Positive Impacts of Race to the Top on
North Carolina’s Public Schools
Summer 2013
1
Positive Impacts of Race to the Top
Through the Summer of 2013
This booklet is a collection of statements and testimonies from a variety of
school district Race to the Top (RttT) Superintendents, Coordinators, and
other district and school leaders from across the state of North Carolina,
sharing an array of positive impacts their Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
have experienced as a result of the RttT Grant. The feedback was gathered
and assembled by the Regional Support Leads that serve in each of the North
Carolina State Board of Education’s eight geographic regions. These Leads
are an integral part of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s
(NCDPI) Statewide System of Support, and maintain contact with the RttT
Coordinators from each LEA in order to both monitor and support successful
implementation of their respective Race to the Top plans.
In the Summer of 2013, the NCDPI Regional Leads contacted the RttT
Coordinators for each of the Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and asked them
to briefly share some of the positive impacts that have accrued to their districts
and schools as a result of participation in the Race to the Top grant. The Regional
Leads did not request LEA responses to be provided in any formal format, since
this feedback represents more of a pulse check at the end of Year three in the
four year span of the RttT grant. Additionally the Leads wanted to be sensitive
of the many demands on the time of the RttT Coordinators and central office
leadership throughout the state. It was thus expected that LEAs would each
share just a few sentences covering these positive impacts. Though some of the
districts did exactly this, the majority of districts provided whole paragraphs,
and many went so far as to provide significant detail with specifically outlined
benefits, impacts, and opportunities that have resulted from their RttT
resources! Taken together, these testimonies of shared positive evidences
of educational improvements and reforms combine to paint a picture of the
remarkable progress and accomplishments that school districts are achieving
through their dedicated Race to the Top plans and efforts.
Dr. Michael Hickman
State Coordinator
Regional Support Leads
Region 1
Beaufort • Bertie • Camden • Currituck • Dare • Edenton-Chowan
Elizabeth City/Pasquotank • Gates • Hertford • Hyde
Martin • Perquimans • Pitt • Tyrrell • Washington
From Beaufort County Schools
Beaufort County Schools have used RttT monies for an abundance of professional
development and collaborative work sessions for horizontal and vertical training throughout
the district in all areas.
•Curriculum leaders have been able to meet with teachers face to face and provide the
extra support necessary for our implementation of mClass Reading 3D in grades K-3
(3D Assessment training, progress monitoring training, Best Practices training, etc.).
•Monies have also allowed district coaches time to model math lessons based on the eight
mathematical practices and integrate Lessons for Learning and formative assessments into
county pacing guides.
•Monies have allowed teachers time to meet and revise pacing guides, as the act of teaching
pointed out missing elements and the need to add specific resources.
The district has been able to call teachers together to revise report cards to match new standards.
Specifically in the area of Technology:
•Beefed up wireless infrastructure has allowed teachers to assess students in R3D for grades
K-3. These assessments have equipped teachers with the individual data needed to drive
instruction for success in student achievement.
•As a result of the enhanced wireless connectivity in all schools, school Administrators now have
the ability to complete Teacher Walkthrough Observations using their iPads and Google Forms.
•As part of the wireless connectivity and enhanced network infrastructure, teachers across the
district are using Skype technology to bring in industry experts as classroom speakers to talk
with students.
•Teachers are teaching more lessons that integrate technology than ever before due to the
increased accessibility of wireless laptop carts.
“I believe the PD we have been able to offer because of RttT funds has changed student
outcomes. We have offered PD at our local level: differentiation, curriculum mapping, close
reading, math practices, poverty, etc. At the regional level RttT has enabled our teachers to
learn from national professionals at no cost to the school system and close to home. RttT has
also enabled our teachers to receive stipends to attend training in the summer: TAP math,
math foundations, AP subject specific trainings, Reading Foundations, Math I-III curriculum
mapping, etc. The PD has enabled all subject teachers to receive training in their specific areas,
from science to art”.
Ashley Padgett
Secondary Curriculum Coordinator
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From Bertie County Schools
“Bertie County Schools has been afforded many new opportunities for expanding students’ academic
and adults’ professional growth through being granted the Race to the Top Funds. One example of a
new opportunity has been hiring Instructional Coaches to provide instructional support to teachers
and administrators. Our teachers and administrators have also been able to participate in a variety
of professional development trainings such as Learning Forward, Thinking Maps, EVAAS, Reading
3D, and several others. In addition, schools have increased their abilities to provide more efficient
21st Century Learning by purchasing technology such as Chrome books, iPads, Laptops, and iPods
for daily learning. Bertie County has also built the communication and collaboration of teachers
and administrators through participating in Professional Learning Networks through the use of
the updated technology and professional development to support it. Overall, the students in Bertie
County Schools are progressing positively towards building 21st Century Learners with the support
of the Race to the Top Funds.”
Sandra Hardy
RttT Coordinator Althea Taylor
NCDPI, District Transformation Coach
From Camden County Schools
“Camden County Schools used RttT monies to send teachers and administrators to RttT trainings and
professional development provided by DPI and NERESA. We will be attending Summer Institute for
the 3rd year in July.”
Jenny Jackson
Director of Secondary Education
From Currituck County Schools
“I just presented to our Board the collective hours of training logged relating to Common Core/Essential
Standards since 2010 – over 21,500 hours and 2150 CEUs earned! Training of this magnitude or to this
extent wouldn’t have occurred if not for the sweeping changes in the curriculum related to RttT.
nother thing we have accomplished under RttT is providing more opportunities for teachers to take
A
on leadership roles in the district.”
Sandy Kinzel
Assistant Superintendent
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From Dare County Schools
Dare County Schools’ 2013 Dare to Share Technology Conference was back by popular demand
following the first conference in 2012. Approximately 470 educators attended each day of the June
11th and 12th conference at First Flight High School.
A Brain-Based Approach to Closing the Achievement Gap, author Horacio Sanchez was the keynote
speaker. Through his diverse experiences as teacher, school administrator, Mental Health Director and
consultant to several state Departments of Education, Sanchez’
perspective merges research, science, and practice. He is a leading authority on resiliency. Sanchez
shared current research on the impact of technology on, and strategies available to support, the
healthy development of every child. Following his keynote remarks, he
conducted a packed session on cyber-bullying and harassment.
Dare to Share provides district educators with a local opportunity to refine skills, learn
required applications and technologies, and to network with colleagues to let others know how they
are successfully using a particular resource or product.
Dare to Share has inside, community, and outside support. The conference is funded in part with North
Carolina’s Race to the Top funds that are targeted for professional development. Fifty local teachers led
132 of the 161 session-conference this year. Solution representatives and trainers, from both free and
licensed sources, conducted the remaining sessions. Daily drawings featured gift certificates donated
by local restaurants, and vendor donations featuring classroom applications, projectors, and even a
$500 credit to spend on classroom technology of the winner’s choice. A list of presenters, vendors, and
donor eatery sites - can be found on a website set up exclusively in support of the conference at
http://d2s2013.daretolearn.org/.
The conference sets aside time for teachers to have focused, hands-on time with programs with the
experts in the room, and an opportunity to explore new instructional resources. Participants select
their sessions based on curriculum/grade level/interest, and/or to advance their skills in higher level
collaborative learning environments.
We established a collaborative area where teachers extended session discussions shared a venue
where they could preview their new school website, explore ChromeBooks with local school techs,
and learn about new devices from vendors.
Margie Parker
Director Elementary Instruction
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From Edenton-Chowan County Schools
Race to the Top has had a positive impact on our district by providing the funding to allow us to:
•Send our district leadership team and others to the RttT professional development sessions
provided by the NERESA and Summer Institutes from DPI and bring back new learning to our district;
•Develop leadership capacity by having district team and others plan and deliver focused professional
development days to train PreK-12 staff on the Common Core and Essential Standards;
•Dig into the curriculum to plan, revisit, and refine units of study in all content areas across the grades;
•Provide infrastructure and resources for the state’s roll out of the Instructional Improvement System;
•Better align curriculum, instruction, and assessment to maximize student success; and
•Better understand the new components and systems that are being developed and required by the
state and how they all fit together.
Audrey Bunch
RttT Coordinator
From Elizabeth City/Pasquotank County Schools
RttT supplied needed funds when the economy and our budget were unable to do so progressively.
With an allocation of about $1.1M, our initial intent was to address what were referred to as the
“pillars” of the grant. With this in mind, we developed a balanced approach to spending. Main areas
and accomplishments are:
Professional Development – Implementing new standards in all grade levels and subjects has, and
continues to be, huge. It would have been even more overwhelming without money to pay teachers
to attend trainings in Common Core and Essential Standards. In part, these trainings have been
supplied by DPI consultants and others, and sometimes organized by NERESA. Also, this item included
studying of documents created by the state that showed crosswalks and unpacking of standards. With
this knowledge, teachers were able to work as teams to create what was called local curricula in the
form of pacing guides. In addition to the fact that such collaboration among staff had never been as
successful previously, the outcome – increased content knowledge, instructional efficacy, and new
documents used to create lesson plans—has been a huge benefit to the district.
Leadership – We have had a Leadership Academy for several years using consultants from the
Schlechty Center. That would have stopped without RttT money. We were able to pay for subs and
materials for 4 years of this training.
OUTCOME
– 4 cohorts of teacher and administrative leaders (about 80 staff members)
trained to lead future work.
Technology – Our technology infrastructure was severely outdated and inadequate. RttT funds allowed
us to completely redo our network and wireless infrastructure. This did not pay for end-user devices,
but allowed us to design a backbone for the support of Home Base and all online testing soon to come.
OUTCOME
– Design and installation of Cisco hardware.
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Turnaround – One of our elementary schools was on the lowest performing list. In addition to 2 people
who have been sent from DPI to help with staff and principal skills to promote student learning,
targeted students themselves received extra time for learning. The grant afforded us the ability to
hold 2 years of after school tutoring and summer school. During the regular school day and year, a
dedicated Instructional Coach was hired with RttT funds.
OUTCOME
–S
tudent performance has increased to 63%. Cost assessed at start of grant to build
the cloud - $200K. Outcome – building of Home Base, filled with online testing,
benchmarks, and a host of other services that previously cost the district hundreds
of thousands of dollars per year to support. The economy of scale afforded by this
project will help smaller districts like ECPS be able to access the programs and
services students and staff need and deserve.
