Tag: Academics

The Wake County Public School System’s AIG 2019-22 Plan is designed to meet the academic, intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted and advanced learners with a focus on providing equitable access to AIG programming. To examine progress towards achieving the plan’s goals, a descriptive study utilizing a variety of data sources was conducted. Emerging results from the District Nomination Local Norming Process are promising in addressing equitable access to AIG programming. Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino students were among the largest racial/ethnic subgroups nominated through this process. The goal of a 10% increase in underrepresented students identified was mostly achieved, but a similar goal for referred students was not. Related to comprehensive programming, the Talent Development (TD) program was also rolled out with 4th- through 6th-grade students. Specific to differentiated curriculum and instruction, the K-2 Science Nurturing Project lessons were completed and posted; however, teacher-reported usage was low. While Advanced Learning Services (ALS) and Academics staff planned for new math and English Language Arts (ELA) lessons for AIG and TD students in grades 3-8, these lessons were not created. Although the AIG 2019-22 Plan was not fully realized, there was a slight improvement in academic results. Seventy-nine percent of schools with an AIG subgroup met or exceeded expected growth for AIG students in grades 3-8 which represented an improvement from baseline. Demonstrated growth may be credited to the AIG processes and procedures already in place prior to the AIG 2019-22 Plan. Recommendations for improvement include: 1) fully implementing the District Nomination Local Norming Process, 2) consistently tracking the three nomination processes and TD students in a central database, 3) exploring the dissemination of the K-2 Science Nurturing Project lessons, 4) continuing cross-departmental collaboration to address 3rd-8th grade math and ELA instructional expectations and lessons, and 5) gathering experiential feedback from AIG and TD students and parents.

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Following the recommendations of a 2013 instructional audit, the Academically or Intellectually Gifted department implemented a co-teaching instructional strategy in 41 volunteer schools starting in the 2014-15 school year. Implementation data and discussions with central office staff suggest that while implementation fidelity was relatively strong in the first year, it declined in 2015-16. Still, the first year of implementation offered evidence to guide any future co-teaching implementation. First, the “one teach, one assist” method of co-teaching was most frequently observed, suggesting that co-teachers may have defaulted to one of the less optimal instructional strategies under the model. Second, AIG teachers and co-teachers perceived the initiative similarly but differed on a few particularly meaningful survey items pertaining to the perceptions and role of the specialist. Third, AIG students and non-AIG students in co-taught classrooms were similarly engaged. Finally, students in co-taught classrooms significantly outperformed their non-co-taught peers in science, but not in math or reading.

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Since 2014, the Wake County Public School System has implemented single subject acceleration (SSA) as a way to provide students with access to advanced mathematics courses. This report includes three main findings related to the implementation and impact of SSA. First, a disproportionally large percentage of male, Asian and academically/intellectually gifted students were nominated, qualified and accelerated compared with their female, Black and Hispanic/Latino counterparts. Second, roughly two-thirds of students who qualified for SSA in mathematics actually proceeded to take the accelerated course. Third, near the qualifying cutoff score, accelerated students performed similarly to their non-accelerated counterparts, suggesting that SSA had no significant achievement effects—positive or negative—for students who were accelerated. We recommend that staff expand the visibility of SSA in order to inform more diverse populations, identify potential causes of non-acceleration among qualifiers, explore options for assessing content-level mastery, and maintain the 80% qualifying CASE score for SSA mathematics.

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The Effective Teaching Framework (ETF) initiative was designed to provide a common language and lens for understanding the skills, strategies, and resources needed for teachers and school leaders to create an optimal learning environment for all students. ETF training consisted of six full days of training for principals, assistant principals (APs), and selected Central Services staff, as well as an abridged version (24 hours) for Instructional Resource Teachers (IRTs). Beginning and mentor teachers also received some training. Training was provided to all cohorts as planned. Generally, the training sessions were well-attended and highly-rated by the participants; in 2015-16, 92.7% agreed it helped them become more effective in their roles. The trainings were supplemented by an ETF website that provided a wide range of online resources. However, the website was underutilized, with only 26.3% of teachers indicating that they used the website to improve their teaching. In most cases, implementation of ETF was limited to individuals applying their learning to classroom observations and teacher evaluations. Based on focus group interviews with APs, barriers to school-wide ETF efforts included: a) confusion about expectations for orchestrating an ETF “rollout” at their schools, b) lack of communication and follow-up from Central Services staff, c) leadership changes, d) lack of communal training and planning time among the schools’ administrative teams, and e) lack of grassroots support for the initiative at the school level. While training quality was high, building stronger buy-in before implementation, communicating clearer expectations, and implementing structures to support long-lasting roll-outs at the school level are recommended.

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In 2013-14, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) launched Achieve3000 as a randomized controlled trial in 16 elementary schools. Achieve3000 is an early literacy program that differentiates non-fiction reading passages based on individual students’ Lexile scores. Two-year results show that Achieve3000 did not have a significant impact on student outcomes. However, both intent-to-treat and treatment-on-treated estimates show that in 2015, the second year of implementation, students in the treatment group outperformed their control-group counterparts by 0.13 standard deviation units (SD) on the year-end Achieve3000 LevelSet Lexile test. This effect size is consistent with mean empirical effect sizes reported by Lipsey et al. (2012). Yet in neither the pooled nor annual results did Achieve3000 significantly impact student performance on additional Lexile outcomes (EOG or DIBELS ORF). Both implementation and impact results for Achieve3000 suggest that the ability of this particular technology-based literacy solution to improve student performance beyond that of a control group fell short of vendor-defined and empirical expectations.

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We examined the progress of kindergarteners who entered the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in 2008-09 and in 2010-11 who were identified as limited in English proficiency (LEP). For the 2008-09 cohort, English proficiency increased steadily over time. Few were able to exit LEP status in their first three years in WCPSS (10.5%); this jumped to 44.5% after four years. Retention rates were higher than for other subgroups, but declined from kindergarten to grade 3. Proficiency on the grade 3 Reading End of Grade (EOG) exam for the full LEP cohort was below that of WCPSS (50.4% vs. 69.6%). Those who exited LEP status before grade 3 had higher proficiency than the district on the EOG, and those exiting in grade 3 came close to district proficiency percentages. Patterns were similar for the 2010-11 cohort. A qualitative comparison of schools with the most and least success in improving literacy between kindergarten and second grade revealed the more successful schools served fewer LEP students, had fewer ESL teachers, and had traditional or modified calendars. They tended to provide more time for ESL instruction to newcomers and transitional students, had greater collaboration between ESL and classroom teachers, promoted community involvement more proactively, and exposed LEP students to more grade level materials (higher expectations).

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The second year (2011-12) of the Formative Assessment with Technology Project in three WCPSS schools was studied to determine the fidelity of implementation of the formative assessment practices and the project's impact on student achievement. Classroom observations and surveys of teachers and students showed that implementation was moderate, and it varied widely across teachers. Certain targeted practices were reported or observed much more often than others. High turnover in the teachers participating in the project likely contributed to the uneven implementation. High school staff had the highest level of implementation of training concepts as well as the highest use of the electronic response tools for assessment. Full implementation and impact on state achievement test scores was expected to take two years to be evident. Since only nine teachers participated and had data for two years, impact could not be reliably assessed. This pilot training model would be too expensive to roll out district-wide in WCPSS. More cost effective models may be used to encourage appropriate use of formative assessment.

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WCPSS PLT survey responses have been positive over time, remaining at high levels for the past six school years. Analyses of High Five PLT Survey data from 2007-08 to 2012-13 show: The percentage of positive agreement to each of the High Five PLT Survey themes increased between 4 and 11 percentage points since baseline data was first collected in the 2007-08 school year. When the survey data were disaggregated by the six PLT themes, only "collaborative culture/team processes" showed a decline (two percentage points). When the survey items are examined individually, the percentage of respondents marking that they "strongly agree" almost universally decreased from 2011-12, while the percentage marking "agree" showed a corresponding increase. Administering the High Five PLT Survey at less frequent intervals is recommended, as well as standardized PLT training for all new staff.

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Wilburn was in its fourth year of implementing Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) in 2011-12, which is designed to attract, retain, and motivate quality teachers and increase student achievement. It was in the second year of TIF funding to provide performance pay for improved student performance. Analysis of EOG reading and math test scores for 2011-12 showed increases in student performance (where different cohorts of students are compared over time) and growth (when a student is compared to him- or herself over time). All staff earned some performance pay based on the TAP model formulas (unlike the previous year). Recommendations are to provide more ways for teachers to share their perceptions of TAP, to start observations earlier in the year, and to improve training by focusing on the application of the rubric and differentiating training (for teachers new to TAP and those with experience).

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The WCPSS four-year cohort graduation rate declined slightly to 80.6% in 2011-12 from 80.9% in the previous year. At the same time, the five-year rate rose substantially from 81.6% to 84.4%.

