A few weeks into the new school year, data continues to come out on test results from last year. It’s a chance for districts to see where their students stand, especially five years after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Improving literacy, for example, has been a goal for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The district wants to improve K-2 students' scoring on early literacy testing from 67% in 2023 to 91% in 2029. Last academic year, 72% of students hit their benchmarks, which was an increase. That said, it fell short of what administrators said was necessary to keep pace.
Meanwhile, for grades 3-8 the goal is to improve scores from 31% in 2023 to 50% in 2029. This past academic year, 33% of CMS students hit their benchmark, four points shy of CMS’ target of 37%.
On this Charlotte Talks, we take a deep dive into these numbers, speak with an organization that provides tools to improve learning, and explore how reading has been taught over the decades.
GUESTS:
James Farrell, WFAE education reporter
Devin Kearns, DK Goodnight Distinguished professor in early literacy at NC State University
Munro Richardson, executive director of Read Charlotte