Frank Heath
RttT Coordinator
From Gates County Schools
“RttT funding has helped our district provide support for teachers in developing curriculum maps and unit
plans during the summer. This is crucial in that finding time during the school year is near impossible!!”
Monique Hicks
RttT Coordinator
From Hertford County Schools
Hertford County Public Schools is grateful for the leadership and foresight of the North Carolina
Department of Public Instruction and Superintendent Atkinson’s role in securing Race to the Top funds
for the state of North Carolina and for our district. As a result of being awarded the grant, our district
has been able to gain access to quality professional development and purchase numerous resources
which make the difference in the lives of the students and families we serve.
Related to professional development teachers were able to participate in the following:
•
National, regional, and local professional development:
– Common Core
– Provided substitute or stipend pay for unit mapping and lesson design
•
Instructional Improvement System
– Home Base
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•Literacy
– Daily 5
– Cracking the Code
– Content Area
•Mathematics
– Participated in extensive training with TAP Math-Teachers and Administrators Partnering
for Mathematics
•College Board
– Provided opportunities for teachers to receive certification
– Increased AP courses offering from 4-7
•Turning Around Low Achieving Schools
– Provided travel and resources for administrators and teachers to improve instruction and
school leadership
Hertford was also able to purchase new technologies to impact 21st Century Learning. Some resources
included the following:
•Classroom sets of iPads, iPad II’s, Nooks
•Four Custom SMART Classrooms to include, mounted throw projectors and responders,
– Google Nexus devices, Kindle Fire Devices, and a host and additional applications for the products
•Improvement to the Infrastructure and school website
Also, we are slated to purchase laptop computers for middle school students.
Lastly, RttT funding provided the district with an additional resource person whose function was to
coordinate RttT services. Some of those duties include the following:
•Serve as an instructional leader to assist administration, teachers, parents and students with
resources needed to enhance student achievement
•Coordinate resources and interventions within the schools
•Provide materials to enhance learning
•Coordinate and/or provide technical support in literacy
•Monitor teacher evaluation process and ensure fidelity
•Monitor RtI process: coordinate teacher leader program
•Monitor the fidelity of scientific researched-based programs and activities being used within the district
•Facilitate rollout and integration of RttT activities and services district wide, including
Common Core and Essential Standards
Michael D. Perry, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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From Hyde County Schools
The two most prominent benefits that we have seen in Hyde are:
•Consistent (and good) professional development
•Opportunities to develop our wired/wireless infrastructure
Todd Blumenreich
RttT Coordinator
From Martin County Schools
For Martin County, RttT has provided the funds and impetus to really move our computer access
forward for all students in all schools. Our wireless infrastructure has been vastly upgraded providing
even more computing opportunities for teaching and learning. One example is our system-wide
elementary keyboarding initiative.
Another important benefit has been the professional development that our teachers and principals
have had access to on the new standards as well as on learner-centered instructional practices.
Through RttT, Martin County has moved further and faster into 21st century teaching and learning
than ever before.
Chris Mansfield
RttT Coordinator
From Perquimans County Schools
“Thanks to funding by RttT, Perquimans Central School partnered with Barnes and Noble this year to put
Nooks in the hands of students. Throughout the school year all second grade students have used Nooks
on a daily basis in their classrooms. Each Nook has approximately 35 books on it. Students have had easy
access to books, and teachers have enjoyed the benefits of those books fitting in the palm of their students’
hands. With some of the features of the books Barnes and Noble have available, students can not only
read the book, but can play educational games, and even record themselves reading on the Nook. The
students have also used the Nooks to access the web for research, take AR tests, and access our e-book
subscriptions such as Tumblebooks and Scholastic Bookflix. Students in other grades have also had the
opportunity to use the Nooks throughout the school year. As part of our Summer Reading Program our
rising second grade students will be taking the Nooks home in hopes of preventing the summer slide”.
James Bunch
RttT Coordinator
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From Pitt County Schools
RttT Impact in Pitt County:
•The work with the Teacher Leadership Cohort, which was recently highlighted when we met with
the legislative research team back in April.
•Our annual summer PD conference (Curriculum Summer Institute) has benefited greatly. Prior to
RttT we had only a couple of hundred people attend the conference, but last year our attendance
was over 1500. Using RttT funds we were able to expand session offerings, pay presenters, and
bring in keynote speakers from around the country. This year we have over 80 sessions planned
already, many of them facilitated by our own teachers sharing best practices (something that has
never really happened before).
•We re-wrote our curriculum guides and included close to 180 teachers, coaches, and district
specialists in the process - and this summer we will review the guides with a similar number of
people. In the past guides were created by just a handful of people for the entire district, but as
a result of RttT funding we were able to pay all these teachers so that the new guides could be a
collaborative effort based on the work of teachers who live and breathe the standards every day
•We’ve been able to implement PLCs in every school across the district. Some schools are further along
than others, but RttT funding and requirements have allowed us to get them moving everywhere.
Funding provided training, and waiver days were used to provide time for teachers to meet. On a similar
note, Professional Development has transformed considerably as we’ve shifted from a program-based
model to a people-based and capacity-building model. We’re developing teacher leaders in our schools
and PLCs, offering professional development to administrators (based on needs), and in general are
just more focused on helping people do a better job with meeting the needs of kids.
•Technology was purchased, in particular wireless access points so that every classroom in the
district has wifi access.
Tom Feller
RttT Coordinator
From Tyrrell County Schools
•We have used our RttT funding to implement Carnegie Math at our Middle and High Schools.
Note: with the lack of test scores we have yet to see if it has made an impact but initially it seems to
be making a huge difference with our at-risk students in math, and with classroom formative and
summative assessments.
•We have also started a Tyrrell County Schools Leadership Academy where we will hopefully help
teacher leaders spread their wings in a more global capacity both within and outside our district.
Sheila Cumiskey
RttT Coordinator
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From Washington County Schools
Washington County Schools are Racing to the Top with innovation, technology, and professional
development, and producing Highly Qualified teachers. Our funds from Race to the Top have been
used in numerous required and optional activities.
We have purchased 40 multimedia packages for classrooms throughout the district. Teachers are
using Promethean boards to provide 21st century instruction, implement the IIS and for daily use
of ClassScape for formative as well as summative assessment. In addition, teachers use the boards
to provide instructional activities and engagement that is highly interactive and innovative. PLC’s at
each grade level and ILT’s (Instructional Leadership Teams) at each school use the boards in planning
sessions to look at summative assessment data. Teachers have been provided on-going Professional
Development on the most effective ways to use this technology. With the adoption of the school RttT
transformation model, the district’s goal is to raise the level of student achievement through powerful
questions with a FOCUS on literacy. These tools and resources will aide the district in providing more
rigorous instruction and therefore exceeding our district’s goals.
In the coming year we will provide additional technology updates and meet infrastructure needs.
Funds for 2013/2014 will be used to pay the cost of 180 new wireless access points (and labor for
installation); two Enterasys networks (WS-C5210); two domain controllers; four antennas; and a
twenty four hour technical assistance and support contract.
The new superintendent of WCS and his leadership team are currently working on a plan to support
increasing the number of HQ teachers and leaders in the schools. WCS has a plan for alternate routes
for administrator and teacher certification. This plan will include all teachers at Creswell Elementary
taking part in NBCT (part of Take 1). WCS will support lateral entry teachers in completing their
certification through a state approved program. Additionally WCS will support teachers obtaining their
NBCT, especially in high needs schools. The district has provided group and individual professional
development for teachers that includes writing camp, UbD (Understanding by Design), unit planning,
unpacking standards, and much more.
Pamela Whitehead
RttT Coordinator
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Region 2
Brunswick • Carteret • Clinton • Craven • Duplin
Greene • Jones • Lenoir • New Hanover
Onslow • Pamlico • Pender • Sampson • Wayne
From Brunswick County Schools
•Travel and allowable expenses for teams to attend DPI Common Core Summer Institutes, return
and plan instruction and prepare pacing guides during the summer
•High quality, research-based Professional Development including training to implement Common
Core Support for certified staff to complete NC Falcon modules
•
Technology Infrastructure (60%)
•
Repurposed three technology positions to support schools
•
Tuition reimbursement for advanced coursework (Administrators, Teachers and Teacher Assistants)
•
Opportunities for beginning teachers to shadow mentors
•
Support for STEM education
Dr. Edward Pruden
Superintendent
From Carteret County Schools
“The RttT grant has provided funding for the onset of the one to one computer initiative and the
required infrastructure to support this implementation for Carteret County Schools. The ability to put a
device in every child’s hands will transform the way we teach and the way our students learn”.
Heather Dietzler
RttT Coordinator
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From Clinton City Schools
“In Clinton City Schools, RttT funds have been instrumental in helping our district get the
infrastructure needed in order to provide a wireless environment district wide. The professional
development offered by NCDPI and other agencies has been invaluable in helping teachers get a better
understanding of the common core and essential standards. These things will work in harmony as we
prepare our students for the 21st century.”
Terrace Miller
RttT Coordinator
From Craven County Schools
•Just having RttT monies generated very positive discussions that otherwise would not have occurred.
•Many of our coaching support positions were eliminated by budgetary challenges so we could
once again offer support to our teachers. We also moved master teachers to schools challenged by
economically deprived student populations.
•Many of the RttT pillars focused on 21st century which opened discussions about online testing as
well as other cloud-based options for data, professional development, sharing of learning system
resources, and school-to-parent communication.
•RttT promoted initiatives in instructional technology.
•The STEM option in RttT offered the opportunity for our first middle school STEM lab (PITSCO)
which led to Golden Leaf support for an additional lab (became a model for the Eastern Region)
which led to our being awarded a DoDEA Grant focused on STEM deployment.
•The DSW promoted discussions about how we support our teachers and administrators in
leadership positions. Those discussions lead to more strategic support in those areas.
•The monies provided the resources for very strategically planned professional development.
•The monies provided support from DPI both online and face-to-face.
•Lead to the development of a PD Matrix for the district.
•Lead to an emphasis on literacy across all subjects – a missing link in our curriculum for years!
Annette Brown
RttT Coordinator/Assistant Superintendent
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From Duplin County Schools
Duplin County Schools has benefited immensely over the last few years from our Race to the Top grant
funding. Below are some highlights of how this funding has helped Duplin County move forward in
support of our district strategic plan:
•We were able to hire curriculum coaches who worked directly with principals and teachers to
implement the Common Core and Essential Standards into all classrooms. Our coaches have
presented their methods and successes at several regional and state meetings and conferences
over the last couple of years.