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Seven District Improvement initiatives were implemented in 2011-12 in WCPSS. All were well designed and coordinated, with common goal setting processes and use of common monitoring tools. All initiatives either met or partially met 2011-12 goals. Some were more successful in showing student outcomes, with the most positive initiatives being elementary mathematics and adolescent literacy. These results should be used to influence future decisions about continuation or strengthening of these efforts. New components that were well received and implemented by those trained (but which did not have achievement results as yet) should also be considered for future funding.

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The overall results from the 2011-12 student survey were positive. The most positive results pertained to overall satisfaction with the participants' school, with the most unfavorable results centered on the consistency of challenging work being assigned to students and bullying. In general, 4th grade students responded more favorably than 7th and 10th grade students. Students also tended to pick the second most positive response rather than the most positive, indicating room for improvement. Items related to rigor, relevance, and relationships provided findings of interest in implementing the WCPSS strategic plan. Recommendations include improving rigor and support for student learning, considering expectations for schools with and without STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and Global themes for exposure to these areas, and discussing ways to address bullying in schools.

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During the spring of 2012, over 100,000 educators across the state took the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions (TWC) survey. WCPSS teachers responded more positively to 46 of the 85 survey items in 2012 than did teachers statewide. On 14 items, WCPSS teachers' responses were less favorable than those of teachers statewide, and on the remaining 25, there was no statistically significant difference. Results from this survey are discussed.

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Summary - WCPSS PLT survey responses have been positive over time, reaching a high plateau for the last three years. Analyses of High Five PLT Survey data from 2007-12 show: In 2011-12, high percentages (87.2%) of WCPSS teachers responding to the High Five PLT Survey provided positive responses to the items. Responses have been positive from 2007-08 to 2011-12, with small increases over time. Overall, WCPSS has shown an improvement in its PLT Performance Index of 5.7 percentage points over five years. The elementary, middle, and high schools have shown gains of 4.2, 7.5, and 9.1 percentage points, respectively. The implementation of dedicated time for PLT work (Wake Wednesdays) correlated to slight increases in PLT indices at the elementary and middle school levels; only the elementary level saw a slight decline when dedicated time was no longer provided.

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Professional Learning Teams were first introduced in WCPSS in 2003. Implementation checks, first done in 2007-08, showed most teachers (81.5%) reported involvement in PLT work. These high percentages improved slowly over time, with 87% positive responses to items by fall of 2011. In terms of impact, 81% of teachers indicated students learned more because of their PLT work. Student retention rates, classroom grades, state test performance, and graduation rates have all improved over time. Regression analyses indicated those schools who utilized PLTs the most had greater decreases in student retention rates than those with lower implementation. Similar analyses for student growth on test results just missed statistical significance. While it is difficult to separate out the impact of PLT work from other initiatives, these analyses suggest PLTs have contributed to improvements in WCPSS outcomes despite tough economic times and increasing challenges for teachers.

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Instructional strategies aimed at improving achievement of low performing student subgroups in need of support were selected by the District Improvement Advisory Committee, so that WCPSS could exit District Improvement status. Impact of each initiative, which often included teacher training and coaching is examined in this implementation report. Recommendations are made including setting strategic goals and systematically monitoring implementation; targeting schools or teachers with high numbers of AYP groups of students in need of support; being intentional in coaching efforts and structuring coaching models based on the SIOP® experience; building ownership and commitment at the school level; and coordinating new and existing efforts to optimize effectiveness.

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The Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) is a federal grant initiative designed to reduce or eliminate minority group isolation in K-12 schools where minority groups comprise a substantial population. This report reflects the success of the two middle schools and one high school involved in the grant across Years 1-3 plus Year 4, the "no cost extension" (NCE) year. The three goal areas include Desegregation and Choice, Building Capacity, and Academic Achievement. Schools had the most success with the measures that were under their most direct control--implementing the magnet strategies funded through the grant, adding curriculum and resources, and enhancing the offerings and attractiveness of the schools. While EOG/EOC proficiency improved compared to before the grant, the increase was not sufficient to reach the lofty achievement goals.

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The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) Board policy indicates that central staff are to support school implementation of Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) and to participate in PLTs at the central level. Central Services supported PLT work in the schools in a variety of ways. The percentage of principals who saw this support as adequate dropped from 85% to 70% between spring 2010 and 2011. Within Central Services, 86% of survey respondents reported participating in at least one PLT. Of those responding to the Spring 2011 PLT survey, responses remained overwhelming positive about implementation and effectiveness. However, without exception, the strength of agreement decreased, with the percentage of respondents who "strongly agreed" dropping between 2010 and 2011.

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The Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) is a model for training, teacher advancement, and instructional strategies. Based on interviews and observations, the four TAP principles were implemented with fidelity during the 2010-11 school year, with one exception--teacher evaluations. Feedback was slow, and teachers had concerns about the reliability of the ratings. The impact on teachers was negative. Compared to 2009-10, reading and math proficiency improved in grades 3 and 5 in 2010-11 but not grade 4. However, compared to proficiency before TAP began, only Grade 5 had improved reading proficiency and none of the grades (3, 4, and 5) had higher proficiency in math. Grade 4 had positive trends for Academic Change (growth) in both reading and math.

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The longitudinal study of the 2005-06 preschool in WCPSS found short-term gains during the preschool year, but limited impact by kindergarten and no average impact by the end of 3rd grade on achievement, retention rates, special education placements, or attendance. Small sample sizes limit conclusions that can be drawn; a larger study with a stronger research design is recommended for next year. The larger 2010-11 preschool program provided strong evidence of short-term gains on achievement after the preschool experience. Teachers and parents were generally satisfied with the program. Teachers suggested higher student attendance and greater parent involvement would be helpful. Teachers used Creative Curriculum materials with varying frequency; they also viewed some components of the curriculum as more effective than others.

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This report, the third of three reports examining Supplemental Education Services (SES) within the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), focused on the long-term goal of improved student achievement by the end of the school year. In 2009-10, 508 students participated in SES at the five schools offering SES: Brentwood, Fox Road, Poe, Wendell, and York. The vast majority of students (83%) participating in SES received tutoring services in both reading and mathematics. Overall, this study did not support the value of SES in promoting higher achievement (beyond what matched students achieved).

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Courses in the arts develop skills specific to the discipline. Research also suggests that the arts contribute to enhanced attentiveness, engagement in school, communication skills, and critical and divergent thinking. Other studies point out benefits for at-risk students in reducing negative outcomes such as dropout and crime rates. Studies report a correlational relationship between arts education and reading achievement, but a causal link has not been established. Thus, there is evidence of benefits of the arts that can support students' success in school, but more high quality causal studies are needed.

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The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) continues to implement Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) as a research-based method of improving teacher effectiveness and increasing student achievement. Over each of the last four years, a survey of educators was conducted in WCPSS and the other four High Five districts. As in previous years, this year's data showed strong support among teachers for the PLT model; between 73% and 91% of respondents indicating that they "strongly agree" or "agree" with the statements pertaining to the six PLT themes. Viewed longitudinally, positive responses for each theme have increased between four and eight percentage points since 2007-08. When 2010-11 results were compared with 2009-10, the results were less dramatic, with smaller changes in the percentage of positive responses.

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This report, the second of three reports examining Supplemental Education Services (SES) within WCPSS, focused on the implementation of SES, and the degree to which short-term and intermediate goals were met. In 2009-10, the SES program was largely implemented with fidelity, with some areas needing refinement related to communication and monitoring. Monitoring reports noted appropriate instruction based on learning plans was occurring. SES has 13 implementation requirements for the Local Educational Agency (7), providers (2), and parents (4). Nine were fully met, with four partially met. The two short-term goals--student enrollment in SES and providers pre-assess all participants--were met. Three of the six intermediate goals were met (progress reports given to parents, minimum of 30 hours offered to each student, monitoring showed implementation occurring) and two additional goals were partially met (attendance at SES and post-assessments given to completers).

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This report describes SES within Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in terms of the schools, providers, and student participants in 2008-09 and 2009-10. It is the first in a series of three reports related to SES. NCLB requires schools receiving Title I funding in their second year of school improvement to offer eligible students Supplemental Educational Services (SES) in addition to existing Title I services. The SES programs for WCPSS in 2008-09 and 2009-10 were in compliance with federal guidelines to make available an SES program, enroll only FRL students, and to use state-approved vendors to deliver the program. SES is designed to improve the achievement of FRL students who score below, at, or above grade level. Therefore, service to some students may help schools reach AYP standards while service to others may help individual students and schools reach ABCs and other standards of academic success.

