 38.8%
38.0%
38.0%

36.0%

34.0%
97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05

School Year

9
Students with Special Needs
(Exceptional Children)

Students With Special Needs

16,000 14,194
13,230 13,714
14,000 12,802
Number of Students

11,497 11,390
12,000 10,748
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05
School Year

10
Immediate Challenges

•Student Achievement
•Quality Teachers
•Strong Principal Leadership
•Comprehensive Student
Assignment Plan
•Student Growth

11
The Journey Begins
1996…
•22 low performing schools
•35% of fifth grade African-
American students on grade level
in reading
•14% of African-American
students in AP or IB courses
•22% Teacher Turnover Rate
12
Today…

•1 low performing school

•84% of fifth grade African-
American students on grade level
in reading
•39% of African-American
students in AP or IB courses
•15.95% Teacher Turnover Rate
13
Cont…
•Lacked strategic plan
•Low expectations
•Landmark Desegregation Case
•U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
•Family Choice Plan

14
Setting the Stage

15
CMS Vision
• To ensure that Charlotte-
Mecklenburg School System becomes
the premier urban, integrated system
in the nation in which all students
acquire the knowledge, skills, and
values necessary to live rich and full
lives as productive and enlightened
members of society.
16
 Achieving the
CMS Vision:
Equity and Student Success

17
9 Components of the Plan
• Educational Opportunities
• Family and Community
• Instructional Materials and Supplies,
Media Centers and Technology
• Faculty
• Student Assignment
• Instructional Facilities
• Organizational Capacity
• Accountability and Bonus System
• Plan Management
18
Goals
• Academic Achievement
• Safe and Orderly Environment
• Community Collaboration
• Equity
• Efficient and Effective Support
Operations

19
Aligned Management

20
CLARITY STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT
ALIGNMENT
MANAGED CURRICULUM
AND INSTRUCTION

ACADEMIC
ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM

PRINCIPAL AND CENTRAL OFFICE

APPRAISAL SYSTEMS

CMS BUDGET

PROJECT CHARTERS

BALANCED SCORECARD

CMS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

ACHIEVING THE CMS VISION: EQUITY AND STUDENT SUCCESS – “The Plan”

ALIGNMENT OF INSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS

ACCOUNTABILITY
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CMS Aligned Management System
WHY? WHAT? HOW?
CMS Goals 2005

#1 Processes Budget and Allocation

Attain High System
Academic Balanced
Achievement for Scorecard
all Students (Operational
Plan) Action Performance
#2 Plans Management
Creating a Safe
System
and Orderly
Environment

#3 Outcomes Project Management

Ensuring System
Community
Collaboration

#4
Ensuring Equity
in All Schools

#5
Developing
Efficient &
Effective Support
Operations
22
 CMS Balanced Scorecard
THE VISION BALANCED SCORECARD PERSPECTIVES
To ensure that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System becomes the premier urban, integrated
system in the nation in which all students acquire the knowledge, skills and values necessary to live Customer
rich and full lives as productive and enlightened members of society. Financial
Internal Business Process
Goal # 2 Goal # 3 HR Learning and Growth
Goal # 1 Goal # 4 Goal # 5
Attaining High Academic Creating a Safe and Orderly Ensuring Community Ensuring Developing
Achievement for all Environment Collaboration Equity in all Efficient & Effective
Students Schools Support
Operations
Meets expectations (met 2004 target) Improving but needs continued focus (did not meet 2004 target but improved over 2003 actual)  Not meeting expectations (did not meet 2004 target/did not improve over 2003)
Target Project
Status Sponsor
BSC Actual 2003 Actual 2004
Target 2005
Perspective Target 2003 (2002- (2002-03 School Target 2004 (2003- (2003-04 School
Goal* Objective Measure Grade / Subject Baseline 2001 (2004-05 School
03 School Year) Year as of 6/30/03 04 School Year) Year as of 6/30/04
Year)
except as noted) except as noted)

Category 1 - Student Achievement

#1 Customer 1.1 Students in grades K-8 will A) % of students in grades 3, 5 Grade 3 75% 84% 82% 89% 84% 95% Frances
perform on grade level or and 8 performing on grade Grade 5 82% 86% 87% 91% 88% 95% Haithcock
above in Reading Skills level or above in Reading Grade 8 78% 86% 84% 90% 86% 95%
Skills
B) % of students in grades 3, 5 Grade 3 40% 46% 46% 48% 48% 50% Frances
and 8 on Level 4 in Reading Grade 5 41% 44% 44% 47% 45% 50% Haithcock
Skills Grade 8 38% 44% 43% 47% 46% 50%

#1 Customer 1.2 Students in grades K-8 will A) % of students in grade 4, 7 Grade 4 71% 75% Test not given. Establish 40% Pending Frances
perform on grade level or and 10 performing on grade Grade 7 73% 75% Baseline 42% Baseline - state Haithcock
above in Writing Skills level or above in Writing Grade 10 53% 75% 57% standards being
Skills Not sure if there set
will be a test.