•This funding has also provided resources for professional development not only on the new
curriculum but on our district’s vision of how to provide quality instruction on the new standards.
We have done this through our District-wide Early College/Seamless Education model which has
created higher expectations for students, staff, and parents and has increased our awareness and
ability to help ALL children.
•Due to this grant we were also able to work with teachers to create curriculum guides for every
subject and grade level. We also created a district webpage of resources and lesson plans that are
shared between all schools and teachers increasing both vertical and horizontal alignment across
the entire school system.
•The RttT funding has provided direct support to Warsaw Elementary School which was on the
“Five Percent” list at the beginning of the grant. Besides our funding, DPI coaches have assisted
the principal and teachers at this school during the grant period. Since the grant was awarded
proficiency at this school has increased over eleven percent.
•The grant allowed teachers from every school to serve on a district-wide team that met to discuss
curriculum and coordinate the district’s efforts to implement the new curriculum. This team
attended training at the DPI Summer Institutes as well as regional trainings throughout the year.
•The grant has increased collaboration between departments in the district as well as the district’s
collaboration with both other school systems and the Department of Public Instruction.
Dr. Austin Obasohan
Superintendent
From Greene County Schools
“Greene County Schools has made significant use of our RttT funds in the implementation of North
Carolina’s adoption of Common Core and Essential Standards as our Standard Course of Study.
These expenditures included professional development expenses and needed professional
learning materials.”
“Our district technology plan has also been more fully realized by allowing us to purchase additional
hardware and infrastructure needs at the elementary levels in anticipation of the state plan for on
line testing for grades 3-12 and for increased access for 21st Century learning for our elementary
school students.”
Patricia MacNeill, Ed. D.
Assistant Superintendent
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From Jones County Schools
•RttT has helped us work together as a district more collaboratively. Teachers are working with
other teachers within and across grade levels. It has helped elementary, middle, and high school
understand a little better the role each school contributes. I also think it has helped us look at
resources in a different way.....not just buy a book and make copies.....to really see how that
resource can be used.
•We have created Interdisciplinary Units, conducted PD that focused on Digital Media, and created
“work in progress” Curriculum Guides. We have also empowered teachers to become leaders in
the district by attending and delivering PD. We have used the OER and Achieve rubrics to help
teachers plan and evaluate quality instructional lesson plans.
• Even though our district is small, I feel this initiative has helped us get to know each other better.
JoAnn Stone
RttT Coordinator
From Lenoir County Schools
Lenoir County has greatly benefited from RttT funding in the following ways:
•Infrastructure has been enhanced in our school buildings, providing wireless connection in all
of our classrooms.
•Teachers and administrative staff have had access to excellent training in Common Core/
Essential Standards.
•The principals and teachers of our 5% schools have had good support (training and resources)
through instructional and principal coaches.
•We have access to high quality teacher candidates through Teach for America.
•The regional PD leads have provided assistance in the way of training and planning for
improvement in all of our schools in our district.
Diane Lynch
RttT Coordinator/Associate Superintendent
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From New Hanover County Schools
“Race to the Top funds have allowed New Hanover County Schools to complete the wireless
infrastructure. A completed wireless infrastructure has sped up the process of implementing BYOD
and moving from fixed labs to mobile labs. We have also been able to implement a one to one
initiative using iPads with a middle school.”
“The funds have also allowed us to provide resources and professional development on the New
Standard Course of Study that otherwise may not have been possible. In addition to these resources
and professional development, we have provided our administrators a consistent tool that is being
used to inform teachers of the instructional practices that they observe during walk-throughs so that
teachers can adjust their instructional practices to optimize the instructional time they have with their
students and increase student achievement.”
Dawn Brinson
Chief Technology Officer
From Onslow County Schools
“There has been an opportunity to build and support technology infrastructure through the Race to
the Top funding as we prepare for on-line testing system-wide.”
Dr. Kathy Spencer
Superintendent
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From Pamlico County Schools
Race to the Top funding has allowed Pamlico County Schools to provide many resources and valuable
opportunities to teachers, students, and administrators that we would not have been able to do
otherwise. Some of the most beneficial and positive impacts include:
•We have provided very beneficial, high-quality professional development to all administrators
and teachers over the past 3 years. These professional development activities have included the
Summer Institutes as well as the regional training sessions and webinars on the new standards, new
assessments, EVAAS, HomeBase, PowerSchool, Curriculum Mapping and other RttT initiatives. We
have a strong local RttT leadership team as a result of our participation in those PD activities.
•We have been able to purchase technology equipment and devices for students, teachers, and
schools. We have wireless access in all schools and our infrastructure is adequate for the new
online assessments. We have purchased computers for a lab at the elementary school to assist
them in administering the assessments as well as facilitate daily instruction. We have purchased
headphones for students.
•We have purchased needed instructional resources for teachers to use in preparing high-quality
daily instruction on the new Common Core and Essential Standards. We have a strong district wide
focus on making sure our students are getting high quality instruction in Literacy beginning with
Kindergarten and continuing through high school. RttT funds have provided us with the resources
to support this work. We have also used RttT funds to send mathematics teachers to receive
training on the new Common Core Standards and mathematical practices.
•We have provided local training for our teachers and administrators by scheduling the NCDPI
Regional leads to come to our district on many different occasions. Robin Smith, Mary Keel, Sherry
Broome, Karla Casteen, Tara Patterson, Angie Cloninger and others have provided much assistance
and training which has been invaluable.
•We plan to use RttT funds to pay for HomeBase resources in 2014-15 as we feel that will be
extremely beneficial to our teachers and students.
•We appreciate the support, resources, and opportunities that RttT funding has provided for our
students, teachers, and administrators. We are a very small, rural LEA, but we are confident that we
are able to provide our students with a high quality education that will prepare them to be Career
and College Ready.
Cathy Dunbar
RttT Coordinator
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From Pender County Schools
“I would say one major benefit of RttT is our Instructional Coaching positions. We’ve been able to
get personalized PD for our teachers to meet them where they are with the shift to Common Core/
Essential Standards. Our coaches previously only served Title I schools. By blending Title I and RttT
funds we’ve decreased our school to coach ratio.”
Molly White
RttT Coordinator
From Sampson County Schools
“The Race to the Top funds in Sampson County have been utilized to provide instructional coaches for
job-embedded PD and to allow teachers, administrators and instructional coaches to attend many
Common Core/Essential Standards/Evaluation/Data trainings. The trainings have been valuable in
learning the new curriculum content. The job embedded PD facilitated by our instructional coaches
ensured that new content was implemented with the most effective instructional strategies in the
classroom. The coaches also facilitated curriculum mapping and lesson planning with teachers. An
effective lesson must be properly planned!”
Becky Lockamy
RttT Coordinator
From Wayne County Schools
“Three big changes have come from RttT. First, we have been able to attend meetings and trainings
that have enriched our instruction. The guidance of PD Leads and our Regional Lead has been
invaluable in helping us implement the new SCOS with new strategies and techniques, and the
curriculum trainings sponsored by the RESA have been very helpful. With the RttT funding, we’ve
been able to develop teacher leaders who have become a strong PD team in our district. Second,
we have enhanced technology dramatically. We have secured iPads for walk-throughs, and we have
made a jump-start toward online testing. Third, we have developed terrific relationships within our
district and across our region and state. This is important because we have learned so much from our
colleagues and worked together to develop strong instructional skills.”
Kim Copeland
RttT Coordinator
20
Region 3
Durham • Edgecombe • Franklin • Granville • Halifax
Johnston • Nash-Rocky Mount • Northampton • Roanoke Rapids
Vance • Wake • Warren • Weldon • Wilson
From Public Schools of Durham County
“RttT Funds have provided the district with technology capabilities to enrich teaching and learning
beyond measure. These funds have equipped teachers with the tools to enhance student learning.”
Mr. Dietrich Danner
Coordinator of Professional Learning
From Edgecombe County Schools
“RttT Funds have provided Edgecombe County Public Schools with the resources and academic
support to enhance student learning outcomes. In addition, RttT funding has driven our strategic
targeted professional development plan and rollout of the New Common Core and Essential
Standards. In addition, these resources have been embedded in the ECPS District Strategic Plan as
we have utilized data to determine priority goals, activities and targets for performance.”
John D. Farrelly
Superintendent
From Franklin County Schools
•We increased our access to the network tremendously due to RttT funding. We had the funding to
place a Wireless Access Point in every part of every school campus, including district administration
office areas. You cannot go in any part of any facility in our district without having access to the
network. This has proven to be extremely beneficial for online testing.
•We have been able to recruit highly qualified teachers from colleges and universities throughout
North Carolina.
•We have been able to continue the hard work in implementing the Common Core through PLCs,
Summer Institute attendance, and various professional development opportunities through RttT funding.
Joe Baisley
Public Information Officer
22
From Granville County Schools
“We spent RttT funds on wireless infrastructure at three of our elementary schools and two of our
middle schools. We also purchased Discovery Education Video Streaming. Connections from RttT
expenditures to our online program can be made to students at one of our middle schools who are
taking online classes using the wireless infrastructure. Additionally, we have online teachers who use
Discovery Ed in their online courses”.
Vanessa Wrenn
Director of Technology
From Halifax County Schools
“Race to the Top funds have strategically been used to help attract great teachers and leaders. Specifically,
this grant has provided us with the financial backing that is needed to attract and retain highly qualified
teachers and administrators, especially in areas that are hard to recruit. Administrators and teachers were
provided high quality professional development from nationally renowned authors that transposed into
the classroom. Race to the Top has supported numerous professional development initiatives that enabled
us to unpack the Common Core and Essential Standards to have a greater impact on teaching and
learning. This professional development has been two-fold because it has helped to build both teacher
and student capacities. Under the Race to the Top initiative, our district has seen an increase in teacher
leaders. The district used Race to the Top funds in conjunction with other grants to provide parents and
students with more informational texts to promote literacy across all content areas. Race to the Top funds
have also been used to help support technology as a means of increasing student achievement.”