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Academy of READING (AoR) is designed to improve students' foundational reading skills; it is used in almost all Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) secondary schools. Central staff recommended students with prior End of Grade/Course (EOG/EOC) scale scores placing them high in Level II or low in Level III have first priority for service; many students served scored below this range (second priority). Program completion rates increased from 2008-09 (26%) to 2009-10 (41%), but were still considerably lower than desired (100%). Growth for 2009-10 AoR participants on End of Grade reading/English tests was strong (with the percentage of students reaching their growth targets increasing from 37.5% before service to 60.1% afterwards). This improvement is educationally important. Program completion gave students only a slight advantage in terms of EOG growth. The program appeared to be helpful, with patterns generally favoring middle school over high school students.

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This report examined the implementation of Foundations of Algebra, a course designed to provide high school students with low mathematics performance an extra opportunity to review and study foundational mathematics concepts prior to enrolling in Introductory Mathematics and subsequently Algebra I. In the fall of 2009, 877 high school students participated in Foundations of Algebra while another 774 students were enrolled directly into Introductory Mathematics in the spring of 2010. 1,600 students enrolled in Introductory Mathematics in 2008-09 were used as a comparison group. Eighty-two percent of Foundations of Algebra students were Level I or II; however, less than two-thirds of students (63%) scored Level I or low Level II--the program's criteria. Twenty-seven percent of students enrolled directly into Introductory Mathematics met the recommended criteria of high Level II scores. A higher percentage of students who participated in Foundations of Algebra enrolled in Algebra I and Algebra I Part I than did comparison students.

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In 2008-09, four alternate assessments were available for use in grades/courses where the state typically tests students. As in earlier years, results for WCPSS students were mixed. Student performance on the NCCLAS, an assessment designed mainly for limited English proficient (LEP) students, improved in mathematics but remained low in reading for the 141 students in grades 3 to 8 who took them. Fewer students took NCCLAS EOC exams but proficiency rates in English I and Algebra I, the two tests taken by the most students, were 81% and >95%, respectively. On the NCEXTEND1 assessments, which are taken by students with significant cognitive disabilities, proficiency rates ranged from 49-57% in reading and 46-73% in math for 461 Grade 3-8 students. The NCEXTEND2 assessments, administered to students with moderate intellectual or learning disabilities, were taken by the largest number of WCPSS students (1572). Results on these modified EOG exams were slightly higher than those of the two previous years but proficiency rates across grade levels remained low in both reading (18- 41%) and mathematics (30-52%). At the high school level, 277 students took NCEXTEND2 OCS assessments, which are based on the Occupational Course of Study and serve as alternates for required assessments in reading, mathematics, and science. The percentage of students achieving proficiency on the exams ranged from 44% in English, to 50% in mathematics, and 53% in Science.

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The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction revised the alternate assessment system for students with disabilities (SWD) and/or limited English proficiency (LEP) in 2009-10. On the three alternate assessments that were given in 2009-10, results for WCPSS students were mixed. On the NCEXTEND1 assessments, which are taken by students with significant cognitive disabilities, proficiency rates for 479 Grade 3-8 students ranged from 46-70% in reading and from 48-79% in math, both up from last year but still generally lower than statewide rates. The NCEXTEND2 EOG assessments, administered to students with moderate intellectual or learning disabilities, were taken by the largest number of WCPSS students (2,106). Results on these modified EOG exams were slightly higher than those of the two previous years but proficiency rates across grade levels remained low in both reading (25-42%) and mathematics (43-54%). At the high school level, 412 students took NCEXTEND2 OCS assessments, which are based on the Occupational Course of Study and serve as alternates for required assessments in reading, mathematics, and science. The percentage of students achieving proficiency on the exams ranged from 68% in English, to 70% in mathematics, and 61% in Science, all up significantly from last year and closer to statewide rates.

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The three MSAP schools; East Garner International Baccalaureate Magnet Middle School (EGMMS), Garner International Baccalaureate Magnet High School (GMHS), and Southeast Raleigh Leadership and Technology Magnet High School (SRMHS) showed progress on MSAP performance measures during the 3rd year of the grant. Data on 16 performance measures collected relate to "Desegregation and Choice" (6), "Building Capacity" (2), and "Academic Achievement of Students" (8). Overall, half the targets were met, with the most variability across schools for the Desegregation and Choice measures. Observations and survey results revealed increased efforts to implement innovative educational methods and programs at all three MSAP schools. Each school established strategic processes to address targets in each goal area. Although progress was made, much work remained to be done to achieve the original goals of the MSAP grant. The district requested and received a no-cost extension to run through the 2010-2011 school year.

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In 2009-10 Wake County Public Schools System (WCPSS) exited District Improvement in reading and remained in level one for mathematics. All District Improvement efforts gained momentum. The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP®) continued as the primary focus to meet the needs of limited English proficient (LEP) students in elementary and middle schools. The high school component was modified and addressed both literacy and mathematics. The number of trained SIOP® teachers considerably increased (from 588 in 2008-09 to 956 in 2009-10), follow-up coaching to support application of training reached more teachers, training implementation and buy-in strengthened. All SIOP® training, coaching, and implementation objectives for in 2009-10 were met or partially met. The number and use of SIOP® modified focus lessons increased substantially, but awareness could still be improved.

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In 2006-07, seven Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) middle schools piloted Algebraic Thinking as an alternate approach to teaching middle school mathematics. Algebraic Thinking was developed to help students in grade 6 reach higher mathematics courses by combining the regular and advanced middle school mathematics courses into one heterogeneously grouped class and differentiating instruction. Of the 1,493 grade 6 students enrolled in one of the five pilot schools, 1,087 were still enrolled in Algebraic Thinking in 2008-09 and were therefore included in the study. A comparison cohort of 1,078 grade 6 students enrolled from 2006-07 to 2008-09 was selected from five matched schools. While both cohorts of students improved academically, overall findings suggest that participation in Algebraic Thinking did not have a greater positive impact on students' mathematics achievement as measured by EOG proficiency or growth. However, a significantly higher percentage of Algebra I students at the Algebraic Thinking schools met their Algebra I growth target.

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The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) continues to implement Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) as a research-based method of improving teacher effectiveness and increasing student achievement. High Five PLT Survey results from 2007-08 through 2009-10 showed a strong level of support for the PLT oncept. The 2009-10 results revealed 73% to 92% of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed with all statements pertaining to each of the six core PLT themes. Generally, teachers responded more positively to the survey items in 2009-10 than in previous years. The percentage of teachers meeting weekly for over an hour increased greatly over prior years after implementation of the Board policy on PLTs. In short, survey results suggest strong implementation, with slow but measureable progress towards full functioning of all components of the model.

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Describes the Kindergarten Initial Assessment which all students are given as they enter kindergarten to assess their beginning skills. Also describes the kinds of skills that are helpful for students to have in kindergarten.

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NovaNET is a technology-based teacher-facilitated educational approach used at schools to support students at risk of not meeting graduation requirements to accrue credits in a variety of subjects. NovaNET contributes to the WCPSS goal of closing achievement gaps and creating opportunities for all students to graduate on time. In 2008-09, 38 NovaNET courses were offered districtwide. All high schools offered credit recovery (CR) courses. Six schools offered remediation opportunities, and 11 offered new credits. Based on summer courses, NovaNET had a high success rate in helping students earn credits towards graduation. Based on high summer pass rates, it is recommended to encourage use of NovaNET to earn course credits, examine ways to enhance EOC performance, designate use of NovaNET within course codes, streamline reporting methods, and enhance monitoring of success. Consider expanded use of NovaNET as a supplement for regular courses. Based on cost-effectiveness, expand student access to NovaNET in summer if feasible.

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ALP 2007-08 was designed to primarily support Level I and II student below grade levels, with others supported as funds allowed. Evidence indicates many students scoring proficient were served (especially in literacy) while some students scoring below grade level received no documented support. ALP reached less than half of students scoring below grade level in literacy and in mathematics. Literacy achievement growth outcomes for Level I-II students below grade level were about the same as for other Level I-II students (many of whom received other services); ALP results were less positive for students who scored at grade level prior to service than for similar students. Mathematics proficiency results were less positive than for those served in other programs or not served. Achievement outcomes were similar for students served during the school day or outside of the school day.

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North Carolina Student Accountability Standards require targeted intervention be provided to students who fail to meet statewide accountability standards. Intervention Months of employment were allotted to middle schools to help them provide intervention to students who are struggling academically. In 2008-09, Intervention Months 6-8 allotted Wake County Public School System's (WCPSS) 32 middle schools 762 months of employment to be used along with other resources to provide targeted supplementary assistance to students requiring academic intervention beyond that provided in the regular classroom. In 2008-09, 3,155 students participated in an intervention elective. Findings suggest that participation in an intervention elective did not have a positive impact on reading achievement as measured by EOG proficiency or growth. The percentage of intervention elective participants at or above grade level increased more for mathematics than reading. A statistically significant higher percentage of students who participated in a mathematics intervention only made growth than did academically similar students not enrolled in the intervention elective.

