Embracing the future with academic excellence By Ann Clark
As educators , we think a lot about the future . We think about our students ’ futures , what they ’ ll do next year , and the year after that . We think about what they will do after high school – what their next steps will be and how best to prepare them for the journey after CMS .
So it was particularly gratifying this year when we received two important recognitions that we are successfully preparing students for the future !
The first recognition came from the College Board , the organization that manages pre-college testing such as the SAT and the PSAT , as well as Advanced Placement ( AP ) curriculum and tests . Our district has been named to the College Board ’ s 7th Annual AP District Honor Roll . The award is given to districts which are successfully identifying motivated , academically prepared students who are ready for Advanced Placement courses , which are considered to be a reliable indicator of readiness for college-level work .
To qualify for the honor roll , districts provided three years of data from the Advanced Placement coursework , which includes 37 AP exams . To make the honor roll , districts had to show that the number of students taking AP courses increased while the number of students earning a 3 or higher on AP exam remained steady or increased .
CMS was one of only 433 districts nationwide – and the only large district in North Carolina – to qualify . It ’ s the first time we ’ ve made the College Board Honor Roll but I ’ m confident it ’ s not the last . Our district has a longstanding commitment to increasing access to Advanced Placement courses by all students . So this inclusion in the College Board ’ s Honor Roll reflects years of efforts in our schools to motivate and challenge our students to achieve at the highest levels . I am very proud of our success in this area , and of the many dedicated teachers who have helped our students improve their AP access and performance .
The second recognition was a state one . Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is one of the first two districts in the state to receive the Global-Ready District designation , which is awarded by the North
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Carolina Department of Public Instruction . It recognizes districts that are successfully preparing students to be globally engaged and productive citizens . CMS and Onslow County are the first two districts in the state to be so designated .
The designation , which was created after the 2013 release of “ Preparing Students for the World : Final Report of the State Board of Education ’ s Task Force on Global Education ,” is based on 10 attributes identified by DPI as essential for effective global education . Districts which apply for the designation must complete a rigorous , comprehensive report on how they meet the global standards .
For CMS , the designation follows earlier recognitions of global readiness of individual schools . Piedmont IB Middle was the first Global Ready School in the state and East Mecklenburg High was the first Global Ready High School .
The designation scores districts ’ global readiness at four levels : early , developing , prepared and model . Only districts earning the prepared or model designation are declared Global-Ready Districts . Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools received the prepared designation , described by DPI as meaning that the district effectively supports global readiness with systems and structures , and has embedded practices that positively affect students .
One of the benefits of pursuing this designation is that it helps us prepare our next steps to become even stronger in global preparation . We are already beginning to strengthen and improve our programs and practices so that we can move to the top-level designation as a model district . The rigorous evaluation by DPI has helped us identify opportunities for improvement , as well as areas already successful .
These are two significant , independent acknowledgements that CMS is doing a lot of things right . Both have come about because of years of work by many CMS educators , and both recognize our longstanding commitment to preparing our students for success in a diverse , globally linked workplace and world . Ultimately , we want our students to leave CMS prepared for the next step . These two awards suggest that we are doing this – and I hope the community will join us in celebrating these honors .
Ann Clark is the superintendent of Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools .
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