Tyrana B. Battle
Assistant Superintendent
From Johnston County Schools
“Johnston County Schools has used our Race to the Top Funding to update our wireless infrastructure
to handle a district-wide 1:1 initiative. We have also used funding for curriculum and instructional
technology specialists to assist all personnel in successful implementation of the Common Core.
These staff members provide professional development, lesson plans, and even co-teach in
classrooms to support and coach our teachers”.
Fran Riddick
RttT Coordinator
23
From Nash-Rocky Mount Schools
Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools used RttT Funds for:
•Support of staff attendance of Summer Institute, NCDPI Training Modules, CCRESA, and other
summer learning opportunities in pursuit of implementation of CCSS and NCESS.
•Opportunity for staff to develop and write pacing and curriculum guides aligned with CCSS and NCESS.
•Support of system-wide implementation of blended digital learning for students through 1:1
initiative for grades 4 through 12. (Wireless connectivity, devices, professional development)
•Support of monitoring tool to screen, diagnose, and individualize reading instruction for students
in grades 4 and 5 through the use of Reading 3D.
•Professional Development for administrators to plan, implement, and monitor sustainable
improvement aligned with RttT initiatives.
Eddie Hicks
Executive Director for School Transformation
24
From Northampton County Schools
Northampton has used Race to the Top funds, as follows:
•Using RttT funds, we were able to send all of our lead training team to all NCDPI state and regional
trainings including curriculum and IIS and to many supplemental Common Core and assessment
trainings. As a result of this, we were able to build a key training team of curriculum specialists and
lead teachers who could sustain the training for our staff. We were able to train all teachers, teacher
assistants, academic coaches, and administrators on the Common Core state standards and NC
Essential Standards. As an extension of this training, we were able to create curriculum maps and
lesson plans for all content areas in PreK-12. Starting in June 2013, all middle and high school core
content area teachers are reviewing and updating pacing guides, curriculum guides and lesson
plans with the guidance of NCDPI curriculum specialists. Elementary teachers have been able to
participate in focused math, reading and writing training in association with university partners
such as Meredith College and Chowan University.
•As part of our district wide literacy initiative, we were able to hire a district literacy specialist,
using RttT funds, to serve all elementary schools in PK-2. The addition of this coach has served as a
springboard for the district to look at expanding the number of reading specialists.
•Using RttT funds, we have updated the wireless infrastructure for 5 schools providing the ability to
access wireless network from all areas of the buildings. This will be particularly helpful for our high
school which is implementing a 1:1 project this year.
•We also were able to purchase televisions and stands to use with our Polycom videoconferencing
units. The addition of the televisions and stands allows mobile classroom access to virtual field
trips, interviews with experts, collaborative meetings and conferences, and greater access to
synchronous courses provided by the NC School of Science and Math.
•We also set aside funds in RttT to supplement instructional technology leadership training and O79
certification for three district instructional technology facilitators and extensive training for two
school technology leadership teams through a partnership with UNC-Greensboro’s Golden Leaf
Instructional Technology Leadership Program.
Rhonda Moses
Chief Technology Officer
25
From Roanoke Rapids Graded Schools
“Roanoke Rapids Graded Schools has utilized their RttT Implementation Team, which meets monthly,
to monitor the effective implementation of the higher standards grades K-12. They have also taken
advantage of the excellent RttT funded RESA professional development sessions such as: Larry
Ainsworth’s ‘Rigorous Curriculum Design’; Brian McNulty’s ‘Leadership Research Training’; and,
Sue Gendron’s ‘Smarter Balanced Assessments’ to help build leadership capacity among their
administrators and teachers. They have specifically used their RttT funds, in a strategic sustainable
manner, to: strengthen their infrastructure which will allow them to use technology to support
student learning; and, to build teacher leadership capacity through a variety of effective professional
development training sessions for K-12 alignment and effectiveness.”
Dr. Dennis Sawyer
Superintendent of Schools
From Vance County Schools
The impact of Race to the Top money has:
•Enabled us to provide professional development for teachers, school-based administrators and
district-based administrators to learn more about Common Core and many other various topics
related to the increase of student achievement. We have attended the Summer Institutes, several
RESA sponsored events, and DPI sponsored events. Locally, we have also developed much
professional development for teachers and administrators.
•Enabled VCS to continue its 1 to 1 initiative for our high school students. These dollars have also
assisted to assure our technology infrastructure was updated as needed. We also made many
classrooms interactive and equipped with technology so students have access to more information
outside of the classroom.
•Supported our STEM initiative in the district with resources for project-based learning, professional
development, etc. We have a STEM middle school program which is located at a high school
campus. We have three elementary schools on the path to becoming STEM schools.
Dr. Trixie Brooks
Assistant Superintendent 26
From Wake County Schools
The positive impacts of Race to the Top on Wake County Public Schools include the following:
•WCPSS has provided important training to improve the understanding of Common Core and
Essential Standards for teachers and other key staff throughout the district.
•WCPSS content specialists have improved and updated the on-line curriculum management
system to support all teachers in delivering effective instruction aligned with the standards.
•WCPSS content specialists have developed benchmark and summative assessments to ensure that
staff can measure student progress and respond with appropriate instructional decisions.
•WCPSS provided additional professional development to the district’s four lowest performing
elementary schools (Renaissance schools).
•
WCPSS has hired one additional teacher per grade level at the Renaissance schools.
•WCPSS conducted an internal evaluation of the RttT initiatives at the Renaissance schools and
it generated specific information that will help improve their implementation and hopefully
subsequent implementation of similar programs at Renaissance schools and elsewhere.
•NCDPI personnel have provided feedback and assistance in areas ranging from professional
development to financial reporting. Events such as the trainings and meetings at the Regional
Educational Service Alliance and the Large District Collaboration meeting in Greensboro have
given our staff opportunities to clarify the substance of the RttT goals and the administrative
requirements of ensuring compliance with funding guidelines.
•Support from the NC New Schools coaches has helped teachers at STEM Anchor Schools use the
Common Instructional Framework.
•The Professional Development in the form of Peer Reviews, school site visits, and face-to-face
professional development has been helpful at the STEM Anchor Schools.
•
Teachers at the STEM Anchor Schools have made significant progress in writing curriculum.
Talbot Troy
Senior Administrator/RttT Coordinator/State and Federal Programs
27
From Warren County Schools
“Race to the Top (RttT) funds have assisted Warren County Schools in providing great Professional
Development (PD) to all of its staff all during the year. The PD sessions have been relevant and
meaningful and the Summer Institutes have been wonderful. Having a team to attend has been
instrumental in having support, feedback and leaders in the district. The support received from DPI
instructional coaches and the assigned transformational team (school, district and literacy) have
served us well. The regional support staff has been very helpful to include: Mrs. Mary Russell; Mr.
Greg McKnight; and, Dr. James Coon. RttT funds also assisted Warren County Schools with the
planning as well as compiling of its Strategic Plan.”
Dr. Linda T. Mason
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum
From Weldon City Schools
In general, “Race to Top” funds were spent in 3 major areas, as follows:
•To install critical technology infrastructure upgrades and to purchase digital devises, particularly
laptops, at the high school level.
•To provide teacher professional development to enhance their skills to implement higher standards
in North Carolina.
•To invest in “Class Works” which is being used as formative assessments to ensure that students
were “on target” to master higher standards.
Alicia Hossein
Technology Director
From Wilson County Schools
“RttT funding afforded Wilson County Schools the opportunity to provide wireless networks in three
of our most economically disadvantaged schools. These schools also benefited from an infusion of
instructional technology and the professional development and human resources needed to support
the implementation of that technology.”
Daniel Vogelman
Assistant Superintendent
28
Region 4
Bladen • Columbus • Cumberland • Harnett • Hoke • Lee
Montgomery • Moore • Richmond • Robeson • Scotland • Whiteville
From Bladen County Schools
“Race to the Top has supported several initiatives in our district that have provided academic support,
professional development opportunities, and a strong system wide focus on technology efforts.
A large scale project funded through RttT gave our LEA the capacity to install a robust wireless
infrastructure that was foundational to the implementation of a grant-funded 1:1 Laptop Program in
our two high schools. It has further allowed us to provide real time formative assessment tools to
enhance and evaluate student performance, access to multiple instructional support materials, and
helped to support the use of collaborative tools for professional development, teacher training in
new common core standards, and teacher evaluation. These funds have also allowed us to purchase
software for the district that will monitor professional development for all employees, evaluate
effectiveness, and provide CEU credits into the existing HRMS system”.
Tanya S. Head
Assistant Superintendent
Curriculum and Instruction
From Columbus County Schools
Columbus County used Race to the Top funds to:
•Provide multiple professional development opportunities for all teachers (K-12) in English/
Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Healthful Living.
•Promote the implementation of transformation of our 3 traditional high schools into STEM high
schools by providing funding for various professional development opportunities for high school
principals, lead teachers and teachers.
•Provide funding for the hiring of one full time lead teacher at each high school, as well as one and a
half elementary and middle school lead teachers.
•Fund district-wide collaboration in the creation of district curriculum guides to align with Common
Core and Essential Standards.
Kathy Lewis and Cassie Cartrette
Co-RttT Coordinator
30
From Cumberland County Schools
“Cumberland County primarily used Race to the Top (RttT) funds to improve their infrastructure so that
they now have wireless internet connections in all of their instructional and management buildings
which has enhanced their ability to offer a blended approach to professional development that has
enhanced teacher ability to implement the higher standards and it has also increased their ability to
professional collaborate throughout this large LEA. In addition, it has allowed Cumberland County
Schools to provide face-to-face professional development in many areas of need through their LEA.”
Amanda Neely
Grant Development and Race to the Top Coordinator
From Harnett County Schools
“Funding from “Race to the Top” has allowed our district 1) to provide specific standards and assessment
training to teachers in grade span groups, 2) to spend additional time in the summer working with teacher
groups to develop pacing and assessment documents, 3) to train both Principals and Assistant Principals
in how to support teachers as they deliver the new, more rigorous standards, 4) to reinforce wireless
infrastructure to support online learning and assessments in our schools, and 5) to establish our district’s
first one-to-one laptop initiative in one of our middle schools. The opportunity to build capacity among
both leadership and instructional staff has been the greatest focus in our LEA.”