#1 Customer 1.3 Students in grades K-8 will A) % of students in grades 3, 5 Grade 3 72% 83% 88% 92% 89% 95% Frances
perform on grade level or and 8 performing on grade Grade 5 85% 90% 92% 94% 93% 95% Haithcock
above in Math Skills level or above in Math Skills Grade 8 74% 85% 81% 88% 83% 95%

B) % of students in grades 3, 5 Grade 3 34% 42% 47% 49% 47% 50% Frances
and 8 on Level 4 in Math Grade 5 50% 56% 64% 50% 66% 50% Haithcock
Skills Grade 8 39% 47% 48% 49% 50% 50%


#1 Customer 1.4 Students in grades 9-12 A) % of students in grades 9-12 Physics 70% 84% 78% 84% 79% 90% Frances
will perform on grade level performing on grade level or Chemistry 54% 66% 57% 74% 56% 90% Haithcock
or above on the EOCs above on each of 9 EOCs Biology 58% 74% 54% 72% 52% 90%
(*includes middle school Algebra I* 55% 74% 65% 78% 68% 90%
student scores also) Algebra II 65% 74% 66% 78% 70% 90%
English I 67% 76% 77% 84% 76% 90%
Geometry* 52% 64% 57% 74% 53% 90%
U.S. History 53% 65% 56% test not given test not given 90%
ELP 63% 70% 60% test not given test not given 90%


B) % of students in grades 9-12 Physics 25% 44% 42% 46% 40% 50% Frances
performing at level 4 on Chemistry 21% 31% 23% 37% 21% 50% Haithcock
each of 9 EOCs (*includes Biology 21% 30% 16% 33% 15% 50%
middle school student Algebra I* 19% 36% 27% 39% 29% 50%
scores also) Algebra II 28% 37% 32% 41% 35% 50%
English I 31% 38% 38% 44% 39% 50%
Geometry* 18% 29% 21% 36% 19% 50%
U.S. History
ELP
19%
28%
29%
35%
23%
26%
test not given
test not given
test not given
test not given
50%
50%
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Teaming for Excellence--Instruction

PRIMARY •Board of Education •Curriculum & •Regional •PMOC

RESPONSIBILITY •Superintendent Instruction Superintendents •Instructional
•Instructional Accountability
Accountability

STAGES VISION DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION MONITORING

DIRECTION
(5) (GOALS, DEVELOPMENT EXECUTION REPORTING
OBJECTIVES)
•Executive Staff •Regional •Curriculum & •Regional
SHARED •Senior Staff Superintendents Instruction Superintendents
RESPONSIBILITY •Instructional •Curriculum &
Accountability Instruction

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND INTERVENTIONS

•DATA •RESOURCE •PROFESSIONAL •SITE BASED

ANALYSIS ALLOCATION DEVELOPMENT ACTIONS
RAPID SUPPORT TEAM
24
Theory of Action

25
 Theories of Action for Change
THE BIG
QUESTION
Sustaining Disruptive
Change Change

Incremental Fundamental
Improvements Change

1 2 3 4
More Managed Performance/
Effective
Instruction Empowerment
Resources Management

5 6
Salaries Command Managed Charter
Outside
Facilities Programs and Performance District
Technology Expertise
Control Empowerment 26
Theories of Action for Change
Our Best System Managed Instruction

Tightly coupled
district Instruction Instruction
management
compliance-based
accountability
School Operations School Operations

Managed Performance/
Performance/Empowerment Empowerment

Loosely coupled
district
management
performance-
based Instruction Instruction
accountability

School Operations School Operations

27
CMS Managed Curriculum & Instruction
Nine Quality Conditions for Success
Plan Do

1. Planning
7. Maintenance

8. Monitoring
2. Instructional Focus
3. Assessment

4. Data-Driven Decisions

9. Professional Development
Check Act
*Effective School Correlates *Continuous Improvement 28
Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA)

29
 Project Charter Components
• Introduction and Scope
• Project Organization
• Desired Results
• Deliverables
• Dependencies and Impacts
• Project Assumptions
• Project Plan Summary
• Budget
PLAN
30
 Current Instructional Projects to
Monitor
• Academic Excellence for Elementary
Schools
• Academic Excellence for Middle Schools
• Academic Excellence for High Schools
• Recruitment, Retention of Quality
Teachers
• Professional Development

