‘Failed our children.’ What caused sharp decline in CMS’ reading, math scores?
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education candidates call sharp, post-pandemic declines in average reading and math test scores unsurprising and say problems begin with leadership.
CMS on Monday posted its worst average scores on record in the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation’s report card. The percentage of students displaying at least basic reading and math skills is lower than in 2003.
Despite school board goals otherwise, CMS also lost progress toward closing achievement gaps, according to the new data released Monday. The district saw achievement gaps between white and Black and Hispanic students grow by double-digits.
The scores are kindling for already-contentious school board races, where 18 candidates are vying for six district seats, and prompted debate about whether CMS’ pandemic decisions contributed to the lower scores.
The Charlotte Observer asked all candidates about the most recent test score data. Candidates who didn’t respond include: Ro Lawsin, Melissa Easley and Bill Fountain in District 1; Thelma Byers-Bailey in District 2; Steven Rushing and Dee Rankin in District 3; Clara Kennedy Witherspoon and Stephanie Sneed in District 4; Lisa Cline in District 5; and Michael Watson in District 6.
What did CMS do?
During the first year of the pandemic, CMS went to online instruction, including offering a full virtual academy.
In August 2020, about a third of the district’s enrolled students, about 50,000, registered for the remote academy, according to a dashboard then-Chief of Staff LaTarzja Henry sent to board members. Black students made up about 46%, or 23,000, of all registrations — “an amount greater than our current proportion of all enrolled students,” Henry wrote.
Hispanic students made up about 28%, or about 13,800, of all registrations. Henry also told the board registration rates were 33% at Harding High and 40% at West Charlotte High — both of which have a high number of students in poverty compared to the rest of the district.
During the 2020-21 school year, CMS started with fully remote classes as required by state mandates. The district then went to partial in-person learning before returning to full remote during the omicron variant surge. After the 2021-2022 winter break, CMS went back to in-person instruction.
Frank Barnes, CMS’ chief accountability officer, told the Observer the district is taking steps to bolster scores.
“We are working intentionally and intensely to raise the performance of our Black and Hispanic students, particularly in reading,” Barnes said.
Those steps include monitoring student progress and academic needs in reading and math at least three times per year and adjusting daily schedules to ensure students have access to high-quality and small-group instruction based on student needs.
CMS also is providing reading and math interventions on top of small-group instruction and after-school help such as tutoring.
School board candidates respond
In a nation of disparate outcomes, the pandemic exacerbated inequities in test scores and impacted families differently, said Carol Sawyer, the District 4 school board incumbent.
“My focus is on accelerating small group instruction opportunities that have helped CMS bounce back. Last year, 83% of schools met or exceeded growth. In District 4, 94% of schools met or exceeded growth, Sawyer said. “But we’re laser focused on gains as well as growth. Our children are looking to us to provide the supports they need.”
Trent Merchant, a District 5 candidate, said it’s easy to bash the past.
“But I don’t think that serves our community now or moving forward,” Merchant said. “CMS needs an overhaul from a leadership and organizational development standpoint, but the system is fragile right now, so let’s not further demoralize the principals, teachers, and specialists who are still there trying to make it work. I see their dedication, and want them to know that help is on the way.”
While district officials praised parts of CMS’ performance — its average scores outperformed or matched most large school districts except for eighth-grade reading — test score declines were also sharper than most other districts.
Rhonda Cheek, the District 1 incumbent, said she told others in June 2020 remote learning was not good for most children.
“If you look at the students who stayed remote, there were much higher percentages in the Black and brown communities,” Cheek said. “We are circling the wagons around literacy, even in math. You need to be able to read to do a math problem. We’re focusing on the basics.”
Look at leadership decisions first?
Both Merchant and incumbent Sean Strain, seeking reelection in District 6, say a CMS rebound means looking first at people in leadership positions — from the school board to principals.
“Gaps widened due to the decisions made by the board and superintendent over the last several years,” Strain said. “The most inequitable decisions and actions in decades. The strategies the current administration is putting in place – re-establishing expectations and accountability for attendance, conduct/behavior, effort and performance by everyone in the school (and every CMS department) — will begin to regain some of the lost ground.”
The school board in April voted to fire former Superintendent Earnest Winston. Interim Superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh is serving out this school year before the new board hires a permanent superintendent.
Merchant said CMS’ way forward requires an emphasis on leadership, culture and an “unyielding focus” on closing gaps in student achievement.
“Research proves that leadership has the second greatest impact on student learning, and has the greatest impact in schools that have the most severe learning needs,” Merchant said. “Exceptional leaders articulate direction, clear bureaucratic hurdles, and provide both support and meaningful professional development — all of which recruits and retains the best teachers. We have some issues related to selection, implementation, and delivery of curriculum, but those issues require transformation that only comes through strong leadership.”
Hamani Fisher, a candidate in District 1 and a member of the African American Faith Alliance, says the recent test scores have “exposed the fragility of leadership at the top of our public school system.” Members of the alliance met with Hattabaugh over the summer in a meeting that saw Hattabaugh abruptly leave.
“Due to a lack of accountability, the lowering of academic and outcome based standards, we are witnessing the disheartening systemic effect on our children and their education,” Fisher said. “Unfortunately, this report card has exposed that we have failed our children and there needs to be a comprehensive plan presented to close this gap. Our solutions must be intentional, impactful, and tackle the root issues/causes to result in a fast turnaround and get our students back on track.”
CMS needs bold leadership, candidates say
Summer Nunn, who is running against Strain and Watson in District 6, says the pandemic can’t be an excuse for low performances on tests.
“As the parent of a fourth-grader, this isn’t just numbers, it’s my child,” Nunn said. “This is one of the reasons the representation of current parents matters tremendously on the board. …We need better plans that exist from the top down and not just goals passed to the individual school level being too narrowly focused.”
Nunn said CMS needs to dig deeper into the data, measure more frequently to make sure plans are focused on improving the scores and, if not, “we understand what needs to change.”
Juanrique Hall, a candidate for school board in District 2 with Byers-Bailey, told the Observer he’s developed a core group of advisors that includes school personnel and community members who have the authority “to actually do something and not just stand on a soap box or pulpit and say they want to do something.”
Hall said he wasn’t surprised about scores released Monday and that it takes a multi-pronged approach to close gaps and improve lives. His approach includes ensuring every household has broadband internet access free of charge, making smarter hiring decisions, having better testing for disabilities at an earlier age and ensuring parents are being held accountable for their children attending school.
“Our schools need to be true community schools,” Hall said. “We need to offer classes where ESL parents can come learn with their students, where parents that have non-traditional work schedules can come and learn about and with their students. and most importantly we need the schools to reach out to the community around them so that our elementary schools are neighborhood schools and our middle and high schools are points of regional pride.”
Monty Witherspoon, a candidate for a seat in District 2, said scores released Monday are “appalling.”
“CMS has been headed in this direction for years despite the hard work and commitment of teachers,” Witherspoon said. “The current school board has been slow-paced and unfocused in its response to the widening achievement gap. We can’t wait any longer. We need bold leadership and a strong plan. Our children’s futures are at stake.”
This story was originally published October 25, 2022 at 2:43 PM.