Dr. Nancy Holmes
Assistant Superintendent
Curriculum and Instruction
From Lee County Schools
A.) “RttT funds, in part, allowed Lee County to provide relevant and focused professional development
for teachers by paying them to create, and to continuously revise through this school year,
curriculum maps, using the Universal Design for Learning process and then incorporating them
into their new Instructional Management System (IMS). The new IMS was also paid for, in part,
with RttT funds”.
Andy Bryan
Associate Superintendent (Superintendent on July 1, 2013)
31
B.) “Lee County Schools utilized RttT funding to provide professional development to prepare teachers
for the new Standards. Not only did teachers unpack standards and work on curriculum mapping,
they were also provided district-wide training on “Understanding by Design (UBD)”. Professional
development was delivered both “in person” and through LCS created videos, which were studied
and discussed at schools through PLCs; the videos were also available so teachers could use them
at their convenience. In summer 2012, district teachers worked together to create unit plans for
their content, using UBD as the framework. Teachers’ work to develop curriculum plans, using
UBD, continues this summer.”
Tina Poltrock, Ed.D.
Director of Secondary Education
From Montgomery County Schools
“Race to the Top funds have enabled Montgomery County Schools to have an instructional facilitator
in each of our traditional schools. They support the roll-out of state, district, and school initiatives
by providing meaningful PD, assisting teachers with data analysis, and guiding and monitoring
continuous improvement processes. Our instructional facilitators, lead teachers, and administrators
have benefited from the PD opportunities offered at the regional level, made possible through
RttT funding. The Summer Institutes have promoted collaboration, networking, and the sharing of
information. Best practices in PD delivery demonstrated at these institutes have been incorporated
into our own PD.”
Alisha Ellis
Instructional Technology Support
From Moore County Schools
At a time when school budgets are being cut, RttT funds have allowed our district to continue the
focus on student outcomes by providing opportunities for strategic professional development for
teachers. These funds have also allowed our district to purchase technology and update our existing
infrastructure which has increased our district’s capacity and improved productivity. Specifically, Race
to the Top funds:
•Developed a comprehensive professional development plan to prepare and support all teachers in
the implementation of the Common Core and Essential Standards and related assessments
•Allowed teacher participation in regional professional development related to the Common Core
and Essential Standards
•Developed and published online MCS Common Core & NC Essential Standards Task Analysis/
Pacing Guides and additional resources to support the implementation of the Common Core and
Essential Standards
32
•Updated the infrastructure (wireless) and available hardware (laptop carts, 1:1 student laptops,
iPads, and Kindles) in preparation for online assessments
•Purchased laptops for teachers and will provide professional development to support the
implementation of Home Base
•Hosted a two year coaching academy for 75 administrators to assist them in coaching teachers on
best practices in pedagogy
Amanda Bullard
Director for Professional Development
Instructional Design and Innovation
From Richmond County Schools
“The quality PD we have been able to attend as well as offer has truly changed our approach to
teaching. RttT funds have been utilized to bring a national presenter to our district for 2 years with
customized PD targeted specifically to our district-level identified needs as well as individual schoollevel identified needs. We also purchased technology devices and hired technology facilitators to
support our teachers in the use of integrating advanced technology into daily lessons where students
have had a hands-on approach to learning. We have been very fortunate to receive RttT funds!”
Marsha Porter
Federal Programs Director
From Public Schools of Robeson County
Race to the Top resources have helped our district in the following ways:
•Provided accelerated transition of the Common Core/Essential Standards
•Enabled direct support for teachers and administrators in the transition of curriculum and assessments
•
Allowed PLC’s to become strengthened
•Assisted in securing adequate and appropriate technology infrastructure and devices to support
21st century learning, instruction and assessment.
Dr. Linda Emanuel
Assistant Superintendent
Curriculum Program Services
33
From Scotland County Schools
“RttT Funds has allowed us to provide Common Core professional development for all our staff members
in Scotland County. Utilizing our teams we have been able to provide follow-up training throughout the
year as well. In addition, our technology initiatives are in great shape. As a result of teamwork between
the Technology Department and C&I Department we have been able to outfit most of our elementary
schools one-to-one in grades 3-5, and several are one-to-one capability K-5. Our secondary schools have
also started the process for the one-to-one initiative, with several classrooms fully equipped in the core
areas (particularly ELA and math/science). Lastly, we have worked diligently to provide teachers with
literacy training and support at the elementary level and in grades 9 and 10.“
Dr. Pamela Baldwin
Assistant Superintendent
From Whiteville City Schools
Whiteville City used the funds primarily to:
•
Support reading initiatives K-12.
•
Purchase Common Core supplies/materials in Reading and Math at grades K-5.
•Provide effective professional development processes, and practices, to help enhance the skills
of teachers to implement higher standards.
In a fiscally-restrained LEA as small as Whiteville City, these Race to the Top Funds were critical to the
successful implementation of the new higher standards in North Carolina. Without these funds none
of these actions steps as listed above could have happened.
Thomas McLam and Bonnie Park
RttT Coordinator
34
Region 5
Alamance/Burlington • Asheboro • Caswell • Chatham
Chapel Hill/Carrboro • Davidson • Guilford • Lexington • Orange • Person
Randolph • Rockingham • Stokes • Thomasville • Winston Salem/Forsyth
From Alamance/Burlington Schools
“RttT funds have enabled our district to build teacher leadership capacity through engaging core
teams of teachers in digging into new standards, creating teacher resources and tools, and providing
professional development to peers in support of the teaching and learning process. To date, we have
engaged over 240 teachers in this work. As a result, we have built a broad base of teacher capacity to
support change and continuous improvement.”
Rhonda Schuhler
Executive Director of Staff Development
From Asheboro City Schools
“A Science coach has been hired through the grant. She has provided summer programs and
incorporated this program into the school year programming. A Graduation coach has designed a
program for our students. In addition, we have expanded the AVID program with excellent results”.
Harold Blair
Instructional Technology Director
From Caswell County Schools
•Caswell County Schools (CCS) has been able to improve the beginning teacher (BT) program by
conducting professional development throughout the school year. Race to the Top funds have been
used for BT orientation materials and supplies as well as BT orientation stipends for BTs.
•Race to the Top funds have been used to pay highly qualified mentors $100.00 per month for
working with 1st and 2nd year BTs.
•CCS has supported funding for National Board candidates. Race to the Top funds have been used to
pay registration costs and a $150.00 per month stipend for the National Board coach.
•CCS has been able to provide training for all teachers in Common Core and Essential Standards as
well as the new educator evaluation system.
•CCS has provided teachers with AP exam review materials and paid AP exam fees for all students
who were unable to pay for the exam.
•We were able to provide laptops for every teacher in the High School and Middle School and every
student in 8-10th grade from our RttT Funds. In addition, we were able to purchase laptop carts
in the elementary schools. We were also able to provide Wireless upgrades in every school in our
district. This has made it possible to allow every student in our district the opportunity access 21st
Century tools and information.
Dr. Sammy Shields
Asst. Superintendent
36
From Chatham County Schools
“We were able to provide additional opportunities for our High School students to be college ready by
providing a SAT preparation program. We have also been able to ensure that all of our students have
working computers in their hands and it has made a positive impact on our instruction”
Dr. Derrick Jordan
Race to the Top Coordinator
From Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools
“Race to the Top provided our district with some funds for professional development to implement
initiatives that were included in NC’s grant. Even though the state was already adopting new
standards, these funds allowed us to prepare and support teachers to implement the standards at a
time when the NC legislature was not willing and/or able to do so. The funding also supported one
year of funding for middle school math coaches to support implementation of CCSS-M. In 2013-14,
the final year of the grant, CHCCS and other districts will realize the full benefit of the grant as we
move from NCWise to Powerschool and HomeBase.”
Sherri Martin
Race to the Top Coordinator
From Davidson County Schools
“RttT has given our district the resources needed to implement 21st Century Interactive classrooms. In
addition, we have been able to fund much needed Common Core training for all teachers across the
district. None of this would have been possible without Race to the Top funding.”
Christine Hunt
Race to the Top Coordinator
37
From Guilford County Schools
“In addition to building technology infrastructure and turning around our lowest achieving schools, in
Guilford County Schools we used a significant portion of RttT dollars to provide critical Common Core
professional development for teachers and school leaders over the past two years and to administer
Common Exams this year. We administered 60,677 Common Exams in our district for Spring 2013.
To put that in perspective, we typically administer somewhere around 3800 Algebra I EOCs and
4200 Biology EOCs. Common Exams were in addition to the EOC/EOGs. Our teachers scored a total
of 195,173 constructed responses on these exams. RttT dollars are certainly helping us to build our
capacity to implement Common Core and to move our district farther, faster.”
Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D.
Strategic Planning & Project Management Officer
From Lexington City Schools
“We were able to provide laptops for every teacher in the High School and Middle School and every
student in 8-10th grade from our RttT Funds. In addition, we were able to purchase laptop carts in the
elementary schools. We were also able to provide Wireless upgrades in every school in our district.
This has made it possible to allow every student in our district the opportunity to access 21st Century
tools and information.”
Rick Kriesky
Superintendent of Schools
From Orange County Schools
“The Race to the Top funds that the Orange County Schools received were used to contract with
teachers in our district to help with implementing the common core, pay stipends to teachers during
the summer to engage in unpacking the standards, and to cover print costs for newly developed
materials. Without this type of funding, our district would have been hard-pressed to deliver the
curriculum maps, essentials questions, performance assessments, etc. and training that was needed
to begin delivering the common core and essential standards this school year. And, as a result, we
have had multiple new teacher leaders emerge in our district. The funds were sorely needed and we
have spent every last dime of them.”
Denise Morton
Assistant Superintendent
38
From Person County Schools
“RttT funding has allowed us to continue addressing emerging technology. With the start of the 20132014 school year, we will have a 1:1 initiative in grades 3-12. In addition, we continue to expand our
usage of the Learning Focused Model. Moreover, RttT funding has allowed our district to provide high
quality professional development to all teachers. Our district has been able to sustain high quality,
research based, curriculum and instructional strategies in order to increase student achievement.”
Dan Holloman
Executive Director Human Resources
From Randolph County Schools
“In writing the plan, we, Randolph County Schools, were clear that in order to build the needed
infrastructure to support the efforts of Race to the Top initiatives we needed a strong network
backbone. With the funds we were able to put in place wireless throughout our schools and to give
teachers laptops with wireless capability giving them mobility in the classroom. Having this in place
within the first year and 1/2 of RttT, we could then focus more in depth on the Common Core and
Essential Standards, online testing, and now Home Base with all it encompasses.”
