Goal and Mission
Goal 2008, adopted on November 5, 2003, by the Wake County Board of Education, commences five years of hard work and sustained academic growth for Wake County's elementary, middle, and high school students. All of the Wake County Public School System's efforts are aligned towards achieving Goal 2008 and carrying out the system's mission.
On November 5, 2003, the Wake County Board of Education adopted Goal 2008, setting the direction of the Wake County Public School System for the next five years. You can download an 18-minute video of that important event which includes:
The video is a large (26 MB) file best suited for high-speed connections (cable, DSL or office LAN). You will need the free QuickTime Player from Apple. |
Goal 2008
WCPSS is committed to academic excellence. By 2008, 95 percent of students in grades 3 through 12 will be at or above grade level as measured by the State of North Carolina End-of-Grade or Course tests, and all student groups will demonstrate high growth.
In pursuit of this goal, we will:
- Increase challenging educational opportunities for all students.
- Increase student participation and success in advanced classes at the high school level.
- Increase the percent of 9th grade students graduating from high school within four years.
- Recruit, develop, support and retain a highly qualified workforce to ensure student success.
- Identify and seek resources necessary to support student success.
- Build a consensus of support through community collaboration.
Mission
The Wake County Public School System will educate each student to be a responsible and productive citizen who can effectively manage future challenges.
Background
The previous achievement goal, Goal 2003, was adopted in 1998 with a target of having 95 percent of third and eighth grade students achieving at or above grade level in reading and math. Although WCPSS narrowly missed that target in 2003, phenomenal academic growth and a steadily narrowing achievement gap proved the power of focused effort toward a unified goal. During those five years, the percentage of students at or above grade level increased for all groups of students in elementary and middle school -- with 95 percent or more of fourth or fifth grade students meeting grade level standards in math in 2003. Also, the percentage of third through eighth grade students performing at the highest level measured by the state's End-of-Grade tests rose since 1998 by 8.7 points in reading and 17.3 points in math.
An eighteen-month community effort led to the development of Goal 2008. More than 1,850 citizens offered priorities, changes and goals for the future through the Voices and Choices community meetings across Wake County. The results were announced and synthezised during the 2003 Wake Education Summit, attended by more than 850 community, business and parent leaders. The Wake County Board of Education, working with the school system administration and consulting with the Wake County Board of Commissioners and county staff, worked for six months to finalize Goal 2008.
The new goal is ambitious and inclusive. Students from grades three through twelve are included. High academic growth is expected among all groups of students. Advanced and struggling students alike are expected to receive the quality of instruction and resources they deserve in order to make the most of their opportunity for success.
Central to all of WCPSS's strategies will be community partnership and collaboration. Goal 2008 was not created in a vacuum, but was born from the hopes and expectations of Wake County citizens of every background, from every corner of the county. It will take a similar level of community involvement and openness for the Wake County Public School System to meet the challenge it has embraced.