As part of his vision for improving North Carolina’s public schools, state superintendent Mo Green stopped by a Charlotte public school to outline his strategic plan — a plan Green hopes will make the state's schools the best in the nation by 2030.
Mo Green spoke at West Charlotte High School about the "Achieving Educational Excellence" plan. Green said the plan has three major goals: high academic achievement, character development and having the best public schools in the country.
After taking office in January, Green set off on a listening tour known as "Mo Wants to Know," where he listened to community members, teachers and students about what is needed to improve public schools. The superintendent also said he held over 30 virtual sessions that helped shape the strategic plan that was adopted by the state board of education.
There are eight pillars of his strategic plan. It includes preparing students for their next phase in life, enhancing parents and caregivers, and community support to help students.
“I need us to begin to envision what it looks like when a student walks across the graduation stage,” Green said. "What they ought to see when they walk across is a student who has taken and passed a college-level course, that would be like an advanced placement exam, international baccalaureate, or community college course.”
Green added that the Department of Public Instruction received a $25 million grant to be expended over five years, to help transform mathematics instruction in middle schools, starting with 15 rural middle schools.
Monday's event featured the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent, Crystal Hill. Hill said she supports the plan and that it aligned with the goal the local board of education has set.
"Our first goal is focused on early literacy. Our second goal is focused on students in grades 3 through 8 literacy,” Hill said. "Our third goal is focused on improving Math 1 performance, and our fourth goal is ensuring that every student who graduates from Charlotte Mecklenburg schools graduates, enrolled, enlisted, or employed."
Green spoke as part of a state tour that aims to inform teachers, parents, and community members about his efforts. The tour continues on Wednesday at Robert L. Patton High School, starting at 5:30 p.m. in Morganton.