Nan York
Executive Director Media & Technology
Pat Foust (retired June, 2013)
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction
From Rockingham County Schools
“Race to the Top funds have supported our mobile learning initiative. These funds combined with grant
and local funds provided devices for our high school students and a robust infrastructure.”
Dr. Nakia Hardy
Assistant Superintendent
39
From Stokes County Schools
“Race to the Top has allowed us to do things we could not have done otherwise. We have been able to
provide our teachers with a great deal of professional development built around the implementation
of the Common Core and North Carolina Essential Standards. Additionally, the Race to the Top
funding has enabled us to purchase additional computers for all our schools.”
Dr. Todd Martin
Assistant Superintendent
From Thomasville City Schools
“Race to the Top funds were used in a variety of ways. Interventionists were hired to support early
intervention for the K-3 level. RttT also supported professional development for the successful
implementation of the Common Core and Essential Standards. Innovative school grants were
budgeted for 3 consecutive years and provided additional resources to support the new Standard
Course of Study implementation. Teacher leaders were developed and stipends were paid to certified
staff to lead after school sessions. 40 “Hot Topic” sessions were held each year to support district
professional development needs.”
Ceretha Mitchell
Assistant Superintendent
From Winston Salem/Forsyth County Schools
Race to the Top funds have allowed Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools to put structures in place
to support schools, teachers, and principals in meeting the needs of our students. RttT funds have
made significant impact on curriculum and instruction through the development of Common Core and
Essential Standards curriculum guides, delivery of curriculum professional development, and building
teacher capacity to use formative assessment to identify student areas of growth in our learning
teams. Because of RttT funds, the necessary infrastructure to support a digital learning environment,
through a bring-your-own-device initiative, is now in place district-wide. RttT funds allowed the district
to respond to the social and emotional needs of its students as well by supporting the integration of
Rachel’s Challenge, an anti-bullying campaign, into half of our schools and the creation of Forsyth
Academy for Continuing Education which provides a vehicle for high school drop outs to return to
school. In the current economic climate, WSFCS could not have met the needs of its students, schools,
teachers, and principals without the infusion of Race to the Top funds.
Bud Harrelson
Program Manager for School Improvement
Race to the Top Coordinator
40
Region 6
Anson • Cabarrus • Charlotte-Mecklenburg • Cleveland
Gaston • Kannapolis • Lincoln • Stanly • Union
From Anson County Schools
As a result of RttT, our entire district has received in depth training and hands-on professional
development to unpack Common Core Standards. As a result, the district has fully implemented the
Total Instructional Alignment (TIA) process for all core academic areas. Unit Plans have been created,
along with supporting curriculum documents. The district has also utilized formative assessments that
are aligned to the new standards. As a result of RttT, all instructional staff have participated in at least
48 hours of professional development focused on the new North Carolina Standard Course of Study with
an emphasis on the instructional shifts. Staff also received training on effectively planning and delivering
core aligned instruction through our Learning Development Centers with grade level specificity.
The following quotes were taken from feedback sheets after teachers participated in professional
development aligned to our Human Capital Development initiative.
“The Effective Lesson Design seminar gave teachers time to plan with co-workers. We shared ideas
and resources while receiving assistance from our Learning Development Center Coordinator.” “Every
practice was modeled, so we would know exactly what it was supposed to look like in the classroom.
I feel more prepared to effectively use the mathematical practices as a result of the professional
development activity.”
“I received a great deal of instructional resources to use that align with the new North Carolina
Standard Course of Study. I also gained so much from simply having an opportunity to collaborate,
plan, and discuss the curriculum with my colleagues.”
H.E. McLean
Executive Director of Teaching and Learning
From Cabarrus County Schools
•Cabarrus County Schools will implement a STEM Magnet and IB Magnet to begin in the 2011-2012
school year. Cabarrus County Schools will provide the curriculum support necessary to support the
new standards and offer appropriate rigorous science and math courses while at the same time
revitalizing a school. Although, the RttT funds will not be recurring to support these initiatives, local
support will continue.
•These funds will be used to pay for the cost of the initial IB application and to support the cost of
the training and materials needed for both the STEM and IB initiatives.
•The implementation of HS Success which focuses on our 9th graders and provides support for
English I (a major predictor of success) and in study skills. The success rate for those students has
been phenomenal.
•
A focus on shared essential curriculum across the district and the state.
Dr. Barry Shepherd
Mathew Fail
Superintendent Executive Director of Organizational Planning and Accountability
42
From Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Talent Management
•Race to the Top (Rt3) funding has allowed CMS to develop a Talent Management initiative within
Human Resources that addresses performance-based evaluations for all employees. We have
worked with teacher-working teams to develop measures of effectiveness that complement the NC
Teacher evaluation instrument to assist school-based administrators with classroom observations.
In addition, we have developed scorecards for each department and major category of employee
(executive staff, support staff, district administration, principals, assistant principals, etc.).
•Race to the Top funding allowed CMS to begin a five-year partnership with Truenorthlogic to
expand on the work that DPI is doing to support professional development for and evaluation of
teachers, principals and assistant principals. CMS is currently working on the design process that
will provide the district with a robust system to support performance based evaluations for all
18,143 employees; coaching and mentoring; certification and licensure; induction and on-boarding;
career development; automation of department scorecards; differentiated pay and professional
development. This work will begin in the summer of 2013.
Talent Acquisition
Teachers
•CMS has used Rt3 funding to develop a partnership with The New Teacher Project (TNTP) to
create TeachCharlotte in order to recruit candidates to fill critical-need subject area vacancies.
TeachCharlotte is approved to provide lateral entry licenses to teacher candidates. TeachCharlotte
in-district program staff are responsible for recruitment, selection, summer training, in-district
hiring, on-going support and licensure through TNTP Academy. More information can be found at
http://teachcharlotte.ttrack.org/Home.aspx.
Administrators
•The district has leveraged private and Rt3 funds to support our Aspiring Leaders Program for
four years. The Aspiring Leaders program is one of several principal preparation programs and
was created to provide high-potential, early-entry teachers the opportunity to explore leadership
careers in CMS as part of an overall retention and leadership development strategy. There are two
components to the program, one in the summer and the other over the following school year.
•During the summer, participants go through mentoring, leadership development and coaching by
executive-level CMS leaders. It also involves two weeks of full-time job shadowing, attending staff
meetings and the completion of a short-term project.
•During the school year, each Aspiring Leader takes on a school-wide leadership role or change
project within their school, and they receive feedback from their principal and mentor on their
individualized leadership development plans and insight into other growth opportunities.
Technology
•Rt3 funding has provided support (in addition to e-rate, state and local funds) for the district to
implement a Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) initiative by providing necessary resources to
upgrade infrastructure and security to support portable electronic devices needed for instructional
support and online assessments. In addition, the district has been able to purchase individual
devices to support Social Studies and Science instruction in middle schools.
43
Standards – Professional Development
•Rt3 funding has provided a unique opportunity to support two summer teacher institutes focused
on the Common Core (Literacy – Summer 2011; STEM & Writing– 2012). Initial internal evaluations
of each institute have been completed by the district’s Rt3 Evaluator to include teacher response to
training, changes made to instructional practice and assessments and individualizing instruction
to meet student needs. Phase II of the evaluation will correlate student performance on state
assessments to teacher training and implementation of strategies and resources in the classroom.
Funding also allowed the district to complete comprehensive local alignment to CCSS for K-12
Math and Essential Standards for Science in the spring of 2013.
LEA Coaches
•Rt3 funding allowed the district to place eight (8) LEA Improvement Coaches in three, low-performing
K-8 schools and two secondary schools within the district. The coaches support individual teachers
(new teachers and struggling teachers) on developing a balanced literacy framework, workshop/
station modeling, developmental assessments, assessing EC and LEP students, analysis of student
work, implementation of Common Core and Essential Standards, differentiated instruction, use of
technology, professional growth and capacity-building within a school.
Kelly W. Price
Executive Coordinator - Race to the Top
From Cleveland County Schools
“Technology infrastructure and acquisition; research-based professional development and building
instructional capacity to support the Common Core and Essential Standards rollout.”
Dr. Martha G. Hill
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
From Gaston County Schools
•Common Core Implementation with extensive professional development for all teachers
and administrators
•
Robotics Program for grades 3-8
•
Professional development on Balanced Literacy K-8
•
Algebra 1 professional development for 8th and 9th grade teachers
•Creation of teacher resource website to hold curriculum documents, pacing guides and resource
materials by grade and subject.
44
•
SMART Board purchases
•
All high schools wireless
•
Summer curriculum reviews
Dr. Lory D. Morrow
Deputy Superintendent-Instruction
From Kannapolis City Schools
•2011-2014: Teachers and administrators have and will continue to receive professional development
and training as we implement the new Common Core and Essential Standards and as we move
forward with Power School and Home Base.
•2011-2013: KCS purchased the ClassScape Assessment System which is an online assessment program
that facilitates learning by focusing on curricular objectives. This program allows teachers to monitor
individual student and class performance on Common Core and Essential Standards objectives.
•2011-2013: All beginning teachers, because they need to enhance their subject matter and teaching
skills are assigned strong mentor teachers at their grade level or in their content area.
•2011-12: Teachers formed PLCs and utilized digital learning strategies for instruction. They began
planning collaboratively and using data to drive their instructional strategies on a regular basis.
Students benefited by having targeted/differentiated instruction that was relevant and rigorous.
•2012-13: KCS benefitted by purchasing hardware to add additional security to our wireless network.
•2011-2014: Teachers and administrators who wish to obtain advanced degrees such as masters or
add-on licensure receive partial tuition reimbursements.
•2013-2014: KCS has a strong commitment to grow our leaders. As a result, we have partnered
with Wingate University for a doctoral satellite program and participants receive partial tuition
reimbursements.
•2013-2014: KCS is beginning a new iKANN program, an online program where students are able
to take classes currently not being offered in a regular classroom setting. RttT funds are being
utilized to pay for training and course writing for our teachers who will be involved.
•
2011-2014: KCS provides support and reimbursements for teachers taking the Praxis tests.
•2011-2014: Middle school students are selected to participate in the Biotechnology/Motorsports
STEM project.
•2013-2014: KCS will offer a summer STEM enrichment camp for about 40 students in July and August.
