HOW CHARLOTTE NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS ARE DOING FOR EDUCATION

How Charlotte North Carolina Schools Are Doing For Education

‍The last five years have been anything but typical for students and educators in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina’s (NC) second-largest school district. In 2013, the district’s voters passed a referendum mandating a thorough overhaul of the district’s schools.  This so-called “Meck Plan”—a reference to the district’s former name, the Mecklenburg County School District—sets out to reform the district’s funding, operations, and culture. It includes many testing reforms, such as a new, district-wide uniform test for all high school seniors and a new teacher evaluation system that rewards educators for student learning.  But it also includes reforms that don’t focus narrowly on test scores. In this article, we’ll explore how these and other school reform efforts are paying off for students in Charlotte.

What’s Happened in Charlotte’s Schools Since the Meck Plan

The last five years have been anything but typical for students and educators in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina’s (NC) second-largest school district. In 2013, the district’s voters passed a referendum mandating a thorough overhaul of the district’s schools. This so-called “Meck Plan” sets out to reform the district’s funding, operations, and culture. It includes many testing reforms, such as a new, district-wide uniform test for all high school seniors and a new teacher evaluation system that rewards educators for student learning. But it also includes reforms that don’t focus narrowly on test scores. In this article, we’ll explore how these and other school reform efforts are paying off for students in Charlotte.

A Focus on the Whole Child

The Meck Plan’s focus on the whole child—encompassing health and well-being, social and emotional learning, and the 21st-century skills that drive success in the workplace—is evident in many of its reforms. For example, new health and wellness programs have been made available to every school in the district, and wellness coaches have been assigned to every school to provide guidance on healthy habits and offer information on health care options. Elementary schools have also been given increased authority to address the physical and mental health needs of their students, so they can identify and address issues before they become serious.

New Curriculum and Instruction

The Meck Plan also created incentives for educators to integrate new and more effective instructional approaches in their classrooms. In this way, the district was one of the first in the country to require that high school teachers use the Common Core State Standards as a basis for their curricula, rather than having them choose from a menu of approved courses. This approach to curriculum has led to curricula that are more relevant to the real-world needs of students. For example, the district launched a district-wide pilot in 2017 that allows high school students to earn their diploma online by completing 20 hours of online coursework each year. The program aims to provide students with the flexibility to complete coursework at their own pace while also allowing them to graduate in timely fashion.

21st-Century Learning and Coaching

The district has also made strides to ensure that educators are equipped to meet the needs of 21st-century learners. For example, a district-wide collaborative on instructional improvement led to a new professional development model that provides funds for in-district and online professional development for educators. Providers can choose from a variety of courses on a variety of topics, and the district is working with the Carolinas Alliance for 21st Century Universities to help fund these programs. This approach to professional development not only ensures that educators stay informed but also gives them opportunities for hands-on experience with 21st-century teaching methods.

Better Boundaries for Special Needs Students

While the Meck Plan may have been focused on traditional students, special needs students have also been a priority. In 2016, the district launched its Unified Transition Program, which aims to better prepare special education students for postsecondary education or work by separating them from their peers at a younger age. The program has been implemented district-wide and will be extended to all students in grades 6-12 in the fall of 2018. It has also established a foundation for better integration when the time comes for these students to transition to regular schools.

What’s Next for Charlotte’s Schools?

The plan to overhaul Charlotte’s schools has been in the works for about a decade, and the district is now seeing some of the benefits of these efforts. For example, more than half of high school graduates who took the state’s standardized test in 2017 earned the equivalent of a 4 or 5 on the 10-point scale. This is an impressive achievement for students in such a large and diverse district. The district will also be implementing teacher evaluation and compensation reforms in the fall of 2018 that should lead to even more positive change for students. With all of these positive changes, it’s easy to see why Charlotte’s schools are a model for success.

Point Of Interest #1 Sarah Belk Gambrell Center, 2319 Wellesley Ave, Charlotte, NC 28207

Point Of Interest #2 Curry Arena, 2201 Wellesley Ave, Charlotte, NC 28207

Point Of Interest #3 Sandra Levine Theatre, 2319 Wellesley Ave, Charlotte, NC 28209

Written Driving Directions From The Mold Girl of Charlotte To One Specific POI In This Geo Grid Area

Start: The Mold Girl of Charlotte

4614 Wilgrove Mint Hill Rd Suite C9, Mint Hill, NC 28227, United States

Head southwest toward Wilgrove Mint Hill Rd

3 s (72 ft)

Turn right onto Wilgrove Mint Hill Rd

34 s (315 ft)

Turn left onto Nelson Rd

2 min (0.9 mi)

Continue on Lawyers Rd. Take Idlewild Rd and US-74 W/E Independence Blvd/E Independence Expy to Wellesley Ave in Charlotte

26 min (14.1 mi)

Turn right onto Lawyers Rd

3.8 mi

Turn left onto Idlewild Rd N

0.5 mi

Use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto E W.T. Harris Blvd

0.6 mi

Turn right onto Idlewild Rd

1.4 mi

Turn right to merge onto US-74 W/E Independence Blvd/E Independence Expy

4.8 mi

Take exit 243 for NC-27/Charlottetowne Ave

0.4 mi

Continue onto Charlottetowne Ave

0.4 mi

Turn left onto E 3rd St

0.4 mi

Continue onto Providence Rd

 Pass by Wells Fargo Bank (on the left in 0.9 mi)

1.0 mi

Continue straight onto Queens Rd

0.5 mi

Slight right onto Selwyn Ave

0.2 mi

Turn right onto Wellesley Ave

 Destination will be on the right

11 s (210 ft)

End: Sandra Levine Theatre

2319 Wellesley Ave, Charlotte, NC 28209, United States