For immediate release
Aug. 26, 2016
Back to School in NC: By the Numbers
An
estimated 1,543,527 students will kick off a new school year in North Carolina next
week, including those at 125 year-round schools across the state who returned
earlier this month. This year’s K-12 public school enrollment represents an
increase of about 6,000 students from last year and an increase of nearly
110,000 since 2006-07. Among this year’s students, an estimated 1.454 million
will attend one of North Carolina’s 2,477 traditional public schools while an
estimated 89,000 plan to attend one of the 167 charter schools. And enrollments
in online courses offered by the North Carolina Virtual Public School, the
nation’s second-largest state-supported virtual school, are expected to exceed
60,000 this school year.
“North Carolina’s
public schools are working harder – and smarter – than ever to ensure that all
their students are making good progress toward the goal we all share: graduates
well prepared to meet the challenges of citizenship, postsecondary education,
and careers,” said State Superintendent June Atkinson.
“Educators in the
state’s public schools continue to integrate technology, for themselves and
their students, as an essential tool for effective teaching and learning," Atkinson said. "Yet
even as schools discover new approaches to engaging students, teachers and principals know
that the true power of education rests on a timeless foundation of high
expectations and caring support to reach them.”
Other
highlights for the 2016-17 school year include:
- Revised
high school mathematics standards for Math 1, 2, and 3, the key high
school-level math courses required of all students. The changes, which begin
this year, modify the sequence of standards covered in these three integrated
mathematics courses and improve the clarity of standards where recommended by
teachers. The standards are aligned to the standards expected by The College
Board, ACT and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
-
Continued improvements to
Home Base, North
Carolina’s suite of digital classroom management tools and instructional
resources for teachers, students, parents and administrators. Efforts are
underway by the Department of Public Instruction to expand the reach and
effectiveness of Home Base with more extensive content for instruction and
professional development for educators. Beginning its fourth year, Home Base’s
full complement of digital tools now has 100 percent participation from all 115
districts in the state and 76 charter schools. More than 500,000 parents this
year are expected to use the PowerSchool Parent Portal, the state’s student
information app, to help keep abreast of their children’s education.
- An expanded assessment
pilot, started last year with 9,000 fifth and sixth graders, using NC Check-ins
in reading and math during the school year and a summative assessment at the
end of the academic year. Teachers use the results from these “check-ins” to tailor
their instruction and provide immediate, timely assistance to students. The
number of participating schools in the pilot will be increased this year from
5 percent of schools at the two grades and content areas to approximately 15
percent; including a subset of low-performing schools and also allowing
volunteers to participate, preferably one school per district; and requiring
students to take the entire end-of-grade assessment, not a modified version.
- A change in state policy
governing middle school interscholastic sports, allowing local districts to
include sixth grade participation, except in football. The decision to include
sixth graders remains with local school boards.
- A new hand signal required
for all bus drivers tells students when a street is safe to cross. The extra
precaution was added in January 2016. More than 13,000 school buses in North
Carolina school districts will carry nearly 780,000 students to and from school
each day. For more information, visit www.ncbussafety.org.
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