Superintendent McNeal: New school year, big tasks ahead
August 3, 2001 - Wake County Superintendent Bill McNeal challenged
Wake County principals and administrators to boost student
performance and reach Goal 2003 by closing the achievement
gap. Speaking at the Wake County Schools Team Leadership Conference
Wednesday (August 1) at the McKimmon Center, McNeal pointed
to the bold leadership that led to the merger of the Raleigh
City and Wake County school systems 25 years ago.
 Superintendent Bill McNeal calls on school principals and administrators to shrink the achievement gap. |
"I suggest we follow the path set by those bold leaders
of 25 years ago who looked and said we can be stronger if
we come together as a community," McNeal said. "I'm
saying we can be stronger if we come together as a school
district and a system. As we look in the eyes of every single
child, can we be any less bold? Can we be any less courageous?
Can we be any less committed than those individuals 25 years
ago? Our commitment has to be that we will leave no child
behind."
McNeal presented a series of charts showing the progress
Wake County students have achieved and the difference in scores
between Wake County's African-American and white students.
In 1998, 93 percent of white fifth graders scored at or above
grade level on the End-of-Grade reading test. That year, 62
percent of African-American fifth graders scored at or above
grade level. In 2001, these students had reached the eighth
grade. In the recently released EOG reading scores for last
year, 97 percent of the white students and 76 percent of the
African-American students scored at or above grade level on
the test. Student scores increased, and the gap between the
scores of white and African-American students narrowed from
31 points in 1998 to 21 points in 2001.
McNeal congratulated educators for the improvement, but challenged
them to close the gap. He told educators African-American
students are more likely to be suspended, be placed on long-term
suspension, and be identified as Behaviorally Emotionally
Handicapped and less likely to be identified for academically
gifted classes.
"I think for some of our students, we didn't have the
level of expectation we should have had and they worked down
to those expectations," said McNeal. "We have to
say to them, this is the bar. We want to get you there. We
expect all of our students to be at or above grade level.
That's the expectation in Wake County."
McNeal identified risk factors common to students who were
not succeeding. He found they included receiving free and
reduce priced lunch, participation in special programs, failing
the previous year, and being suspended more than once or being
placed on long term suspension the previous year. He said
just over 19 percent of African-American, 17 percent of Hispanic,
and three percent of white students had two of these risk
factors.
"As career educators, we know what must be done,"
said McNeal. "The question is why we don't make it happen."
McNeal told the educators they must inspire teachers and
involve parents and the community, tapping every resource
to help children succeed, and reach the 2003 Goal of having
95 percent of students tested at or above grade level as measured
by the NC End-of-Grade testing at grades three and eight.
"What you do makes a significant difference," McNeal
said. "You show me a school that is doing a superb job,
and I will show you a superb principal who is making it work.
I will show you a principal and a team on that school campus
that's making it work. I will show you a climate that is encouraging
to parents, where you'll see parental involvement thrive.
I will show you quality teaching, because good leaders hire
good teachers and demand the best from them. I will also show
you a school that is bringing in groups to help. That's why
we have gone to the faith community, because we know the faith
community can provide support for us. That's why we have gone
to businesses and volunteers, because we know they help us."
McNeal thanked the educators for their hard work boosting
student academics and building community support for the schools.
"Our accomplishments are numerous," said McNeal.
"We passed the bond by 78 percent approval, and you were
a significant part of that. You talked to members of the community
and your school family and helped them to understand the importance
of the bond. Our writing scores are up, both fourth and seventh
grade. Fourth grade was up 10.3 percent and seventh grade
6.6 percent. We are at the highest level we've ever been.
The same goes for our reading scores on the End-of-Grade.
When you see 90 percent of our 5th or 8th graders at or above
grade level, it shows that a significant amount of work is
being done at our schools. We have the highest number of National
Board certified teachers of any district in the nation. How
about two Blue Ribbon schools, Wiley and Davis Drive, or a
world champion Odyssey of the Mind school in Joyner, or Enloe's
recognition as the number one magnet school in the nation
by Magnet Schools of America, or Enloe's representing the
state of N.C. in the national Academic Decathlon."
Educators applauded McNeal's comments at the meeting that marks the beginning of the school year for administrators. Students begin the year at Wake County's traditional-calendar schools August 13.