Whichard delivered

Get ready for some good news.

Some really good news.

The state test results are in and Wayne County Public Schools has made significant strides.

That’s right, we said “significant.”

So much so, in fact, that the news is already beginning to have an effect on the housing market — and, we suspect, will go a long way toward showing the bosses at the Pentagon as well as the commander and top brass at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base that this community is listening and is serious about improving its educational system.

And while there is still a great deal of work to do, there is ample evidence that our schools are on the right track.

The vast majority of WCPS schools showed significant improvement — with some previously failing schools pulling their “grades” up one or two places.

That is a major step forward.

And there also were significant gains in reading comprehension and math — two of the core subjects that are important factors in determining whether students have the skills they need to succeed, and the statistics that play a significant role in judging the quality of the education students receive.

There are still some deficiencies — career and college readiness scores need some serious work — but that is to be expected.

We did not get here in a day, and we won’t get out in a day either.

But all of the scores that have come in so far suggest that Wayne County schools have turned a corner.

They call it growth, these improvements, and while it doesn’t mean student achievement levels are exactly where they need to be, it shows progress forward.

And two of the schools, Eastern Wayne Middle School and Spring Creek High School, were ranked among the top four most-improved schools in the entire state.

That’s right, two of the four most-improved schools statewide are right here in Wayne County. Who would have really thought we would hear that news this time a few years ago?

The trick, of course, will be making sure that streak continues.

It took more than just making a promise in a public meeting to get to this point.

It took changing the atmosphere in the schools — to make accountability the watchword and to hold teachers and students to a higher standard.

It took getting rid of the dead weight of teachers and administrators who simply were not performing and shining a light on those who have been working hard all along.

It did not come without bumps and bruises — and it took a personnel sea change.

Gone were the days of simply hiring someone’s son-in-law or husband just because of their family name.

And the consequences for not doing your job up to par were no longer getting a cushy job at the district’s Central Office.

Speaking of Central Office, personnel there got the message, too.

No more throwing money at expensive programs rather than digging down deep to see why the scores were not improving.

Oh, and the standard of leadership not being seen in local schools?

Well, that went away, too.

This superintendent was always around, and you never knew when he would appear in your school, your classroom, or your office.

And when you set that kind of example, it can’t help but rub off.

That brings us to whom we can thank for this move forward.

While he will point to the hard work of the teachers, administrators, and the students, the credit for this achievement goes to Superintendent Dr. Marc Whichard and the school board that recruited and hired him.

He took a district that was struggling with poor performance — so much so that it had been labeled low-performing, a designation that came with serious consequences — and set a standard that held teachers and students accountable.

Discipline became more than just a buzz word.

It became an expectation.

No one had the superintendent’s ear when it came to the rules or exceptions.

Years of hires that looked more like favors than well-researched measurements of achievement merely to check a box or to placate a community big shot were no longer the norm.

And while there are still some hangers-on, they are being slowly replaced by administrators and teachers — as well as Central Office staff — who are worthy of the jobs.

And yes, it has made a big difference.

You see, when you set that kind of example for your staff, they set the same standard of responsibility and accountability for the students in their classrooms.

That is why the results you will see in this week’s cover story were realized.

The achievement that Wayne County schools earned this year was the result of a student body that not only listened to instruction but also followed the rules.

It was the performance of a group of young people with tremendous potential — and a newfound determination to take their education seriously.

It’s not perfect yet, as we keep saying, but we have confidence that their hard work and great results will continue.

There has been a lot of trouble in schools across the country since the pandemic.

Lost classroom time and the inefficacy of online learning took its toll.

But Wayne County was lucky.

It had a Board of Education that sent the children back to the classroom before most other districts did.

They took their lumps for doing it, but it seems quite likely that the board’s bold move paid off.

Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but it turns out they made the right decision.

So, what’s next?

You guessed it. More work.

We need to continue to increase performance levels across the district and to address areas where there is still concern — particularly in our inner-city schools.

And if that means that we need to redistrict and shuffle student bodies around, it’s something to consider.

Because here’s the bottom line.

If we want Wayne County Public Schools to be a beacon for what small school districts can do when there is the right framework in place — and the right personnel — we need to keep tweaking the model and reaching for big, hairy, audacious goals.

We have to be bold and unafraid.

We cannot afford the luxury of the arguments that are slowing down other districts — or the advocacy that simply does not belong in a classroom.

This is not about agendas.

And our schools are not there to instruct the students on social mores or political positions.

They are there to make sure that every Wayne County graduate has the skills he or she needs to build a life for him or herself — here at home or wherever their dreams take them.

But the hard work will not just be the job of the school district.

We have to step up, too.

And so do our county leaders.

This past budget season, the county commissioners kept a promise and did just that.

Significant steps forward would be rewarded with additional funding, they pledged — a show of good faith.

Well, they delivered in a major way.

And while the amount might not have been all the district and school board might have hoped for, it was a huge step.

But there is so much more to do.

Facilities and student safety are top concerns, and there is a limited pool of money to draw from, especially as school buildings age and costs go up.

So, the commissioners will be joining with the school district to push for a sales tax increase — with the money, in part, designated for school resource officers.

Yes, we need to look seriously at the costs.

But we also have to acknowledge the benefits.

Nobody wants to pay more for anything — not with eggs at $5 or more a dozen and with the continuing stress on the economy.

Things might be getting better, but we are not comfortable quite yet.

But a sales tax spreads the responsibility for providing a quality education across the board, with even those who might not live in our county contributing to the kitty.

And you can bet that every time you spend a dollar in Wake or Johnston counties, you are contributing to their schools.

In our view, a quarter-cent hike — an amount most people won’t even notice — is the right thing to do as we continue to work to get the infrastructure and other factors in place to make a continued push to not only grow our community and economy, but as we fight to make sure Seymour Johnson Air Force Base stays right where it is.

That benefits everybody.

It’s time we, as a community, recognized that.

But today, Wayne County Public Schools and those who support them should take a well-deserved bow.

We are proud of every single student, teacher, administrator, and parent who did the work and put education first.

And we count ourselves as lucky that our Board of Education sold Whichard and his family on a future with WCPS.

But tomorrow, it is back to work.

We need a few more of these good report cards.