Presentation to USED Review Panel August 10, 2010

1. North Carolina Race to the Top Proposal Presentation to USED Review PanelAugust 10, 2010 R e d a c t e d

2. The North Carolina Team Governor Beverly Perdue Bill Harrison Chairman, State Board of Education June Atkinson State Superintendent of Public Instruction Executive Director NC Association of School Administrators Bill McNeal Executive Director Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and Professor, College of Education, NC State University Glenn Kleiman

3. North Carolina Race to the Top Proposal Governor Beverly Perdue Education Reform in North Carolina:Action and Achievement “Every student – no matter where he or she lives in NC – must graduate from high school with what it really takes to succeed in a career, in a two or four year college, or in technical training” - Governor Perdue, January 2010

4. A Coherent Plan for Statewide Impact Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools Quality Standards and Assessments Data Systems to Improve Instruction Great Teachers & Principals

5. Great Teachers & Principals A Great Teacher for Every StudentA Great Leader for Every School • Performance incentives for lowest-achieving schools • Research-supported university preparation programs • Research- and data-based recruitment and licensure programs: • Teach for America expansion • NC Teacher Corps • Regional Leadership Academies • Strategic staffing initiatives • Expansion of virtual and blended teaching • Statewide professional development system • Successful innovations in identifying, developing, and supporting effective leaders • Statewide teacher and principal evaluation systems

6. Quality Standards and Assessments Statewide Standards and Assessments • Common Core Standards adoption • Governing member of the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium • Alignment of standards across PK-20 • Experience in - and a plan for - successful implementation of comprehensive, balanced assessment system

7. Data Systems to Improve Instruction Data-Driven Decisions at All Levels Increasing use of data for decision-making at all levels: Centrally-provided, Statewide Technology Infrastructure Instructional Improvement System State Longitudinal Data System Statewide Student Information System

8. Data Systems to Improve Instruction Data-Driven Decisions at All Levels Increasing use of data for decision-making at all levels: • Longitudinal data system • Data access for all stakeholders • Statewide instructional improvement system • Daily embedded assessments • Diagnostic assessments • Curriculum monitoring • Summative assessments • Growth models

9. Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools Turnaround of Lowest-Achieving Schools • A great teacher for every student, a great leader for every school, a great school for every community • A focus on local capacity-building • Customized approaches to local setting and needs • Evidence of prior success in rural and urban settings • 34 schools moved out of low-achieving • 85% of schools in 5 low-achieving districts raised student achievement • Other innovative public and charter school models

10. Turnaround of Lowest-Achieving Schools Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools • Evidence of prior success in rural and urban settings • 34 schools moved out of low-achieving • 85% of schools in 5 low-achieving districts raised student achievement

11. Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools Quality Standards and Assessments Data Systems to Improve Instruction Great Teachers & Principals Building Capacity in Rural Schools By ensuring… • Effective teachers and principals • Statewide technology infrastructure and resources • Virtual learning opportunities for students • Engaged communities

12. Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools Quality Standards and Assessments Data Systems to Improve Instruction Great Teachers & Principals Innovative, Transformational Schools:An Array of Choices • Early College high schools • Redesigned schools • Charter schools • NC School of Science and Mathematics • District-level magnet schools • STEM-themed high schools

13. Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools Quality Standards and Assessments Data Systems to Improve Instruction Great Teachers & Principals Expanding STEM Opportunities • Rigorous standards • STEM teacher initiatives • Virtual and blended STEM courses • Networking of STEM-themed high schools • Strong support from NC businesses and foundations

14. Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools Quality Standards and Assessments Data Systems to Improve Instruction Great Teachers & Principals Enhancing All Initiatives Through Technology • Technology to enhance all reform areas • Building upon technology-enabled education initiatives • Proposed next generation technology infrastructure • PK-20 Education Network • Cloud computing & Statewide Services Initiative

15. Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools Quality Standards and Assessments Data Systems to Improve Instruction Great Teachers & Principals Statewide Capacity and Commitment • Lessons learned • Statewide infrastructure • Strong, collaborative leadership • Reform & innovation

16. Turnaround of Lowest- Achieving Schools Quality Standards and Assessments Data Systems to Improve Instruction Great Teachers & Principals Engagement and Collaboration • State and local leadership • Professional associations • Public and private colleges and universities • NC Network of Grantmakers • NC education organizations • National organizations • Parents & communities

17. Why North Carolina? Capacity to scale initiatives and ensure statewide implementation Overall capacity to implement and sustain initiatives Building upon lessons from past reform efforts Strong, collaborative leadership Support from all stakeholders History of implementing reform efforts statewide

18. Why North Carolina? Ready to move forward quickly Ensures reliable statewide access at a lower cost Model for other states Existing RttT-related programs Unparalleled technology infrastructure Diverse rural and urban population, innovative schools, technology use, STEM focus

19. A Coherent Plan for Statewide Impact Quality Standards and Assessment Turnaround of Lowest-Achieving Schools • Build District & SchoolTransformationCapacity • Adopt Common Core Standards Great Teachers & Principals • ImproveTeacher and PrincipalEvaluation Processes • Initiate Statewide Professional Development • SupportSTEM Thematic SchoolsNetwork • Transition to New Standardsand Assessments • InstituteRegional LeadershipAcademies • Deliver Virtual &BlendedClasses • Expand Teacher Recruitment andLicensure Programs • Initiate Strategic Staffing • Enhance Statewide Longitudinal Data System • Develop Statewide InstructionalImprovement System Data Systems to Improve Instruction