Board ties strategic plan to school improvement, approves plans for low-performing schools

The Buncombe County Board of Education on Jan. 9 received a presentation from Dr. Reed on how the district’s strategic plan is translated into school-level improvement plans and approved school improvement plans for schools designated as low-performing for 2024–25.

Dr. Reed told the board that North Carolina General Statutes 115C-105.27 and 115C-105.35 set the membership and annual goal requirements for school improvement teams. “The makeup of a school improvement team is grounded in general statute,” Dr. Reed said, and added that teams must include principals, instructional staff and parents, and that teams are charged with developing goals “geared and written to improve student performance.”

Why it matters: The board’s strategic plan emphasizes closing achievement gaps and tracking subgroup progress; school improvement plans are the primary tool to align school-level actions with those district goals and with state accountability measures.

Dr. Reed walked the board through how K–8 proficiency measures (reading, math and science) and high-school measures (course pass rates, graduation cohort data, ACT and career credentials) feed into the state’s A–F school performance grade. He reminded the board that the state model weights proficiency at roughly 80% of a school grade and growth at roughly 20% and noted the difference between proficiency and growth measures.

He highlighted how schools use NC STAR indicators and specific action steps tied to dates to monitor progress, giving Avery’s Creek Elementary as an example where the team targeted growth for identified subgroups (Black students and multilingual learners) and selected specific NC STAR indicators and action steps to address those needs. Dr. Reed emphasized the role of principals as instructional leaders and the district’s central services role in supporting school teams.

Board discussion emphasized subgroup dynamics and staffing needs. A board member identified as “Board member (District 6)” noted that five of the district’s low-performing schools are in the Irwin District and urged the board to examine staffing for multilingual (ESL) students, saying some small schools have multilingual learner populations of 30% or more and “they need additional ESL teachers.” Another board member praised principals and staff for the summer training and regular school improvement team work.

The board approved multiple action items during the same meeting, including the school improvement plans for schools designated as low-performing and calendars for the district and Early College Buncombe, as detailed below.

Votes at a glance

- Approval: Buncombe County Schools academic calendar 2025–26 — Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved. - Approval: Early College Buncombe Center for Career Innovation academic calendar 2025–26 — Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved. - Approval: School Improvement Plans for schools designated as low-performing (2024–25) — Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved. - Approval: AB Technical Community College lease agreement addendum — Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved. - Approval: Facilities and maintenance department noncompetitive procurement requests (Hurricane Helene response; roofing, etc.) — Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved. - Approval: Consent agenda (included minutes, personnel report, 2024–25 budget amendment #2, facsimile signature stamp for board chair, school nutrition procurement plan, sole-source procurement request for Character Strong [$33,087], North Buncombe High School athletic capital outlay request) — Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved.

What officials said and next steps

Dr. Reed said the district requires each school improvement team to post meeting dates, minutes, team membership and a link to NC STAR where the public can review each school’s plan; the board will formally approve all school plans next year after the two-year plan periods. He noted that some schools that had been low performing recently have exited that status (examples cited in the presentation included Emma Elementary School and Inca Intermediate School for the past year and earlier exits such as AC Reynolds Middle, Avery Scribe Elementary and Sand Hill Venable Elementary in prior years).

Superintendent Dr. Jackson also gave brief district updates earlier in the meeting, including that 42 of the district’s 45 schools have potable water restored and that the district expects to reach 100% potable-water access by the end of the month. The superintendent said water testing is completed before restoration and results are posted on the district website.

The board did not provide itemized vote counts on the record during the meeting; each listed motion passed after the chair called for the ayes and heard none opposed.