Moore County Schools board narrows revised strategic plan, asks staff to craft final public survey

Moore County Schools board members spent the March 3 work session refining a second draft of the district strategic plan and asked staff to prepare a third draft for the April meeting and a public feedback survey.

The board, led by Superintendent David Locklear and Deputy/Assistant staff, focused discussion on wording in the mission, the core beliefs, six to seven district goals and a set of board priorities. Members asked clarifying edits to keep “critical thinking” visible in the mission and to add language affirming that “every student will be supported and valued” in the core beliefs. Dr. Metcalfe and other staff said the red ink in the draft shows changes from the board’s January workshops and earlier feedback.

Board members and staff explained why the plan keeps a “context ranking” goal (moving into the state’s top five for composite grade-level proficiency) even though that measure depends on other districts’ results; academics staff said they left it because it is widely used in public communications. The board debated goals meant to raise overall proficiency by 10 percentage points, improve third- and tenth-grade reading, reduce low-performing schools, and increase career-and-technical completion.

The work session also turned to the draft list of board priorities. Members asked that “early literacy” be broadened to read “early and sustained literacy” to make K–12 reading and ongoing intervention explicit, and discussed adding explicit focus on reading interventions, early testing and diagnosis of reading difficulties, and supports that can be provided in-district versus in partner early-childhood programs. Several board members urged preserving a distinct emphasis on early intervention for students not reading at grade level by third grade.

Board members also debated language in the priorities about “advocacy for public education at local and state levels,” and whether to use the word “policies.” Members recommended a single, clearer phrasing such as “advocating for public education” and added a sentence emphasizing the district should “highlight the Moore County Schools way” to improve community engagement.

On the “portrait of a graduate” and “durable skills” section, members discussed whether to add items such as self-discipline or leadership. Staff said the list derives from statewide research and previous North Carolina work on graduate competencies; the board agreed to keep “personal responsibility” and may add clarifying language.

The superintendent said staff will incorporate the board’s edits, return a third draft at the March 31/April 7 schedule and then bring an approval request to release a public survey in April so the plan can be finalized after community feedback.

The board avoided changing the plan’s numeric goals at the meeting, but asked staff to clarify which measures the district directly controls and which rely on other districts’ performance.

Staff contact: Dr. David Locklear, Superintendent; Dr. Metcalfe, district academic lead. Ending: Staff will return a revised draft for the board’s March 31 work session and seek the board’s permission next month to publish the public survey in April.