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15 <br /> 1 As a result of COVID-19, Governor Cooper closed schools beginning March 16, 2020 through <br /> 2 May 15, 2020 to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 As quantitative and qualitative data have been reviewed, it has become apparent that certain <br /> 5 areas require more focus to impact student achievement. The data is reflecting that focus is <br /> 6 needed in three areas: <br /> 7 <br /> 8 1. Literacy <br /> 9 2. Climate and Culture <br /> 10 3. Stakeholder Engagement <br /> 11 <br /> 12 Focusing on each area through the lens of Equity. Equity and data will continue to drive the <br /> 13 work so that every Orange County student receives what they need to succeed. The driving <br /> 14 vehicle will be the goals outlined in the Orange County Schools strategic plan. <br /> 15 <br /> 16 1. Challenge and engage every learner to achieve at his/her full potential <br /> 17 2. Engage in two-way communication with our stakeholders and diverse community <br /> 18 3. Create a career destination for employees <br /> 19 4. Provide safe and sustainable operations to support optimal learning facilities and <br /> 20 maintenance <br /> 21 5. Accountable, equitable and transparent management of human and financial <br /> 22 resources <br /> 23 <br /> 24 FOCI I - LITERACY: <br /> 25 Literacy is a civil right. It is the ability to read, write, listen, speak and think critically across all <br /> 26 disciplines. It should not be viewed as a subject that is taught, rather a civil right we must <br /> 27 provide. For our students to be able to engage effectively in the society they live in, we must <br /> 28 ensure that they are literate. Literacy is a gateway to opportunity but unfortunately can be a <br /> 29 gatekeeper. Research indicates that there is a high cost to low literacy. The Annie E. Casey <br /> 30 Foundation reports that 9 out of 10 high school dropouts struggled to read in the 3rd grade. <br /> 31 <br /> 32 Youth who fail to complete high school by age 20 are seven times more likely to be poor as <br /> 33 reported by The Urban Institute. It is also reported from the United State of Justice that two- <br /> 34 thirds of all youth in the juvenile court system could not read in the fourth grade. Finally, it is <br /> 35 alarming to read from the National Commission on Writing that $3.1 billion is spent annually to <br /> 36 improve the literacy skills of entry-level workers. The statistics are sobering and speak to the <br /> 37 need to focus on literacy. Furthermore, Orange County students deserve to be equipped to <br /> 38 participate in civic life through means such as accessing and navigating health care systems. <br /> 39 They deserve to be prepared for higher education which on average requires 80 pages of <br /> 40 independent reading per week. Data tells us that up to sixty percent of community college <br /> 41 freshmen are assigned to remedial reading courses because they are not adequately prepared. <br /> 42 <br /> 43 It is recognize that the Orange County Schools literacy data is disproportionate and does not <br /> 44 reflect the potential of our students. As a result, Literacy is a primary focus of the work as we <br /> 45 budget and plan for the 2020-2021 school year. <br /> 46 <br /> 47 FOCI II - CULTURE & CLIMATE: <br /> 48 Climate is observable habits that characterize life in the school or office while culture is the <br /> 49 beliefs that reflect that deeper foundation of how we operate. This plays out for our students as <br /> 50 Social and Emotional Learning. Social and Emotional learning is the process through which <br /> 51 children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and <br />