Board's Plan for Student Success Addresses Student Needs
April 24, 2008 – Expanded educational opportunities in foreign language, special education and reading instruction will be provided by funds the Wake County Board of Education approved in its Plan for Student Success Tuesday.After hearing from community leaders who called on the school board to address student academic needs and close achievement gaps, board members approved a budget requiring $355.484 million in local funding.
The board’s action begins the process of addressing higher standards, moving academic progress upward off its plateau, and eliminating achievement gaps, while at the same time addressing growth and other changes that impact student learning.
In a series of work sessions, board members agreed to include funding to offer foreign language at every elementary school; increase services for academically gifted students; add literacy teachers at elementary, middle and high schools; add special education teachers to reduce class sizes; provide pay for a technology facilitator at each school; and provide additional research staff to review curriculum management audit recommendations.
The board approved funds to increase high school security and gang prevention; offer district wide video conference for staff development; air school board meetings on the Internet; and increase reimbursement for school board members for in-county travel.
Addressing Growth
The Board’s Plan for Student Success seeks to keep pace with thousands of new students entering the schools. Enrollment grew by 7,500 for 2006-07, 6,000 for 2007-08 and is projected to increase by more than 6,000 for 2008-09.
The largest increase in funding is in response to growth. Three new elementary schools will open for 2008-09 and enrollment is expected to grow by an additional 6,400 students. The new elementary schools are Mills Park, Laurel Park, and Sycamore Creek.
Curriculum Management Audit
In presenting the Plan for Student Success to the board, Superintendent Del Burns said the school system is looking at the resources needed to eliminate the achievement gap and help all students graduate on-time, prepared for the future.
Burns says the school system is using the Curriculum Management Audit and Professional Learning Communities to improve student academic results. The audit has provided a comprehensive independent review of academic programs and school administrators have been studying and implementing the audit’s recommendations. Professional Learning Communities in schools and Central Services departments are part of the ongoing effort to provide team-based, data-driven decision making to make a difference for students in the classroom.
3-year plan based on strategic directives
The Plan for Student Success describes a three-year budget plan. It provides an in-depth and detailed business description of financial needs based on growing student enrollment and the school system’s four strategic directives:
- Rededicating the focus on learning and teaching;
- Retaining, recruiting and training high quality employees;
- Developing and implementing systems and structures to support schools, ensure accountability and engage the community;
- Expanding fiscal accountability.
Approximately 82 percent of the school system’s total funding pays for employee salaries and benefits, and approximately 95 percent of the school system’s positions are school based.
The Board’s Plan for Student Success now goes to the Wake County Board of Commissioners. The county commissioners will determine funding for all county services including the school system. After the county commissioners set the budget in June, the school board will reconcile its budget plan with funding provided by the commissioners.
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