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In Year 2 of the MSAP grant, significant progress was made by each school and its community to implement the grant objectives. Year 2 represented an amalgamation of Year 1 activities that were not implemented due to a delay in hiring key personnel, original objectives assigned to Year 2, and several activities that arose from improvement sessions. Each school had a blue print that captured their performance measures, target outcomes, yearly activities, staff development activities, and resources along with a customized yearly time line. The 16 performance measures were grouped into three categories. The "Desegregation and Choice" category was the most difficult for schools to attain (with three or four of the six measures met by each school). All schools achieved both "Building Capacity" performance measures. In the "Academic Achievement" category, SRMHS achieved 5/8 targets, GMHS achieved 4/8, and EGMMS achieved 6/7 (4-year graduation rate is measured for the two high schools, but not for the middle school). In all, SRMHS achieved the stated target on 10/16 performance measures, GMHS on 10/16, and EGMMS met 12/15.

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In 2007-08, Wake County Public School System's (WCPSS) Helping Hands program served 419 students. Helping Hands is a mentoring program that targets Black/African American male students enrolled in grades 3-8 who are academically marginal. Results are based on the 385 students in grades 3-8 with available data. The mission of the Helping Hands program is to provide services to African-American male students to promote personal development and academic achievement. Helping Hands has academic, behavioral, and attendance goals. Overall, findings suggest that Helping Hands did not have a positive impact on academic success as measured by EOG proficiency or growth. However, Helping Hands did appeared to have a positive impact on suspension trends and excessive absences (10 or more days) relative to Black/African American male students.

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The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction revised the alternate assessment system for students with disabilities (SWD) and/or limited English proficiency (LEP) in 2005-06. In 2007-08, four alternate assessments were available for use in grades/courses where the state typically tests students. As in previous years, results for WCPSS students were mixed. NCEXTEND2 EOG results remained low (39% or less), and students with significant cognitive disabilities taking NCEXTEND1 assessments achieved 27-49% proficiency. More positively, high school students taking NCEXTEND2 OCS assessments achieved 66-67% proficiency (up from 22-48%), and students taking NCCLAS assessments (chiefly English language learners) achieved 17-60% in reading, 33-80% in mathematics, and 68% in English I (up from 22% and 59% in previous years). These and other outcomes are detailed in this report.

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WCPSS needed a consistent system for creating an inventory of programs to build capacity to evaluate all program efforts. For this inventory, "program" was defined as any planned and sustained educational effort designed to improve learning outcomes or school/classroom conditions. Overall, 29 centrally coordinated and 187 school-based programs were identified. Supports targeting academic achievement were more common than those for behavior or climate. Centrally-coordinated academic interventions at the elementary level impacted a greater number of students in literacy than in mathematics; these counts were more evenly distributed at both the middle and high school level. School-based programs tend to address literacy and mathematics at similar levels.

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The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) continues to implement Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as a research-based method of increasing student achievement and improving teaching effectiveness. Teachers were surveyed in 2007-08 and again in 2008-09 to obtain data about the status of PLC implementation efforts within the district. The 2008-09 results showed a strong level of support for the PLC concept (71% to 89% of the survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed with statements pertaining to each of the six core PLC themes). In most instances, teachers responded more positively to the survey items in 2008-09 than they did the year before. In short, survey results suggest that the district is making progress towards its goal of full PLC implementation.

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Comparison of SAS© EVAAS© Results and WCPSS Effectiveness Index Results

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North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) has changed since summer 2007, with more traditional courses and fewer credit-recovery courses. Total NCVPS initial enrollments of Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) students were much lower in Fall 2007 (139), Spring 2008 (198), and Summer 2008 (430) than in Summer 2007 (1,378). Students were more likely to complete courses after Summer 2007. However, students enrolled in Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 were more likely to drop courses with failure after the deadline than to do so before the cutoff date. Percentages of final enrollments with passing NCVPS course grades increased from 47% in Summer 2007 to 64%, 84%, and 70% in the fall, spring, and summer, respectively. In Summer 2008, pass rates for EOC courses were somewhat lower than for other courses, with relatively low pass rates on EOC tests.

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Significant attention and resources have been focused on reforming high schools to enhance graduation rates. The research literature supports the following practices: For struggling students, accurate identification and intensive instructional, monitoring, and counseling support For 9th graders, transition activities, personalization, and academic support strategies For teachers, intensive training to help them provide effective instruction and support, particularly for students showing signs of risk.

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Significant attention and resources have been focused on reforming high schools to enhance graduation rates. The research literature supports the following practices: For struggling students, accurate identification and intensive instructional, monitoring, and counseling support For 9th graders, transition activities, personalization, and academic support strategies For teachers, intensive training to help them provide effective instruction and support, particularly for students showing signs of risk.

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Helping High-Performing Students Achieve at Higher Levels: A Review of the Literature

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This study examined the distribution of middle school reading and mathematics grades in 2006-07 and 2007-08 and the correlation of students' classroom grades and End-of-Grade (EOG) scores in 2006-07. Most students (80% or more) received an A, B, or C in reading and mathematics. Among Level IV students, the percentage with an A in the classroom varied by ethnicity. Mathematics grades had a slightly stronger correlation to the newly revised mathematics EOG scores than did reading grades to the 2006-07 reading EOG scores. Middle school grades of A-F had a weaker correlation to EOG scores than that found for standards-based grading and EOG scores at the elementary school level. Schools varied considerably in terms of the percentage of students receiving an A or B who scored at or above grade level on the EOG.

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In 2007-08, WCPSS K-5 assessment results were similar to past years. Some changes were implemented in the writing assessment methods. The percentage of students demonstrating proficiency was 85% for book level standards and 72% for reading strands. Mathematics mastery was 69% of students. Writing results for strands was 52%, content rubric was 69%, and conventions rubric was 57%. Differences by subject likely reflect differences in standards for the assessments. NCLB subgroup analyses revealed gaps between ethnic groups and groups with and without risk factors. Between 2006-07 and 2007-08, notable improvements were evident for Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Limited English Proficient populations, helping to close the achievement gaps slightly.

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Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) uses a standards-based grading policy at the elementary school level that aligns with North Carolina's Student Accountability Standards and the WCPSS Promotion/Intervention policy. This evaluation examined the distribution of grades given in 2005-06 and 2006-07 and the correlation of students' grades and End-of-Grade (EOG) scores in 2006-07. The study found that over three fourths of students were graded as proficient in reading and mathematics. In reading and mathematics grade K-2 students earned higher grades than their 3-5 counterparts; overall, mathematics grades were lower than reading across the K-5 grade levels. Fourth-quarter reading and mathematics grades were correlated with reading and mathematics' EOG scores. Mathematics grades had a stronger correlation to the newly revised mathematics EOG scores than did fourthquarter reading grades to the current reading EOG scores. Furthermore, a student scoring proficient within the classroom has a greater likelihood of being proficient on their EOG than those with below grade-level scores.

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The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction revised the alternate assessment system for students with disabilities (SWD) and/or limited English proficiency (LEP) in 2005-06. In 2006-07, five alternate assessments - two new and three continuing ones from the previous year - were available for use in grades/courses where the state typically tests students. Four options were used by WCPSS students, and results were mixed. While students with significant cognitive disabilities in grades 3-8 taking the new NCEXTEND1 assessments achieved 63-89% proficiency, only 22-48% of high school students taking the new NCEXTEND2 OCS assessments achieved proficiency. In the second year of implementation, NCEXTEND2 EOG assessment results remained low (31% or less), while students (chiefly English language learners) taking NCCLAS assessments achieved 63-88% proficiency, up from 10-65% in the previous year. These and other outcomes are detailed in this report.

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This evaluation examined the implementation and effectiveness of the AVID program in middle schools throughout the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). Survey results and school visits revealed considerable inconsistencies in implementation across schools. Specifically, selection criteria were not consistently understood and applied, all staff members implementing the program were not able to attend AVID training, and some schools emphasized enrollment in Algebra I in eighth grade more than others as a desired outcome of AVID participation. Attrition from the program was high, with 38% of those enrolled in grade 6 in 2005-06 continuing with the program through grade 8 in 2007-08. The stated goal of having all AVID students enroll in Algebra I by grade 8 was not met, although a higher percentage of AVID students in grade 8 enrolled in Algebra I than was true system wide (50% vs. 28%).

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This study analyzed the instructional practices of more versus less effective U.S. History teachers identified by a multiple regression model. Using surveys, observations, and focus-group interviews, the study found that the most effective teachers had a more complete package of rigor, relevance, and relationship strategies than less effective teachers. Effective teachers had strong content knowledge, prepared their own materials, taught reading and note-taking skills, used time wisely, and connected history to themes across time. Relationships with students were of utmost importance to effective teachers. They gave frequent positive feedback and believed that all students could succeed. Effective teachers created an atmosphere of mutual respect, in which both teachers and students were enthusiastic. These results can be used to motivate teacher and school improvement efforts in a number of ways.

