North Carolina has released the 2018-19 School Performance Grades (SPG). These grades, ranging from A to F, reflect a combination of student proficiency (80%) and student growth (20%). The grades are designed to provide a brief snapshot of student academic performance.

For 2018-19, 9 (12%) traditional schools in WS/FCS received an SPG of A, 18 (23%) received a B, 18 (23%) received a C, 20 (26%) received a D, and 12 (15%) received an F. These results show 27 (35%) schools received an A or B in comparison to 21 (27%) in the 2017-18 school year. In addition, the data indicate that 12 (15%) of the schools received an F, which is an improvement from 16 (21%) in the 2017-18 school year.

Academic growth is a measurement of student progress made during the duration of a course or grade level. For 2018-19, 27 schools exceeded expected growth, up from 18 in 2017-18. Another 31 schools met expected growth, meaning 81% of WS/FC schools met or exceeded expected growth, up from 73% in 2017-18.

New superintendent Angela P. Hairston said, “I am excited by the positive outcomes evidenced by the 2018-19 data. I am ready to continue the work of the district in hopes of even better future achievement.”

Improved Graduation Results

In 2018-19, WS/FCS graduated at a rate of 86.2%, up from 84.5% in 2017-18. Over time, the district has improved its graduation rate by almost 16%, up from 70.8% in 2008. Comparatively, North Carolina recorded a graduation rate of 86.5% in 2018-19.

While the district maintains a goal of a 90% graduation rate, several high schools already have graduation rates above 90%: Atkins Academic A&T, Early College of Forsyth, East Forsyth, Forsyth Middle College, Mount Tabor, Kennedy, Reagan, Walkertown, West Forsyth, and Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy.

The district recognizes and appreciates the efforts of community partners to help improve the graduation rate. The United Way of Forsyth County, the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and The Forsyth Promise each continue to support programs to help students graduate.

Next Steps: Now What?

As the new superintendent, Dr. Hairston has outlined 4 areas of focus as she transitions to district leadership:

• Goal 1: Learn about the history and current direction of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools as fully as possible in order to gain insight into its strengths, challenges, and areas of opportunity to better serve students.
• Goal 2: Develop an instructional plan that will set the course for the district for the next five years and ensure focus on aligning resources, work, and initiatives that lead to college- and career-ready students as well as a reduction in achievement gaps.
• Goal 3: Assess organizational effectiveness and efficiency to ensure high performance and support to schools.
• Goal 4: Develop a standard for benchmarking equity and inclusion across the district.

Dr. Hairston said, “Small changes in a large district can take time. However, when it comes to the success of children, I feel an urgency to find the right changes to make as soon as possible to ensure the best outcomes for our students.”

To hear more about Dr. Hairston’s Entry Plan and to provide input on the direction of the district, community stakeholders are invited to attend Community Conversations scheduled for the following dates from 6-7 p.m.:

 School Performance Grades Full Results