CMS reports midyear progress on Goal 4; board questions course planning, assessments and equity

Superintendent Dr. Hill told the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education on Feb. 25, 2025, that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is tracking progress on Goal 4, which aims to increase the share of high school graduates who are enrolled, enlisted or employed from 72% in June 2023 to 85% by June 2029.

The board heard midyear projections and indicator-level results, and members pressed staff about strategies to raise completion of course planners in Naviance, expanding access to assessments such as the ASVAB and WorkKeys, and supports for students with disabilities.

Goal 4 is intended to raise the percent of high school graduates who meet at least one of several indicators tied to post‑graduation success. "This goal is to increase the percent of high school students graduating on track to be enrolled and listed or employed, as demonstrated by achieving at least 1 indicator from 72 percent in June 2023 to 85 percent in June 2029," Dr. Hill said during the report.

Why it matters: the board’s Goal 4 is a six‑year target intended to measure whether graduates leave high school with a credential or pathway that improves their chances of immediate employment, postsecondary enrollment or military enlistment. Board members said the indicators and interim measures guide district investments and monitoring.

Key data and staff explanations - Dr. Hill said the district’s graduating cohort for 2023–24 surpassed a projected target (projected 74%) with an actual of 76% meeting at least one Goal 4 indicator last year. For the current (midyear) twelfth‑grade cohort, staff projected 71% have met at least one indicator (compared with 67% at the same point last year). Dr. Hill said, "We only need 501 students, to meet our goal, our target for this year. I feel very confident that we will at least exceed that." - Indicator detail (midyear projections): staff noted most students will not have final indicator status until end‑of‑year reporting (official results available August 2025–January 2026). Dr. Hill emphasized the midyear data are projections based on current enrollment. - Credentials and assessments: Dr. Hill reported 104 students earned tier‑2 or tier‑3 WorkKeys credentials in the first semester, and "We have 4,001 students that are currently registered for the spring administration of WorkKeys." - Course planning: staff said Naviance course planners are the district’s chosen tool and the deadline for completion is March 28; the dataset used for the report was pulled Feb. 19, explaining a low midyear completion rate. "The deadline for that is actually March 28," staff said. District staff said schools will receive daily reminders beginning in March on percent completion. - Systems transition: staff cited the upcoming rollout of Infinite Campus as a contributing factor to lower midyear course‑planner completion, because students are currently registering in a new platform and that process affects planners.

Board questions and stated concerns - Board members asked where strategies have produced gains and where to scale efforts. Board Member Monterey Duvall asked, "Curious if we've been able to pinpoint any specific strategies related to this increase, any places that you think we should be doubling down, things like that." Dr. Hill credited transcript reviews, targeted schedule changes for students one course from a concentrator pathway, CTE enrollment, and increased outreach to enroll students in credential assessments. - Equity and subgroup gaps: Board Member Nunn asked specifically about students with disabilities, who trail other groups in the data. Dr. Hill said the district is reviewing pathways and course planners to ensure students with disabilities are aware of and enrolled in appropriate options, and reiterated the midyear nature of the data. - Course‑planner implementation: board members pressed on past uneven use of Naviance. Staff said the tool was available previously but was not required in all schools; the district has moved to require consistent use and is monitoring implementation centrally via cabinet OBEIA sessions every other week. - ASVAB and JROTC access: the board asked about ensuring the ASVAB assessment and JROTC pathway access. Staff said the district now aims to offer the ASVAB at least once per semester and piloted a test‑anxiety intervention across three schools to improve performance.

What staff will do next Staff emphasized continued monitoring and follow up: district leaders will track course‑planner completion to March 28, expand WorkKeys administration sign‑ups, continue targeted outreach to students one course from pathway completion, and report full-year indicator counts when end‑of‑year data become available in late summer. The board did not take any formal action during this agenda item; members directed follow‑up questions and requested additional school‑level cross‑tabulations comparing graduation rate and percent of graduates meeting at least one Goal 4 indicator.

The board’s next regular monitoring of the student outcomes governance work will incorporate the final end‑of‑year data once available.