Keeping a tight focus on Wake's education

There has been remarkable progress academically and operationally in the Wake County public school system over the past decade. The operating budget has been "scrubbed" and programs eliminated to reduce central office expenditures to less than 7 percent; more money than ever before is flowing to the classroom. Twelve years ago, fewer than 70 percent of children could read and do math at grade level. Today that number has improved to 91 percent. Both changes are remarkable successes and worthy of praise.

Such stellar student achievement did not happen by accident or as a byproduct of some personal or political agenda. It happened because leaders were willing to set an unbelievably high academic goal and to show steely determination to reach it. That commitment required every policy option to be evaluated based on whether it would move all students toward success or not.

In 1991 the Wake Board of Education had nine goals. By 1996, it had reached one. Had it accomplished all nine, there is no guarantee that a single child would have improved academically. The goals were broadly accepted but they were not focused on the fundamental issues resulting in student learning.

The hallmark of the next school board must be a continued laser-beam focus on raising academic achievement for all students. Given the level of "fog" in the public discourse, holding to that single, powerful purpose will be the most difficult challenge.

"Fog" comes in many forms. Some fog, e.g., denying teacher reciprocity, fiddling with the school calendar and unfunded mandates, comes from the General Assembly and state Board of Education.

Still more comes from loud and politically savvy sirens promoting particular missions. It is easy to be distracted and eventually sidetracked by issues such as school-based health clinics, neighborhood schools, assignment/choice, proximity to magnet programs, busing, sex ed, diversity, facility capacity, observing religious holidays, gender identity, distributing condoms, creation theory and many other foggy variations. Each issue may deserve discussion and debate. But none should be so important as to distract or divert the board from its constitutional mission to educate every child.

Take diversity, or the broader concept of "healthy schools." For some, diversity is a goal unto itself. For me, ensuring socio-economic diversity is a cost-effective and essential educational strategy. Healthy schools offer greater opportunity for students and teachers to excel at least cost. They help recruit and retain quality teachers and maximize the combined impact of our teachers' capabilities. As a result of this and other strategies, more than 89 percent of regular education children living in poverty are reading and doing math at or above grade level. Another remarkable achievement.

So as I thank the citizens of Wake County for allowing me to serve on the board these past 12 years, I challenge everyone to demand that elected leaders -- school board, county commissioners and the legislative delegation -- commit themselves to the mission of educating every child.

And to the newly elected school board I say, don't get lost in the fog. Stay true to the course of academic excellence and individual educational success for all. Students will be prepared to compete in a global economy and the community will continue to enjoy the rich quality of life you help create. Lead us to be better tomorrow than we are today.

(Bill Fletcher, defeated for re-election last month, has served 12 years on Wake County Board of Education. He was the Republican candidate for state superintendent of public instruction in 2004.)