Wake County school officials on Tuesday highlighted how they are trying to turn around some of the district's lowest-performing schools.They presented their annual update on what the state calls Restart Schools to the school board during a work session.
Out of its 203 schools, the district has 40 Restart schools -- schools that have been labeled low-performing two out of the last three years and that apply for the Restart program.
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Low performance is based mostly on test scores, a calculation and designation that has been fraught with criticism.
The program gives Restart schools charter school-like flexibility with things like funding and school calendars. It also provides some additional funding to help implement interventions, though schools would lose that funding if they improved enough to exit the program.
Most of the Restart schools still meet the criteria of low-performing two out of the last three years, according to the district's report on Tuesday, but some have exited that.
Timber Drive Elementary and River Bend Middle did not meet the academic gain requirements to automatically stay in the program and could lose their extra funding, but the district can reapply for the schools. Many others maintained their eligibility by meeting targets for academic gain.
On Tuesday, two school principals told the board they had seen success after using additional funds, along with the ability to flexibly move funds, to hire instructional coaches to improve teaching across the school and curb teacher turnover. One, Timber Drive Elementary, also paid its teachers extra to tutor struggling students during track-out periods.
"It allows unique schools to find unique solutions to unique problems," said James Aldridge, principal at Millbrook Magnet Elementary.
On Tuesday, board members and school administrators expressed a desire to continue and expand the changes Restart schools can make, even if one day they lose any additional state funding.
"I do hope our General Assembly recognizes the value of flexibility," Superintendent Robert Taylor said.