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In an effort to understand the issues that the citizens of Wake County believe confront the Board of Education, two focus group interviews were conducted in November 2007 with the Community Relations Committee (CRC). The two groups both identified population growth as a major root cause of many of the issues confronting the school system. Many of the issues identified by the interviewed groups may be thought of as nested, or embedded. The focus group interviews identified three major impacts of this rapid growth on the school district: providing high quality facilities and educational programs, creating a student assignment plan that is fair and provides some measure of predictability, and coping with the increasing diversity of the student population.

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Analysis of Achievement Data

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This study focused on effective practices for students with multiple academic risk factors (students with disabilities, students eligible for free or reduced price lunch, and/or students with limited English proficiency). Achievement performance patterns over several years differ between students making stronger and weaker achievement growth on End-of-Grade tests. Sixteen case studies of 5th and 8th graders revealed that students with positive achievement patterns were more likely to show signs of resilience in their personal characteristics, school experiences, and/or home support than were students with negative achievement patterns. Teachers of both groups used some methods recommended in national research (such as small-group work, structure, and collaboration). A specific focus on language development was not mentioned. Homework was a common problem.

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The NC Department of Public Instruction revised the alternate assessment system for students with disabilities and/or limited English proficiency (LEP) in 2005-06. Four alternate assessments--two new and two continuing ones--were available for use in grades/courses where the state typically tests students. Results were mixed for the new NC Checklist of Academic Standards (option chiefly for English language learners new in U.S. schools): proficiency rates in language assessments were below 30%, while proficiency rates in mathematics, in some grades, were higher than those of LEP students taking standard EOG tests. Results for the other new option, NCEXTEND2 (for students without significant cognitive disabilities but with disabilities that preclude their attaining gradelevel proficiency within a single school year), were less than 30% at each grade in reading and mathematics. These and other outcomes are detailed in this report.

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Looking across various indicators of performance, persistence, and academic rigor for WCPSS high school students, many indicators point toward the relative success of WCPSS high school students. Student achievement remains high compared to state and national results, and an increasing number of students are pursuing rigorous AP coursework in high school. In addition, the skills and abilities that WCPSS graduates obtain appear to serve them well in the UNC system, which is the most common post-high school educational destination for WCPSS graduates. However, significant challenges remain related to changing student populations and rising academic standards which are challenging the system's ability to sustain and increase academic performance for all students.

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Summarizing a nonexhaustive review of the literature, the following definition is suggested for a professional learning community: A professional learning community is made up of team members who regularly collaborate toward continued improvement in meeting learner needs through a shared curricular-focused vision. Facilitating this effort are: supportive leadership and structural conditions, collective challenging, questioning, and reflecting on team-designed lessons and instructional practices/experiences, and team decisions on essential learning outcomes and intervention/enrichment activities based on results of common formative student assessments.

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The students who have the most difficulty reaching accountability standards in Wake County Public Schools are those with more than one of the following characteristics: recipients of free or reduced-price lunch, students with disabilities, and/or students with limited English proficiency. The Evaluation and Research Department identified elementary and middle schools that differed in their effectiveness in promoting achievement growth for these students. Quantitative and qualitative analyses suggest differences in both attitudes and practices. The more effective schools had higher expectations for these students, and greater confidence in their ability to meet students' needs. Evidence suggested more effective administrative leadership/support, training, and utilization of resources. Higher-growth middle schools utilized assessments to inform instruction more frequently, and higher-growth elementary schools had more structured collaboration around student needs. Further research is planned.

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In 2005-06, four private agencies provided 252 Hodge Road students with supplemental educational services as one component of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Only students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (FRL) were eligible. More than half of those served scored at or above grade level before service, while some students who scored below grade level were not eligible. The curricular materials used were remedial and not designed to extend the learning of students scoring at grade level. At grades 1-2, the percentage of students reaching grade level in literacy increased for those served; this was not the case for not-served students. Both served and not served students improved End-of-Grade (EOG) reading performance at grades 3-5. Students who had multiple risk factors (limited English proficient [LEP] or students with disabilities [SWD] in addition to FRL) showed the greatest increases in the percentage of students at grade level. A major caution when interpreting the results is that analyses could not control for other intervention efforts that may have contributed to results found.

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The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) strengthened the rigor, relevance, and relationships within its high schools in 2004-05; a primary strategy was the adoption on a block schedule. This progress report found an increase in more rigorous academic opportunities. Higher numbers of enrollees engaged in advanced courses and generally stable or higher academic success was achieved with End-of-Course exams, grade point averages, and credits earned. Greater relevance in coursework was evident and a wider variety of instructional practices. Staff promoted stronger student-staff relationships by emphasizing personalization. The majority of students and teachers reported fewer discipline concerns in classes, and students felt connected with their schools. Dropout and suspension rates did not decline.

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This evaluation examined 1,524 students in grade 1 at 13 Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) schools that participated in the Predictive Assessment of Reading (PAR) study in 2004-05. It also examined their participation in the Accelerated Learning Program K-2 Literacy Program during 2004-05. Both literacy initiatives focused on identifying students in need of additional assistance and providing support to those students. Student success was measured by the PAR assessment and WCPSS instructional book levels. The PAR assessment was used to determine the benefit of PAR only and PAR plus ALP K-2, the correlation of the two instruments, and whether PAR and ALP K-2 identified the same students as at-risk. Although the experimental and control groups saw similar results overall, students who participated in the ALP K-2 program saw greater gains among the experimental group. While PAR participants showed substantial improvement on the PAR assessment, ALP K-2 participants showed similar gains on book level with or without full PAR support. There was a significant positive relationship between students' performance on the PAR assessment and book level and a substantial overlap in the students identified as at-risk of failure by both programs.

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Overall, WCPSS is on track in meeting NCLB's Title II, Part A requirements for teacher quality and quality of professional development (PD). In 2003-04, all WCPSS teachers met the "highly qualified" standard. All lateral-entry teachers, as well as 89% of Title I-funded paraprofessionals, met new mandates. Further, 85% of Title II, Part A-funded PD activities were more intensive than a single day, up from 20% in 2002-03. District-wide, 75% of core area teachers completed at least one PD activity; 72% participated in "high quality" PD (comparable to a similar-sized NC district). Recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers, as well as documenting the provision of high quality training to increasing percentages of teachers, will continue to be challenging.

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The East Wake High School Evening Program study focused on whether the program was meeting its original intent and was cost/beneficial. The focus changed from serving only dropouts or students likely to drop out or not graduate who participated in the extended day program to serving any student needing course grade recovery. Most attempted courses were completed with credits earned, and grade promotions of enrollees increased. However, some classes were small, which increased the cost per student. Few dropouts enrolled in 2003-04, and overall enrollment was lower than previously.

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In 2003-04, 11 Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) high schools moved from a traditional student schedule of six full-year courses to a block schedule of four courses each semester (4x4). Implementation went fairly smoothly, with 90% of teachers trained prior to the change. Academic course opportunities and course enrollment numbers increased substantially (by 24% and 46% respectively) compared to 2002-03, key desired outcomes. Academic success was marked by increases in credits earned, grade promotion rates, and twelfth grade graduation rates as desired. Maintenance of prior status was desired for other outcomes this first year. End-of-course performance and grade point averages of 3.0 or higher actually increased slightly, while Advanced Placement (AP) scores of 3 and greater decreased slightly. Student attendance and suspension rates remained the same. Generally, most of those surveyed and interviewed expressed satisfaction with the change. Exploring modified schedule options for some courses as well as continued professional development are recommended.

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Early Start, a pilot preschool program, offered three weeks of literacy and social skills preparation to pre-enrolled kindergarten students who have limited to no preschool experience. The percentage of participants mastering the six assessed concepts of print jumped from 5% to 52%. Entering students mastered an average of three out of six concepts of print and finished averaging five out of six. Student progress was also measured using 10 literacy and personal/social items from the Kindergarten Initial Assessment (KIA). Increases in overall proficiency were minimal due to a high number of students entering the program already proficient on the assessed items. Closer examination of these items using a four-part rubric did reveal improvements toward greater proficiency. However, participants scored similarly to demographically matched nonparticipants on the full KIA administered upon entry into kindergarten. Thus, overall results indicate growth for targeted skills. However, this growth was not sufficient to influence overall performance on the KIA.

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WCPSS uses K-5 assessments in literacy and mathematics to monitor student status in their learning, to guide instruction, and to assess whether students and schools are showing typical performance for their grade level. The percentage of students showing grade-level performance is generally between 77% and 87% on the reading and mathematics assessments. Percentages tend to be somewhat lower than those seen on the EOG tests. Increases in the percentage of students reaching grade-level standards in literacy and math at K-2 could help WCPSS reach Goal 2008 at grades 3 and up. WCPSS writing portfolios show more students scoring "at grade level" at K-2 (81%) than at grade 3-5 (62%). At grade 4, 57% of WCPSS students were considered at grade level based on local writing portfolios compared to 47.7% on the state assessment. Writing still appears to be the area where the most improvement is needed to reach state and local standards.

