CMS Superintendent , Dr . Clayton Wilcox
CMS Superintendent , Dr . Clayton Wilcox
When grades don ’ t tell the real story
We are living in momentous times ! Our community is at a critical turning point and I believe that CMS has a crucial role to play in helping us build a brighter future for everyone in the community – a future that offers equal opportunity to all .
In February , CMS released its first equity report in eight years . Called Breaking the Link , the report looked at whether our public schools offer every student equal access to opportunity . The report analyzed data from the 2016- 2017 school year and found that demographics – a child ’ s race and socioeconomic status – are a predictive link to academic performance : If you ’ re poor and black or Hispanic , you ’ re not getting the same access to academic opportunity as your wealthier , white peers and you ’ re considerably less likely to succeed in school .
Breaking the Link spells out in specific detail a shameful lack of diversity in our high-poverty schools , where nine out of 10 students are black or Hispanic .
This means that not all of the 147,000-plus kids we are privileged to serve are getting the education that they need . They ’ re not getting the education that will help them succeed later in life . And we need to be clear about this : Breaking the Link isn ’ t about the failure of children . It ’ s about the failure of adults to help kids . Behind the data in Breaking the Link are real kids with hopes and dreams and talents .
We have to do better – and as a district , we are ready to change . Breaking the Link is an essential first step . In it , we ’ re acknowledging some hard truths : Not everything that we ’ re doing in our schools and our classrooms is effective . But we ’ re willing to do the work needed to better serve our students .
Breaking the Link is also an essential first step because it identifies three key levers for change – levers that we as a district can control . We can ’ t do the work alone ; we need the support of the whole community to succeed . But we can change three things to improve outcomes for kids : time in school , highly effective teachers and access to rigor . Some of our students have all three now . Many of them don ’ t .
Breaking the Link gives us clear direction on where we need to focus . It will help us make the operational and policy decisions needed to make our schools more equitable . One big example : our 2024 strategic plan . We ’ re developing it now and the findings of Breaking the Link will help us focus our efforts and our energies on the three key levers of time in school , highly effective teachers and access to rigor .
This isn ’ t easy work . Poverty and race have been linked to achievement gaps for decades , and
that link is visible in every urban district in America . But I believe CMS can break the link if we work on it a comprehensive way , putting our students first and determining where we are serving them well and where we are not .
We need your help to succeed . We need adequate funding . We need more highly effective teachers and the money to keep them . We need strong , effective community structures to help students who face challenging circumstances at home , such as hunger and poverty . We need the support and engagement of our parents .
I am excited and optimistic about this work . I believe that Mecklenburg County wants strong public schools . Moreover , the signs are everywhere that our community is willing to do the work that change requires . The economic-mobility report that ranked Charlotte 50th out of 50 cities , the Opportunity Task Force and the strong support for our $ 922 million school bond request all indicate a community-wide commitment to helping our kids learn and grow . In my first nine months here , I have been hearing a growing consensus that we must work together as a community to achieve these goals .
As superintendent of CMS , I am committed to strengthening our schools and helping our kids . I urge everyone in the community to support our work in making schools equitable . All of us – educators , citizens , public officials , parents – owe that to our kids .
Every kid deserves the opportunity to succeed . We can make that happen . We can break the link if we act together -- and act now .
Dr . Clayton Wilcox is the superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools .
• One-to-One Instruction
• Individualized Programs
• NO CONTRACTS
• Guaranteed Results
• Reading
• Math
• Geometry
• Study Skills
• Writing
• Algebra I & II
• SAT & ACT
• And More !
Our system is designed to rapidly increase academic skills and improve concentration span .
http :// charlotte . tutoringcenter . com
2 • March / April 2018 • Parent Teacher Magazine
CMS Superintendent, Dr. Clayton Wilcox
When grades don’t tell the real story
We are living in momentous
times! Our community is at
a critical turning point and I
believe that CMS has a crucial
role to play in helping us build a
brighter future for everyone in
the community – a future that
offers equal opportunity to all.
