Letter from Phil Kirk

Honoring Our Entrepreneurial Schools

In my role as chairman of the State Board of Education, I have visited nearly 200 schools and 1,500 classrooms. I have seen some exciting things happening in our classrooms. Teachers, administrators and students are working harder than ever before, and the accountability assessments prove that more learning is taking place. The state board's priorities on higher student achievement and quality professionals are being met as we raise expectations and standards for students and educators.

Nowhere is the innovation, execution and success being seen more than in the 72 Entrepreneurial Schools located across our state.

The Entrepreneurial Schools Program was initiated by our education governor five years ago. With the assistance and hard work of Gov. Jim Hunt's Teacher Advisory Committee, we honor a small number of schools that fit the entrepreneurial designation. The use of the word “entrepreneur” is generally thought of in connection with the business community. However, our effective public schools often exhibit many characteristics of entrepreneurial spirit. Vision, dedication, diligence, innovation and risk-taking are a few of the words associated with this spirit as it applies to our schools.

The governor, General Assembly, and State Board of Education have worked diligently during this decade to create a climate where student achievement can soar. For a number of years, more and more authority and flexibility have been given to the local boards of education and even to local schools, through site-based management and school improvement teams. The “C” in the ABCs stands for local control.

This atmosphere and the Entrepreneurial Schools Program have caused schools to experiment more, and for administrators and teachers to take more risks. During a time when the life of a local superintendent is very short and subsequently the security for principals is not as great as it once was because of the repeal of tenure for administrators (NCCBI led the effort), motivating school leaders to take risks has not been the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. High-stakes accountability and assessment programs and this recognition program have certainly helped.

Changes in these schools and the way they operate have led to higher student achievement and to higher morale and greater job satisfaction with the educators in these award-winning schools.

“I am so proud of the hard-working visionaries. . . . Their tremendous energy, leadership, and direction have inspired me as I work to move North Carolina into the forefront of national education excellence. They have also inspired their colleagues throughout every county of our fine state,” Gov. Hunt wrote in the program for last year's impressive event.

Space does not permit even a brief description of all the initiatives that have been recognized by this program. A few programs include the Douglas Byrd High School Academy of Finance in Fayetteville, an innovative learning-through-technology program at Davis Drive Elementary School in Apex, Harding High School's University magnet program in science and math in Charlotte, and the Learning and Education Acceleration Program (LEAP) Academy in Winston-Salem. These are just a few examples of the innovative, risk-taking programs we see across our state.

One of my long-time pet peeves about education in the past has been the lack of sharing good ideas even from school to school in the same system, much less across the state. The Department of Public Instruction and the state board are increasingly making use of the “best practices” approach to spread the good news of what works and what doesn't.

The entrepreneurial program has produced a resource directory, a conference, and a gala celebration in order to salute outstanding educators and to share the specific, effective entrepreneurial practices. Business and education have joined together to make this event one of the most prestigious awards programs in our state. Thanks to Gov. Hunt, his Teachers Advisory Committee and 19 members of NCCBI who provided the funds for last year's recognition banquet.

Phil kirk can be reached at pkirk@nccbi.org or by calling 919-836-1407