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For the 2003-04 school year, WCPSS applied for and received Title V funding for "education reform and school improvement." WCPSS used funds to support two International Baccalaureate (IB) programs: the Middle Years Programme (MYP) at Broughton High School and the Diploma Programme (DP) at Garner Senior High School. Additional funds were used to fund a senior evaluator for school accountability to provide data to inform school improvement and student achievement. The report provides evidence of implementation and outcomes.

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In 2003-04, 1,912 students in 16 elementary and 6 middle schools in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) participated in Fast ForWord program. Evaluation findings indicate that elementary and middle school participants made short-term gains averaging 22-55 months (approximately 2-4 years) of gain in terms of foundational listening and reading skills after nine weeks of intervention. When compared to students who had not received Fast ForWord instruction in 2003-04, both groups appeared to make similar gains on the Reading EOG over one year, although 7th and 8th graders served via Fast ForWord made greater gains on the math EOG. Over two years, students who received Fast ForWord in 2002-03 again performed similarly to their at-risk peers who had not received services in Reading EOG scores and gains. These findings suggest that Fast ForWord appears to impact foundational reading skills, but is not sufficient on its own to influence higher level reading skills and comprehension as measured by EOGs.

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Project Achieve, a local instructional initiative, was adapted from a Brazosport, Texas model. The program grew from eight to 16 schools in three years, and all 16 schools had a higher percentage of students at grade level in spring 2004 than prior to the program. Third-year results were relatively positive but not as consistently so as in the two earlier years. Nine of 13 (69%) participating elementary schools met the state ABCs High Growth standard (including the new schools), compared to 51% of Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) elementary schools overall. Thirteen of 16 schools (81%)--compared to 69% of all WCPSS elementary and middle schools--increased the percentage of students at/above grade level in spring 2004. Controlling for student background variables, scale score gains for students in Project Achieve were similar to those of comparable WCPSS students across three years.

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In 2003-04, the Title I program was expanded to serve students in grades 3-5. Similar to the Title I K-2 program, the 3-5 program offered accelerated literacy intervention. The vast majority of students were served using the Fast Track Reading curriculum. Fast Track Reading combines explicit reading skills and phonics instruction with comprehension coaching and fluency practice. Fast Track is designed to accelerate student learning to raise students' performance to grade level standards. The demographics of Title I students served in grades 3-5 differs from Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) grade 3-5 students due to the focus on serving students at risk of failure. The percentage of Title I students across grades 3-5 scoring at Level III or IV (grade level) on End-of-Grade (EOG) tests doubled. Students in grade 5 showed the greatest improvement, followed by students in grades 3 and 4. Increases from Spring 2003 and Spring 2004 in the percentage of students scoring at Level III or IV were strong for all Title I subgroups compared to WCPSS overall.

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The Magnet Schools Assistance Program Annual Performance Report Year 3 (2003-2004) was implemented from September 1, 2003, through August 31, 2004 in the WCPSS. Staff members implemented activities this U.S. Department of Education grant project. They built upon the foundation established in Years 1 and 2 and endeavored to fully accomplish the scope and objectives of the project by the end of Year 3. They sought to reach all performance benchmarks established for Year 3 as well as to make up for any benchmarks not fully achieved in Years 1 and 2. When senior members of the project staff realized that not every objective would be fully completed by the end of Year 3, they requested and received a no-cost extension from the MSAP office for an additional project year (September 1, 2004-August 31, 2005). Schools participating in the project and their magnet themes are: Brooks Elementary School - Museums, Joyner Elementary School - Language Explorations, Millbrook Elementary School - International Baccalaureate, Powell Elementary School - Visual and Performing Arts, and Moore Square Middle School - Museums. The project focuses on four major purposes and has objectives related to each. Annual benchmarks have been established to measure success in achieving the objectives. The four MSAP purposes are listed below, followed by a summary of accomplishments or deficits in meeting the Year 3 benchmarks for each purpose.

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The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether reassignment, when used to promote appropriate diversity in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), affects academic outcomes. One major finding highlights that most of the students reassigned for diversity purposes in spring of 2002 did not attend the designated schools in 2002-03. Based on the small sample of students who did attend the designated schools, achievement trends favored the reassigned students, but the sample size was too small for the differences to be statistically significant. Measures included student achievement, retention in grade, and participation in special education services. Both the sending and receiving schools' perceptions of the transition were positive. Given the small sample sizes, generalizations from these findings should be avoided.

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The 2003 21st Century Grant summer program served 370 students at five elementary school sites--Carver, Hodge Road, Knightdale, Lockhart, and Zebulon. Grade levels served and program dates varied by location. The summer program provided reading intervention to students identified as in need of academic assistance. Seventy-one percent of summer program participants were free or reduced-price lunch recipients (FRL), 34% were classified as limited English proficient (LEP), 41% were Black/African American, and 39% were Hispanic/Latino students. These subgroups were over-represented relative to their percentages within the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) population. Approximately 42% of the summer program participants entered the program with below grade level scores. Academic outcomes are not yet available for analysis.

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The Title I/Accelerated Learning Program K-2 Literacy Program (ALP K-2) served 4,732 students in kindergarten, first, and second grade identified as at risk of failure and in need of assistance in language arts. For a variety of reasons, over half of the students who scored below grade level on local assessments as of spring 2002 were not served, and others who scored at grade level were served. Nearly all of the staff surveyed reported that the program was an effective method of improving students' literacy skills. ALP students' literacy skills did improve. However, the mean gains in print concept scores (for kindergarten) and book level scores (for grades 1 and 2) were no different than for similar students not served. Approximately the same percentage of students were on grade level in spring 2003 as in spring 2002.

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WCPSS has made some notable positive changes in achievement, graduation, and other outcomes over the last few years. This document summarizes trends over time in outcomes and district efforts which likely contributed.

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Project Achieve is a major Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) instructional initiative to improve student achievement adapted from a Brazosport, Texas model. The number of schools involved increased from 8 to 13 in 2002-03. Results were positive. All Project Achieve elementary and middle schools met the state ABCs High Growth standard both years (up from five in spring 2001), and nearly all schools increased the percent of students at or above grade level in their first year. In Year 2, compared to other WCPSS students, participation in Project Achieve was generally associated with significantly higher gains in mathematics and similar gains in reading (when background characteristics were controlled through regression analyses). Staff members also expressed more positive opinions about the academic program in their schools than in the past.

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The percentage of reading and math tests taken by Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) students in grades 3-8 that resulted in Level III or IV scores fell slightly in 2004 to 91.1% from 91.3% in 2003. However, the percentage of students scoring in Level IV remained stable at 60.4%. The percentage of students scoring in Level III or IV was slightly higher in Math (92.1%) than in Reading (90.0%). Average reading scale scores showed slight declines at all grade levels except grade 5, while average math scale scores rose slightly in grades 4, 5, 6, and 7 and fell slightly in grades 3 and 8. Disaggregation of scores by race/ethnicity showed a small decline (down about two percentage points) in the percentage of Hispanic scores on grade level in both reading and math, a small rise (less than one point) for Asian and Black students in both reading and math, and mixed results for White and Multi-ethnic groups. Students from low-income families and students with disabilities showed small improvements in both reading and math.

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Project Achieve is a major Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) instructional initiative to improve student achievement adapted from a Brazosport, Texas model. The number of schools involved increased from 8 to 13 in 2002-03. Results were generally positive. All Project Achieve elementary and middle schools met the state ABCs High Growth standard in spring 2003 (up from five in spring 2001), and 10 of 13 schools increased the percent of students at or above grade level. Compared to other WCPSS students, participation in Project Achieve was generally associated with significantly higher gains in mathematics and similar gains in reading (when background characteristics were controlled through regression analyses). Staff members also expressed more positive opinions about the academic program in their schools than in the past.

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During 2002-03, surveys of Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) middle school principals and high school assistant principals for instruction (APIs) indicated that all middle and high schools implemented at least one strategy for creating smaller learning communities using the schools-within-schools mode. Nearly all middle schools implemented two or more strategies within existing school structures. High school responses were more varied in terms of strategies used and the extensiveness of use compared to middle schools. APIs' responses also indicated that WCPSS high schools use a broad range of support services to personalize the school environment for students, though some strategies were not directly related to the creation of smaller learning communities, and others targeted specific groups of students and not the entire student body.

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In the first year of implementation of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation in North Carolina, 51 of the 79 elementary schools, one of the 25 middle schools, and one of the 16 high schools in Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) met the requirements of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Of the 48 Title I schools (all elementary) in WCPSS, 29 met AYP and 19 failed to meet AYP requirements. The number of reading and math AYP targets applicable to WCPSS schools ranged from eight to 32. Seven of the eight schools with 13 or fewer targets met the AYP requirements. All eleven schools with more than 25 targets failed to meet the AYP requirements. The two subgroups that most frequently failed to meet AYP were SWD (students with disabilities) and FRL (free or reduced-price lunch) students.