In February, CMS released
its first equity report in eight
years. Called Breaking the
Link, the report looked at
whether our public schools offer
every student equal access
to opportunity. The report
analyzed data from the 2016-
2017 school year and found that
demographics – a child’s race
and socioeconomic status – are
a predictive link to academic
performance: If you’re poor and
black or Hispanic, you’re not
getting the same access to academic opportunity as your wealthier, white
peers and you’re considerably less likely to succeed in school.
Breaking the Link spells out in specific detail a shameful lack of
diversity in our high-poverty schools, where nine out of 10 students are
black or Hispanic.
This means that not all of the 147,000-plus kids we are privileged
to serve are getting the education that they need.
They’re not getting the education that will help them
succeed later in life. And we need to be clear about
this: Breaking the Link isn’t about the failure of
children. It’s about the failure of adults to help kids.
Behind the data in Breaking the Link are real kids
with hopes and dreams and talents.
We have to do better – and as a district, we are
ready to change. Breaking the Link is an essential
first step. In it, we’re acknowledging some hard
truths: Not everything that we’re doing in our
schools and our classrooms is effective. But we’re
willing to do the work needed to better serve our
students.
Breaking the Link is also an essential first step
because it identifies three key levers for change –
levers that we as a district can control. We can’t do
the work alone; we need the support of the whole
community to succeed. But we can change three
things to improve outcomes for kids: time in school,
highly effective teachers and access to rigor. Some of
our students have all three now. Many of them don’t.
Breaking the Link gives us clear direction on
where we need to focus. It will help us make the
operational and policy decisions needed to make
our schools more equitable. One big example: our
2024 strategic plan. We’re developing it now and the
findings of Breaking the Link will help us focus our
efforts and our energies on the three key levers of
time in school, highly effective teachers and access
to rigor.
This isn’t easy work. Poverty and race have
been linked to achievement gaps for decades, and
2 • March/April 2018 • Parent Teacher Magazine
that link is visible in every urban district in America. But I believe CMS
can break the link if we work on it a comprehensiv RvWGFrW 7GVFVG2f'7BBFWFW&֖rvW&RvR&R6W'frFVvV@vW&RvR&RBvRVVBW"VF7V66VVBvRVVBFWVFRgVFrvPVVB&RvǒVffV7FfRFV6W'2BFRWFVWFVvPVVB7G&rVffV7FfR6VG7G'V7GW&W2FV7GVFVG2vf6P6Vvr6&7V7F6W2BR7V62VvW"BfW'GvR[email protected]FR7W'BBVvvVVBbW"&VG2ऒW6FVBBF֗7F2&WBF2v&&VƖWfRFBV6V'W&p6VGvG27G&rV&Ɩ2662&VfW"FR6v2&RWfW'vW&PFBW"6VG2vƖrFFFRv&FB6vR&WV&W2FPV6֖2&ƗG&W'BFB&VB6&GFRSFWBbS6FW2FP'GVGF6f&6RBFR7G&r7W'Bf"W"C#"֖Ɩ66&B&WVW7BF6FR6VGvFR6֗FVBFVrW G2V&Bw&rגf'7BRF2W&RfR&VVV&rw&vr66V7W2FBvRW7Bv&FvWFW"26VGF6WfPFW6Rv227WW&FVFVBb426֗GFVBF7G&VwFVrW 662BVrW"G2W&vRWfW'RFR6VGF7W'@W"v&r662WVF&RbW2( 2VGV6F'26FV2V&Ɩ2ff62&VG2( 2vRFBFW"G2WfW'BFW6W'fW2FR'GVGF7V66VVBvR6RF@VvR6'&VFRƖbvR7BFvWFW"B7BrG"6Fv62FR7WW&FVFVBb6&GFRV6V'W&p662(
(
(
(
RFR7G'V7FखFfGVƗVB&w&04E$5E0wV&FVVB&W7VG0(
(
(
(
&VFpFvVWG'7GVG60(
"w&Fp(
"vV'&b(
"4Bb[email protected](
"B&RW"77FV2FW6vVBF&Fǒ7&V6R6FV֖062B&fR66VG&F7ইGG6&GFRGWF&v6VFW"6