Brandi Boling
Administrative Services
45
From Lincoln County Schools
•We have been able to provide extensive professional development for all teachers and staff over
the last 2 years (10 professional development days required for all).
•The process designed to redeliver professional development from Summer Institute has greatly
enhanced teacher leadership. Our Summer Institute team served as content area training team
leaders and worked closed to develop a cadre of trainers for the district. These trainers assisted in
training ALL staff members on the required professional development days.
•We are particularly proud of the “Catching the Wave: Surfing for 21st Century Content and
Skills” conference we provided on June 10 and 11 with 215 concurrent sharing sessions. It was a
culmination of all the teaching and training efforts that took place over the last two years. It was
a fantastic opportunity for our teachers to share resources and strategies with other teachers –
teachers training teachers. We sent staff into summer break with many ideas to “ponder” prior
to the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year.
•RttT has focused our efforts on curriculum development in all content area - pacing guides,
formative assessments, and curricular resources. Curriculum development sessions are extremely
valuable for all involved!
•Due to RttT funds, we have been able to supplement and improve available technology in the
district as we prepare for online assessments.
•NCDPI has provided some excellent training in the region over the past two years. Our district has
tried to take advantage of every opportunity available, including numerous webinars.
•RttT funds have provided greater opportunities to develop leadership. We have provided tuition
reimbursement for three teachers seeking administrative licensure. Two of them have already
been employed as assistant principals. Funds have also supported a local leadership academy
and professional development for current assistant principals, many of whom aspire to become
principals in the near future.
•As a result of RttT funding we were able to develop a partnership with Meredith College to provide
leadership training in the area of mathematics to two teachers and an administrator in the area of
mathematics. As a result we were also selected as a site for two days of summer regional training for
Math Common Core in 2012 (by grade level, K-8) for any interested teachers. We had approximately
120 teachers attend this training conducted by Meredith College and TAP math instructors.
Elaine Boysworth, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum
46
From Stanly County Schools
The RttT funding:
•
Provided wireless infrastructure in all schools.
•
Provided a mobile laptop cart with 24 laptops to each school.
•
Provided students and teachers with a district-wide benchmarking system.
•Provided multiple professional development opportunities for teachers, specifically in Reading
and Math areas.
•Funded the implementation of an on-line curriculum mapping support system for teacher resources
and collaborative planning.
•Funded on-going Professional Learning Communities to assist teachers with understanding and
implementing the new READY initiatives.
As a result: “The wireless infrastructure has allowed our LEA to move forward with multiple virtual
learning opportunities for students including a 1:1 technology device initiative for students and the
implementation of on-line course options for students. These opportunities will assist in providing
flexibility for student learning. As a small, rural LEA, the virtual learning opportunities provide students
course options that would, otherwise, not be available. Basically, the RttT funding brought our school
system to the 21st century”!
Dr. Sandra Carter
Assistant Superintendent
47
From Union County Schools
RttT activities that have had the greatest impact in UCPS:
•By the beginning of October, all 53 schools will have attended a PLC Institute and will have begun
implementing PLC processes in all schools in UCPS.
•
A major shift is occurring from a focus on teaching to learning.
•
Collaboration is becoming the norm and expectation vs. working in isolation.
•We have provided on-site PLC development by hosting the DuFours in county last December and
Tim Brown the previous spring and summer which engaged staff in further developing their PLC
teams as well as opened up discussions on grading practices and process reviews.
•Teacher ownership and buy in is improving and schools are focusing on ALL students as their own
instead of just their own classrooms.
•
School-wide, grade-level and content areas are setting Smart goals and progress monitoring.
•
Common assessments are being developed by classroom teachers.
•Beginning with summer of 2011 we began training staff and developing pilot schools to implement a
continuous improvement process (JSA Model “A Systems Approach to Improving Learning Results”)
using a PDSA process for evaluating and improving student engagement and learning outcomes.
•We currently have 10 pilot elementary schools, 2 middle and 1 high school. We have four elementary
schools under development as demonstration classrooms and schools for eventual model schools.
•We are using a coaching follow-up model to enhance teacher development and provide on-going
PD and support.
•We have provided a curriculum caravan for our communities taking the common core and essential
standards to our stakeholders outside of the school setting.
•We have engaged our teachers in unpacking the common core and essential standards, developing
pacing guides and common district-wide benchmark assessments.
•We have provided data training for our administrators and teachers using EVAAS as well as how to
use data to assess your classroom learning.
•
Common core and essential standards training in all schools with on-going coaching and support
•
PD on the new Teacher Evaluation system
•All schools are keenly aware of and more fully understand the need for clear alignment with
federal, state, and local standards.
Dana C. Crosson
Race to the Top Facilitator
48
Region 7
Alleghany • Alexander • Ashe • Avery • Burke • Caldwell • Catawba
Davie • Elkin • Hickory • Iredell-Statesville • Mooresville • Mt. Airy
Newton-Conover • Rowan-Salisbury • Surry • Watauga • Wilkes • Yadkin
From Alleghany County Schools
“Alleghany County Schools used Race to the Top money to address professional practice and the
implementation of the new North Carolina Standard Course of Study. This funding allowed us to
develop a strategic and comprehensive school improvement plan to address all aspects of improving
student performance – curriculum, instruction, assessment, differentiation. Not only were we able
to develop this plan, but we were also able to provide professional development opportunities that
allowed our teachers the uninterrupted time they needed to learn and grow professionally. We could
not have provided this level of support for teaching and learning without Race to the Top funds.”
Kim I. Mattox, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent
From Alexander County Schools
“Race to the Top Funding has allowed us to make technological advances within the Alexander County
School System. We have hired an instructional technologist for the system and we were able to hire
an additional staff member at the high school to assist students with virtual classes. This funding has
certainly enabled us to move forward with technological opportunities for both students and staff.”
Dr. Jennifer Hefner
Associate Superintendent of K-12 Curriculum
From American Renaissance Charter School
“RttT funding allowed American Renaissance to provide valuable training to keep our staff members
ahead of the curve in preparation for the Common Core, while providing us with resources for
improving our technology infrastructure and enhancing 21st century use of technology.”
Jim Duffey
Principal
50
From Ashe County Schools
“RttT funding has enabled our school system to transition into new curriculum, assessments,
and accountability. The support has afforded us the opportunity for much needed professional
development and resource acquisition that otherwise would have not been possible.”
Phyllis Yates
Assistant Superintendent
From Avery County Schools
“RttT funding has helped facilitate our move to a digital environment while transitioning to the
Common Core/Essential Standards. Avery County Schools have been able to update wireless
infrastructure in all schools, while providing on-going professional development on the new
standards through the employment of instructional coaches.”
Ellis Ayers
Director of Curriculum and Accountability
From Burke County Schools
“Race to the Top funds have supported professional development activities for staff on the new
standard course of study and adoption of the new Common Core and Essential Standards, as well
as professional development on STEM, AP and hybrid courses. Race to the Top has also allowed
improvements to wireless capability at all grade levels and the purchase of computing devices for
evaluation and professional development.”
Wendy Jodry
Grants Program Manager
51
From Caldwell County Schools
“RttT Funds have provided major funding for our technology infrastructure. Funds have also been
used to provide comprehensive professional development for all of our teachers on common core/
essential standards. What we have been able to accomplish is these areas would not have been
possible without RttT Funds.”
Dr. Caryl Burns
Associate Superintendent
From Catawba County Schools
“The RttT initiative enabled Catawba County Schools to provide a sustained approach to its RTI
implementation. District coordinators worked with our 16 elementary schools and one of our middle
schools, resulting in earlier identification of learning difficulties. A K-3 curriculum specialist worked
with elementary schools in implementation of mClass, assisting with professional development in
the use of the program and in analyzing data once collected. Numerous professional development
opportunities were offered.”
Dr. Judith Ray
Chief Technology Officer
From Crossnore Academy
“The 1:1 initiative using Google ChromeBooks purchased with the funding from the RttT grant has
transformed the classroom. Setting students up for success in the 21st century, access to and daily
use of these laptops have helped our teachers to go beyond linear, text-based instruction to engaging
students in project based learning.”
Cyndi Austin
Principal Crossnore Academy
52
From Davie County Schools
“RttT funding, combined with the NCDPI Summer Institutes, has allowed Davie County to provide
teachers with much more support for the rollout of the Common Core State Standards and the North
Carolina Essential Standards than we have ever experienced in the past. Over the course of the next
year, we also look forward to a generous investment in our technology infrastructure and to the
implementation of Home Base.”
Dr. Danny Cartner
Director of Instructional Services
From Elkin City Schools
“RttT funds have provided sustainable, high interest professional development for teachers. This
funding has allowed for multiple avenues of training in preparation for the new standards, delivery of
instruction and assessments. Additionally, funding allowed us to enhance our wireless infrastructure.”
Cynthia Altemueller
School Support Director
From Hickory City Schools
“Hickory Public Schools hired a Curriculum Specialist and Technology Specialist with RttT funds.
These positions provide leadership and staff development for implementing the Common Core and
Essential Standards. They also support our teachers in developing skills to prepare students for career
and college readiness in the 21st Century.”
Timothy Sims
Director of Federal Programs
53
From Iredell-Statesville School District
“RttT dollars have been invaluable in helping Iredell-Statesville Schools continue to build the capacity
of teachers to meet the needs of students and the new Common Core State Standards. As a result of
these funds, hundreds of teachers have been able to participate in Reading and Math Foundations
training which has helped to better equip these teachers to ensure students are learning at high
levels. RttT dollars have also helped to support the district’s annual Curriculum Review Week where
teachers from across the district come together to develop district-wide curriculum guides, unpacking
documents, benchmark assessments and other teacher resources.”
Dr. Melanie Taylor
Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction
From Mooresville Graded School District
“We used our RttT dollars on building teacher capacity by offering a 2 day summer conference each
year for the past three years. This offered our staff an opportunity to learn new technology as well
as adopt and implement plans for instruction that meets the needs of every child, every day. These
opportunities have been critical for our teachers in learning the new standards and stepping up the
rigor of their instruction.”
Dr. Mark Edwards
Superintendent
From Mt. Airy City Schools
“We used our RttT dollars primarily on building teacher capacity for teaching the new standards. These
opportunities have been critical for our teachers in learning the new standards and adopting a new
level of rigor into their instruction.”