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The percentage of WCPSS schools meeting either high growth or expected growth standards reached a new high of 97% in 2002-03. Elementary schools performed the best, with 89% achieving high growth. No elementary or high school failed to meet expected growth standards.

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The average total SAT score for Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) seniors in 2002-03 was 1067 (out of a possible 1600 points), matching last year's highest-ever district score. Average scores on both the math section (543) and the verbal section (524) remained the same as scores in 2001-02.

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The Safe Schools/Healthy Students Grant (SS/HS) was a three-year grant sponsored by a collaboration between the federal Departments of Health and Human Services, Juvenile Justice, and Education. The SS/HS Grant improved collaboration and communication across community agencies. During the grant period perceptions of safety improved among WCPSS students and staff, and juvenile arrests for violence and substance abuse decreased. However, school crime and violence rates, suspensions, and security violations did not decrease as hoped. Many SS/HS funded programs showed promising results, especially Teen Court (increased participation and decreased suspensions for participants) and NovaNET (80% of courses students attempted were completed successfully). Overall, SS/HS provided resources for community change, and new ideas for addressing school safety in the future.

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End-of-Course (EOC) test scores in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in 2002-03 showed generally positive results when compared to prior years. Average scale scores rose in six out of ten subject areas, and the percentage of students scoring in the proficient range (Level III or Level IV) reached new highs in five out of ten subjects.

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The 2001-02 evaluation of Fast ForWord established that participants experienced short-term gains in language and reading skills, as measured by the Woodcock Diagnostic Reading Battery. EOG results also indicated that participants made significant gains in reading achievement. This evaluation examined the reading achievement of 2002-03 Fast ForWord participants relative to a comparison group, and investigated factors that predict success on reading EOG tests. Results for 2002-03 participants indicate that participants made significant gains on EOGs, but that their achievement growth pattern was not significantly different than that of matched non-participants. The short and long versions of the Teacher Observation Survey (TOS) predicted success equally well, and no demographic characteristics predicted success consistently. Thus, no simple means of selecting the most appropriate participants were identified.

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This report summarizes information provided by the University of North Carolina (UNC) on the WCPSS graduates enrolled in UNC institutions between 1990 and 2001. Statistics from the UNC Office of General Administration show that during that period, a higher percentage of WCPSS graduates applied to and enrolled in UNC institutions, compared to NC graduates overall. Between 1991 and 2002, WCPSS graduates were also more successful in their first year of college, earning higher average GPAs than other UNC freshmen. Further, a higher percentage of WCPSS graduates took advanced courses, and a lower percentage required remedial courses. These data suggest that WCPSS graduates receive a strong preparation for college work, perhaps stronger than their counterparts from other districts, and that this preparation has improved over the past decade.

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Magnet Schools Assistance Program Annual Performance Report Year 2 (2002-03) From September 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003, the staff members of the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) 2001-04 Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant have successfully built upon the foundation they established in Year 1. This year they have endeavored to make up for any objectives not fully achieved in Year 1 and to attain all of their Year 2 objectives. Schools participating in the project and their magnet themes are: Brooks Elementary School - Museums, Joyner Elementary School - Language Explorations, Millbrook Elementary School - International Baccalaureate, Powell Elementary School - Visual and Performing Arts, and Moore Square Middle School - Museums. The project focuses on four major purposes and has objectives related to each. Annual benchmarks have been established to measure success in achieving the objectives. The four MSAP purposes are listed below, followed by a summary of accomplishments or deficits in meeting the Year 2 benchmarks for each purpose.

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For the first time in the WCPSS history, the percentage of all EOG exam scores at or above grade level (Level III or IV) surpassed 90% in 2003. The composite percentage, which includes reading and math scores for all grade 3-8 students, rose from 89.4% in 2002 to 91.3% this year.

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To help accomplish Goal 2003, WCPSS allocated money in 1999 for supplemental instructional support through the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP). Analyses of the program's 2001-02 results suggest that ALP was effective in promoting both achievement growth and performance at grades 3-8. ALP students showed high growth based on ABCs standards, and more than half were able to move from below to above grade level between spring 2001 and spring 2002 (compared to 38% in reading and 41% in math before ALP began).

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At the end of the 2001-02 school year, 90.5% percent of students in grades K-8 were promoted, 3.6% were retained, and 5.9% withdrew from Wake County Public Schools. Of the 48,874 students in grades 3-8, 95% took at least one End-of-Grade (EOG) test. The retention rate was higher among students in grades 3-8 who did not take EOG tests (6.1%) than for students who took EOG tests (2.4%). The rate of retention for male students was consistently higher than that of female students. Students receiving free or reduced lunch, students with Limited English Proficiency status, and students with Special Education status had lower promotion rates and higher retention rates than their counterparts. Kindergarten (8%) and 1st-grade (7%) students had the highest rate of retention. One percent of White students were retained compared to 5% of Black and Hispanic/Latino students.

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Overall, 2,422 high school students who were at risk of not graduating received some instructional assistance in 2001-02. However, the number of students who might struggle with one or more graduation requirements was high (7,810), and many were not identified as receiving instructional support beyond their regular classes. Compared to state ABC standards, those who received support showed high growth between spring 2001 and 2002. A two-year follow-up of students who had not passed the Minimum Competency requirement in spring 2000 reveals close to 60% of those still in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) were able to meet this requirement by spring 2002. However, the percentage able to attain grade level scores between spring 2001 and 2002 was similar (23-28%) regardless of whether they received instructional assistance.

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Students at 15 Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) high schools took approximately 4,878 Advanced Placement exams offered by the College Board in 2001-02. With 20% of all juniors and seniors in the district taking at least one AP exam, the percent attaining a score of 3 or higher on a 5-point scale (the score typically needed to qualify for college course credit) reached a 10-year high of 80.5%, up 3.3 percentage points from the previous year. WCPSS' overall success rate was higher than that of comparable large school districts, and 17 percentage points higher than the rate for the nation as a whole. On the five most frequently taken AP exams, the percent of scores that were 3 or higher rose an average of 8.6 points.

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WCPSS initiated the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) in 1999-2000 as the major new intervention to help all students reach grade-level performance in reading and math. Analyses of the program's third year results show that overall, changes in both achievement growth and performance support the effectiveness of ALP and other assistance at grades 3-8.

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In the 2001-02 school year, NovaNET students earned significantly higher GPAs and fewer F's than before participating in NovaNET. NovaNET students did not show significantly greater gains than students in a comparison group that had similar demographic and academic characteristics; however, analyses revealed that the two groups varied somewhat in terms of prior suspensions, so results should be interpreted with caution. Some schools had much greater participation and student success than others. Strategies used by successful NovaNET programs include individualizing coursework; supplemental counseling and behavior modification; selecting the most appropriate students; requiring students to sign a contract promising to complete the course; and giving offline assignments to supplement NovaNET. Extending successful school practices to all schools could increase overall program impact.

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This is an evaluation of the pilot year of Project Achieve, a major local instructional initiative at six elementary schools and two middle schools to help reach the WCPSS goal of 95% of students at or above grade level. Participating schools had a higher percentage of low-income students and low-achieving students and slightly less stable student populations than the district as a whole. The initiative is based on the same principles and instructional process applied in the Brazosport, Texas school district, with modifications tailored to local needs and based on the NC Standard Course of Study. Project training and development did occur as planned from early 2001 to implementation in the 2001-02 school year. Participating schools did exceed ABCs growth and performance standards of the previous (baseline) year, as evidenced by annual NC ABCs Accountability System reports. Additionally, parents and staff expressed more positive opinions about the academic program in participating schools.

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In the 2001-02 school year, Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) implemented a project within an innovative assistance program area of Title VI- the provision of performing arts teachers within magnet elementary schools to provide arts education - under the "promising educational reform projects" category. Twelve arts teachers, representing between 0.3 and 1.0 FTE each, served in six elementary magnet schools: Fuller, Powell, Washington, Wendell, Conn, and Wiley. Also, in spring 2001, funding was allocated for planning and training activities for a new school improvement/reorganization effort at eight schools. WPSS Instructional Services Division identified a set of six schools showing historical patterns of below-expectation growth, and two schools volunteered to participate in "Project Achieve." Training and development for the eight schools did occur as planned in July - October, 2001. Results are shared.

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At the end of the 2001-2002 school year, outcome goals paint a mixed picture of the effectiveness of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant on the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) as a whole. However, many specific programs are being successfully implemented with positive outcomes.