PLAN
31
 Instructional Alignment
• Textbook
• Focus Lessons
• Pacing Calendar
• Alignment Guides
• Targeted/Intensive Intervention
• Extended Day/Year
• Mini & Quarterly Assessments
• EOC/EOG
PLAN
32
Specific
• Non negotiable:
– Team Teacher Planning
– 2 - 2 1/2 Hour Literacy Block
– 60-90 Minute Math Block
– Level I and II Double Blocked
– PEP
– Level III and IV Accelerated
– Transition 9
PLAN
33
Execution
“The Discipline of Getting Things Done”

• Strategy itself often is not the cause of

failure
• Strategies most often fail because they
aren’t executed well
• Quality deliverables on time and
beyond expectations

DO
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 Project Acceleration
• Initiated in 2001-02 to increase access to higher-level
courses
• More than 2,500 middle school students who scored
at Level III or IV on the previous year’s End-of-
Grade tests were placed in accelerated Math and
Language Arts classes within seven days
• Open access and student participation in rigorous
coursework is promoted by use of the PSAT.
• Participation in higher-level classes provide
students with access to a wider range of
opportunities, including AP and IB, in high school
ACT
35
Monitoring for Expected
Change

36
Plan Management Oversight
Committee
School Board

Superintendent

Plan Management Oversight Committee

Planned Pool Set Priorities Provide Resources Remove Barriers
Of Projects Oversee Scope Resolve Issues Evaluate Results

Active Projects

Project A Project B Project C

Sponsor Sponsor Sponsor

Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager
Process Manager Process Manager Process Manager
Member Member Member
Member Member Member
Member Member Member
Member Member Member
CHECK
37
Using the Data

CHECK
38
Sunset Clause

• The district evaluates all programs at least

every three years by reviewing relevant
student-achievement data. A decision is
made to retain a program, expand it, or
eliminate it and redirect the funds.

CHECK
39
Rapid Support Team

• Team
• Analysis
• Barriers
• Just in Time Support
• Support Coaches

ACT
40
 Department of Instructional
Excellence
• Methods of Teacher Support
– The State Mentor Model – In-house Support
– Full-time Mentor Model
– Teacher Academy Model
– Content Coach Model

ACT
41
Academic Achievement

42
Reading EOG Test Results
Percent At or Above Grade Level
GRADE
2002 2003 2004 2005
3 78 82 84 84
4 74 83 84 84
5 81 87 88 90
6 71 77 75 78
7 73 82 80 82
8 81 84 86 86

43
Mathematics EOG Test Results
Percent At or Above Grade Level
GRADE
2002 2003 2004 2005
3 76 88 89 86
4 88 95 94 93
5 87 92 93 91
6 85 88 88 88
7 79 82 82 83
8 79 81 83 81

44
Subgroup Achievement
Reading
Grades 3 through 8

80
70
Percent At or Above

60
Grade Level

50 2002
40 2003
30 2004
20 2005
10
0
AA H/L F/R LEP EC
Lunch
45
Subgroup Achievement

Mathematics
Grades 3 through 8
90
80
Percent At or Above

70
60
Grade Level

2002
50
2003
40
30 2004
20 2005
10
0
AA H/L F/R LEP EC
Lunch

46
The Achievement Gap - Reading

Grade 5 Reading
100

90 Black
At or Above Grade Level

White
Percent of Students (%)

80
Asian
70 Hispanic
60 CMS
B_track
50
W_track
40 A_track
H_track
30
1995- 1996- 1997- 1998- 1999- 2000- 2001- 2002- 2003- 2004- CMS_track
96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

47
 The Achievement Gap - Math

Grade 6 Mathematics

100 Black
Percent of Students (%)
At or Above Grade Level

90 White
Asian
80
Hispanic
70
CMS
60
B_track
50
W_track
40 A_track
30 H_track
1995-96 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002- 2003- 2004-
03 04 05 CMS_track

48
Achievement Level IV
Reading

50
Percent At Level IV

40

30 2002
2003
20 2004
2005
10

0
Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

49
Achievement Level IV
Mathematics

70
60
Percent At Level IV

50
2002
40
2003
30 2004
20 2005
10
0
Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8

50
Reading
– NAEP – Grade 4 Reading
• 64% of CMS students at or above basic
• 31% at or above proficient
• Percent proficient is significantly higher than 9 large
districts, 9 states; the same as nation, North Carolina,
34 other states
– NAEP – Grade 8 Reading
• 71% of CMS students at or above basic
• 30% at or above proficient
• Percent proficient is significantly higher than 9
large districts, 10 states; the same as nation, North
Carolina, 24 other states
51
Academic Achievement – EOC
Performance Composites CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS
EOC Performance Composites - 1997 - 2004

75

70

65
Percent At/Above Achievement Level III

60

55

50

45

40

35

30

25
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Year

CMS Free/Reduced-Price Lunch Paid Lunch

52
 Academic Achievement - SAT
1030
Mean Total SAT Score

1020
1010
CMS
1000
NC
990
Nation
980
970
960
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

53
CMS Highlighted in Several
National Media Outlets

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