Dr. Greg Little
Superintendent
54
From Newton-Conover City Schools
“RttT funds have allowed us to further develop our Project-based learning approach at our New
Schools’ Redesigned High School. The funds have also allowed us to accelerate our plans to build
teacher capacity and develop pedagogical strategies to successfully implement the Common Core
and NC Essential Standards. We conducted focused PD that enabled the teachers to make a
smooth transition.”
Dr. David Stegall
Superintendent
From Rowan-Salisbury County Schools
“RttT funding has permitted us to both upgrade and expand our wireless infrastructure so that all
schools have wireless connectivity throughout their buildings. RttT funds have also enabled us to
bring in groups of teachers to do two years of extensive summer curriculum mapping as part of our
common core implementation. Through RttT funds, the district has been able to provide training for
all teachers on both differentiation and formative assessment strategies to improve instruction at all
grade levels. In addition, we have been able to continue to provide support for both our new teachers
and mentors with RttT funds.”
Alesia Burnette
Director of Elementary Education and Title I
From Surry County Schools
“Race to the Top” funding has provided the professional development necessary to move our teachers
into a 21st Century Learning model and has allowed Surry County Schools to move forward in
facilitating the use of technology to enhance instruction. Through Race to the Top funds, SCS was
able to develop our local curriculum within our learning management system, Haiku. This method of
curriculum delivery has enhanced our Professional Learning Communities, advanced our learning
opportunities for students, and extended our classrooms into our homes and communities.”
Terri E. Mosley, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent
55
From Watauga County Schools
“RttT funding allowed WCS to provide a significant amount of sustained professional development in the
implementation of the Common Core Additionally, we were able to provide consistent teacher coaching
in the Mathematics curriculum through a K-12 Math Instructional Specialist position for our county.”
Tamara Stamey
Curriculum Director
From Wilkes County Schools
“RttT funding allowed Wilkes County Schools to support teachers with professional development
through the implementation of Common Core and Essential Standards. We were able to add
personnel to support the new curriculum standards and county initiatives. Additional technology
tools and wireless access points, support for the Reading 3D in 4th and 5th grade, and updates of
website for better parent and stakeholder communication were also ways RttT funding has made a
difference in Wilkes County Schools.”
Anna Lankford
Curriculum Director
From Yadkin County Schools
“RttT funding has enabled our school system to implement a wireless environment in all schools.
Having the infrastructure in place has allowed us to take beginning steps for a 1:1 initiative. We were
also able to provide high quality PD to transition into Common Core and Essential Standards. All of
these initiatives have made a positive impact on teaching and learning.”
Ms. Donna Boyles
Assistant Superintendent
56
Region 8
Asheville • Buncombe • Cherokee • Clay • Graham • Haywood
Henderson • Jackson • Macon • Madison • McDowell • Mitchell
Polk • Rutherford • Swain • Transylvania • Yancey
From ArtSpace Charter School
“RttT funds allowed our school to purchase important pieces of technology such as laptops and
2 SmartBoards, which were not something we could have otherwise afforded from our general
operating budget. Our students have directly benefited from these tools and they have ignited in our
teachers a desire to integrate more learning through technology into their classrooms.”
Lori Cozzi
Executive Director
From Asheville City Schools
“We are an IMPACT district. RttT dollars were utilized to pay the salaries/benefits for four Instructional
Technology Facilitators (ITF’s). Additionally, RttT funded professional development on the Common
Core State Standards.”
Kelvin S. Cyrus
Assistant Superintendent
From Buncombe County Schools
Race to the Top has afforded our students and staff many opportunities that Buncombe County Schools
would not have been able to provide due to the economic decline we have all experienced over the
last few years. Our comprehensive RttT Advisory Committee aligned district needs to state and local
priorities with the focus of preparing all students to be Career and College Ready. As a result, RttT
funds were used to support the following initiatives:
•
STEM:
– Expanded K-12 Science Specialist from half-time to full-time
– Implemented Project Lead the Way Applied Engineering curriculum in all 7 middle schools
– Utilized TI Math Forward technology-infused curriculum
– Provided Discovery Education Science Techbook for grades 6-8
•
Professional Development:
•
–Provided extensive district-wide Common Core and Essential Standards training by
instructional coaches and teacher leaders
Graduation Initiative:
– Expanded graduation coaching support for middle and high school students
Susanne Swanger
Associate Superintendent
58
From Cherokee County Schools
“RttT funds have allowed Cherokee County Schools to make significant upgrades with technology
infrastructure. These upgrades have assisted our district with implementation of a variety of online
courses offered to MS/HS students. Recently, CCS was recognized by the governor for digital innovation.
This would not have been possible without the assistance of RttT funding for technology upgrades.”
Kenny Garland
Associate Superintendent
From Clay County Schools
“RttT has helped enable Clay County Schools to become a wireless campus. This was a critical and
essential piece for our upcoming one-to-one iPad initiative that will begin in the 2013-14 school year.”
Mark Leek
Superintendent
From Graham County Schools
“RttT Funding has allowed our LEA to purchase much needed technology for our students and staff
and to hire a facilitator to help with implementation.”
Rex Smith
Director of Accountability
From Haywood County Schools
“RttT funding has provided numerous training opportunities for our staff. This has allowed us to
implement the Common Core and the Essential Standards in a seamless manner. Also, each student
in our LEA benefitted from this in regards to technology. Each school received a special allocation for
both teacher and student use.“
Dr. Anne Garrett
Superintendent
59
From Henderson County Schools
“RttT dollars allowed the district to implement a wireless environment in all schools. The remaining
funds have allowed us to provide high quality Common Core and Essential Standards training for
all our teachers. In addition, funds were used to provide stipends for teacher-leaders to develop
curriculum calendars and new district benchmark assessments for new curricula.”
Dr. Kathy Revis
Assistant Superintendent Curriculum & Instruction
From Jackson County Schools
“Before RttT, our district had a 10-year timeline for wireless infrastructure in our schools. However,
because of the additional funding, we were able to completely deploy a centrally-managed, highdensity wireless network at all of our sites in less than one year. As a result, we have now begun
planning for a 1:1 computing initiative that would have been impossible without such a robust
wireless infrastructure.”
David Proffitt
Technology Director
From Macon County Schools
“With RttT dollars Macon County has been able to provide Common Core/Essential Standards
Professional Development to our teachers. It has allowed us to have wireless internet capabilities and
iPads for students so we are prepared to administer state tests and teach in a more efficient manner.”
Carol Waldroop
Director of Elementary Education
60
From Madison County Schools
“RttT resources have been used in Madison County Schools to provide wireless infrastructure in our
middle school and both high schools. This has provided the “backbone” for our 1:1 initiative and
online testing. These critical resources have also leveraged other district funding sources to provide
wireless access at our K-5 schools. RttT funds have also been used to develop PLC’s, implement
Common Core, and contract with New Schools to support our faculty with this transition.”
Will Hoffman
Curriculum Director
From McDowell County Schools
“Race to the Top funding has provided our system the means to expand and upgrade wireless internet
connectivity across the district. Teaching and learning, as well as sustained professional development
to assist with the implementation of the new North Carolina Standard Course of Study, has also been
enhanced through the addition of instructional coaches working in schools supporting teachers.”
Mark R. Garrett
Assistant Superintendent
From Mitchell County Schools
“As technology constantly changes, it is essential to have a technology facilitator to support educators
in teaching academics with technology. Therefore Mitchell County Schools chose to use RttT
funding to provide a technology facilitator to work with administrators, educators, and students
to stay on top of the technology advances, so they will be prepared for the world in which they
live as well as the changes that are to come. Administrators are now planning, organizing, and
disseminating information effectively and efficiently. Teachers are using Web 2.0 tools, apps, and
a learning management system to aid in instruction. Students are creating digital content to show
understanding, and they are learning how to productively communicate in the technological world.”
Chad Calhoun
Assistant Superintendent
61
From Polk County Schools
“Race to the Top funding has helped our school system provide wireless connectivity to students and
staff in all locations. With this connectivity, students can use tablets, computers, chromebooks and
other technologies to access instructional activities use real-word information.”
David Scherping
Technology/Accountability Director
From Rutherford County Schools
“RttT funds allowed us to expand wireless infrastructure in our schools. We were also able to complete
the process of equipping all classrooms with interactive whiteboards. The remainder of the funds, in
combination with funds we had set aside, enabled us to further support our 1:1 laptop environment
in middle schools and high schools. As a result of increased access, teachers PK-12 use technology
as an instructional tool across all content areas to support problem solving, collaboration and higher
order thinking. We have also seen our students’ command of technology increase dramatically since
our 1:1 implementation.”
Barbara Parker
Assistant Superintendent
From Swain County Schools
“Race to the Top funds have enabled Swain County to provide extensive, ongoing, district-wide
professional development related to the transition and implementation of the Common Core and
Essential Standards. Funds have also been used to support teachers in the development of leadership
through participation in regional professional development opportunities. Development of a teacherleader group was instrumental in disseminating information and facilitating in-district professional
development for their peers. Funds were used to purchase instructional planning resources, including
flip charts for K-8 English/Language Arts and Math.”
Anna Hair
Director of Secondary Curriculum and Career and Technical Education
RttT Lead Contact
62
From The Learning Center Charter
“RttT funds allowed us to purchase SmartBoards and Mimios for classrooms without them. It would
have taken us several years to complete this project within our general operating budget. This
technology is used daily to enhance 21st century teaching and learning in the classrooms.”
Karen Brinke
Assistant Director
From Transylvania County Schools
“RttT funding enabled Transylvania County to implement a solid wireless infrastructure for all campuses
in the system. This improved our capacity for both delivery and interaction of online resources and
learning. It is robust and capable of elevating our technology growth and use for years to come. We
were also able to implement related professional development for common core design and delivery.”
Jeff McDaris
Superintendent of Schools
From Yancey County Schools
“RttT funding enabled Yancey County to deploy a wireless infrastructure at all locations in the system.
This significantly increased students’ and teachers’ access to online resources and increased
technology enhanced learning opportunities. Wireless access greatly improved our capacity for online
testing. Yancey County could not have done this without RttT funding. RttT funding was crucial for
enabling Yancey County to provide our teachers with much needed professional development on the
new common core curriculum.”
Pete Peterson
Director of Student Services
RttT Lead Contact
63