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Does the use of technology positively relate to academic achievement? A review of the literature identified 66 articles on this topic. Twenty-three articles were studied for this report. Depending upon the focus of the article, a positive relationship was found in most cases while no relationship was found in a small number of cases reviewed. In reviewing all papers, articles, and studies, a number of other factors were identified as important considerations.

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The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) provides a comprehensive program of extra support for students in grades K-8 who have not yet reached grade level standards. In the summer of 2002, the Voyager Summer Academy was offered in WCPSS at grades 2-8 to students scoring at Level I or II (below grade level) in reading or math. (The State of North Carolina required a summer intervention at grades 3, 5, and 8, and WCPSS offered the program at the other grade levels as well.) WCPSS utilized the Voyager Time Warp series, which is a summer reading intervention program. Designed to decrease summer learning loss and reduce the achievement gap, Voyager Time Warp is based on the premise that lessons generating high student interest, combined with academically challenging material, will increase student motivation and improve student achievement. The Time Warp reading program is a four-hour-a day, four-week program. WCPSS also adopted Voyager's one-hour-per-day V-Math series for use in combination with the reading intervention. A variety of methods were used to assess the Voyager program including student, parent, teacher, and site coordinator surveys, a quality assurance checklist, in-depth interviews, and a focus group. Voyager pre/post assessments designed by the publisher and results on pre/post North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) tests were also used to evaluate Voyager's effectiveness.

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Staff Survey Results 2001-2002

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For all WCPSS schools: 55% achieved high growth; 33% achieved expected growth but did not reach high growth; 12% did not meet expected growth but showed adequate performance

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WCPSS EOG multiple-choice results for 2001- 2002 show increases at all grade levels in both reading and math. Both the percentage of students scoring at or above grade level and average scale scores reached new highs.

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In 2001-02, WCPSS Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant began implementation for three schools in the project and planned for two others. Schools in their first implementation year were: Joyner Elementary School, Language Explorations Millbrook Elementary School, International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme Powell Elementary School ,Visual and Performing Arts Schools in their planning year included Brooks Elementary School ( Museums), and Moore Square Middle School ( Museums). Objective accomplishment as of the end of year 1 is described.

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Both fourth-grade and seventh-grade writing assessment scores declined in 2002 in WCPSS. The percentage of fourth-grade students who scored at or above 2.5 dropped 23.8 percentage points from 78.1 in 2001 to 54.3 in 2002. Seventh-grade scores dropped 13.8 percentage points from 77.5 in 2001 to 63.7 in 2002

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The Wake County Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Project was a three-year federal cooperative effort sponsored by the Department of Education, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Department of Health and Human Services. This report focuses on year 3 results. While all students were impacted indirectly, 3,315 individual students were served directly by SS/HS intervention programs, and 16,100 students participated in group prevention activities; SS/HS disproportionately served the higher risk students in the system directly as intended. The grant had many positive benefits in Year 3. A safe school environment was promoted by security system installation, and use of the WAVE Line. Alcohol, drug, and violence prevention and early intervention programs were promoted through a Communities in Schools (CIS/CLP) mentoring program, which had a positive effect on student achievement. Teen Court expanded the number of youth served, as well as the range of programs available for those youth. In terms of school and community mental health preventive and treatment intervention services, Children of Substance Abuse (COSA) groups drastically reduced the number of students reporting that they would use violence in the future. The preschool Second Step program resulted in teachers spending less time disciplining students. Five different curricula related to SS/HS reached over 15,000 WCPSS students. NovaNET improved students' ability to pass courses and get back on track to graduation.

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The Wake County Public School System developed a project within an innovative assistance program area of Title VI--the provision of performing arts teachers within magnet elementary schools to provide arts education--under the "promising educational reform projects" category. Funding provided to private non-profit schools was used primarily for curricular materials. In the spring of 2001, Title VI funding was allocated for planning and training activities for new school improvement/reorganization efforts at seven schools under the "3a. Promising Educational Reform Programs: Effective Schools" category. This report provides information on implementation and attainment of objectives.

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NovaNET is an on-line computerized instructional system that provides students with self-paced instruction for many North Carolina high school courses. This evaluation looks at outcomes for students participating in the NovaNET program and compares them with outcomes for a group of students with similar characteristics who did not participate in NovaNET. The primary positive finding was that the number of failing grades decreased significantly for students who participated in NovaNET, while a slight increase occurred for matched students. The GPA for NovaNET students showed a significant increase, but the comparison group increased about the same amount (difference between increases were not significant). NovaNET appeared to have more of a positive impact on math and social studies course grades than on English and science course grades. The pass rate for NovaNET science courses was only 50%. NovaNET did not appear to impact suspensions in 2000-2001; rates for NovaNET and matched students were statistically similar. NovaNET students were more likely to drop out of school in 2000-2001 than the comparison students who had a lower dropout rate than WCPSS overall; the change in drop-out rates should be examined again over the next few years. Overall, NovaNET seems to help students pass classes. However, more specific findings are difficult to obtain due to the newness of the program, and the difficulty of creating an accurately matched comparison group.

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The Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) is the major initiative that the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is using to help all students reach grade level performance in reading and math. In 2000-01, ALP's second year of implementation, the program expanded from grades 3-8 to K-12. This report focuses on student participation rates and the impact of the ALP program.

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Report Summary Analysis of EOG test results for 2000-2001 shows that: Scores on all four tests targeted by the 2003 Goal were higher than ever before. As reported in 2000, current rates of improvement are still inadequate to reach the goal. Groups that have the highest percentage of students scoring below grade level (students from low-income families, African-American and Hispanic students) have made the largest gains since 1998. ALP interventions appear to be benefiting all demographic groups. The strongest predictor of low achievement is income, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced price lunch. Approximately 46% of students tested who participated in the school lunch program scored in Levels I or II.

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Staff Survey Results 2000-2001

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Wake Summerbridge is an enrichment program that has supported selected WCPSS middle school students for a number of years. This evaluation compared subsequent academic performance, suspensions and dropout rates of students who had participated in the program with a comparison group of students with similar characteristics who did not participate in the program. The main positive finding was that dropout rates were much lower for Summerbridge students than for the comparison group (1% versus 13%). Achievement scores and grade point averages showed a slight but consistent advantage in absolute terms for Summerbridge students over the comparison group. The differences were not statistically significant, although they may have some educational significance. The percentage of students receiving F's and suspension rates actually favored the comparison group. However, the higher dropout rate among comparison students may account for the lower number of F's earned by this group. Some cautions must be kept in mind when interpreting these findings. Sample sizes were relatively small which makes statistical significance more difficult to detect (about 80 per group). Groups could differ in ways that could not be determined from school system data files (e.g., attitude toward school, rigor of course selections, middle versus higher income status). Given the results, the cost of providing the service should also be considered in decisions about future funding.

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High-quality evaluation research has demonstrated that smaller classes with a heterogeneous student composition can increase academic achievement and close the achievement gap. Research suggests that changes occur in the classroom naturally as a result of smaller size without teachers or students trying to do anything different. With fewer students, teachers understand students better, they use more tailored approaches to individuals, students form closer relationships with classmates and teachers, and the atmosphere becomes more friendly, cohesive, and less regimented. Still, researchers also observe that some changes such as the use of more hands-on activities emerge gradually (perhaps as teachers learn more about what is possible) and that individualization may not always be well done. Evaluation research has been slow to address potentially appropriate staff development training that may enhance the experience of smaller classes. The few existing evaluation studies have not shown benefits from training. At present, there is no agreement on the usefulness of staff development or on a general standard of teacher training appropriate for smaller class sizes.

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The high school dropout rate during 1999-2000 in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) was 4.1 percent (2.7% for grades 7-12), the lowest since the start of annual reporting by WCPSS. The WCPSS dropout rate has steadily declined from 1994 to 2000, as displayed in Figure 1. The decline was interrupted in the 1998-1999 school year, the year that students going directly to junior or community college GED programs began to be included as dropouts. The decline resumed during the 1999-2000 school year. The decrease in the WCPSS dropout rate corresponded to a similar decrease in dropouts reported across the state.

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Report Summary Analysis of EOG test results for 1999-2000 shows that: Scores on all four tests targeted by the 2003 Goal were higher than ever before. Current rates of improvement are inadequate to reach the goal. The groups which have the highest percentage of students scoring below grade level are students from low income families, African-American and Hispanic students, and students identified as learning disabled or behaviorally/emotionally handicapped. The strongest predictor of low achievement is income, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced price lunch. Approximately 52% of students qualifying for the school lunch program scored in Levels I or II. On average, students who qualify for the free or reduced lunch program (FRL) show smaller academic gains than other students and are three years behind their non-FRL peers in middle school.

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For students who failed Algebra in 1994-95, repeating the course in summer school was as effective as repeating the course the next school year in improving students' knowledge. End-of-Course test scores improved for both groups (with no significant differences between the groups), and students who took the course during summer school were more likely to pass than those repeating the course during the regular school year.

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Progress Towards the 95% Goal

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