Monitoring Visit Report

Burke County School System PO Drawer 989 Morganton, NC 28680-0989

Dates of Visit: December 6-8, 2010

About AdvancED and NCA CASI/SACS CASI

Background Dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide, AdvancED provides accreditation, research, and professional services to 27,000 institutions in 69 countries. AdvancED provides accreditation under the seals of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). The Accreditation Process To earn and maintain accreditation, an institution must: 1. Meet the AdvancED Standards and accreditation policies. Institutions demonstrate adherence to the AdvancED Standards and accreditation policies, which describe the quality practices and conditions that research and best practice indicate are necessary for educational institutions to achieve quality student performance and organizational effectiveness. 2. Engage in continuous improvement. Institutions implement a process of continuous improvement focused on improving student performance and organizational effectiveness. 3. Demonstrate quality assurance through internal and external review. Institutions engage in a planned process of ongoing internal review and self-assessment. In addition, institutions host an external Quality Assurance Review team at least once every five years. The team evaluates the institutions adherence to the AdvancED Standards and accreditation policies, assesses the efficacy of the institutions improvement process and methods for quality assurance, and provides commendations and required actions to help the institution improve. The institution acts on the teams required actions and submits an Accreditation Progress Report at prescribed intervals following the Quality Assurance Review. Monitoring visits may be conducted during this time to ensure that the institution is making progress toward the required actions. Special Reviews At any point, a Special Review may be conducted in response to complaints or information about the institution and/or its system (district, board, or corporation) to determine adherence to the AdvancED Accreditation Standards and policies. The institution and/or its system must respond to the required actions of the Special Review Team. Monitoring Teams may be sent to the institution and/or its system at regular intervals to ensure that progress is being made toward the Special Review Teams required actions. Both Special Review Teams and Monitoring Teams are empowered to make accreditation recommendations based upon evidence obtained during said visit. A Process of Continuous Improvement The AdvancED Accreditation Process engages institutions in a continuous process of self-evaluation and improvement. The overall aim is to help institutions be the best they can be on behalf of the students they serve.

Page 2 of 11

Monitoring Visit Report

Introduction
This report summarizes the findings of the Monitoring Visit held on December 6-8, 2010 to the Burke County School System. The purpose of the Monitoring Visit is to review the institutions progress toward addressing required actions from the Special Review Team visit held on August 2-4, 2009, and subsequent visits held on December 14-15, 2009 and May 10-12, 2010. While only the high schools of the Burke County School System are accredited by AdvancED/SACSCASI. The accreditation standard on governance applies to each school similarly as the Burke County Board of Education is the governing body for these schools. The system operates under the jurisdiction of a governing board that: Establishes policies and procedures that provide for the effective operation of the school Recognizes and preserves the executive, administrative, and leadership prerogatives of the administrative head of the school Ensures compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws, standards, and regulations

Therefore the performance of the Burke County Board of Education impacts the accreditation status of each and every accredited school under its jurisdiction.

Activities of the Monitoring Team

In preparation for the monitoring visit, the Monitoring Team reviewed the institutions progress report and related documentation. Once on-site, the team engaged in the following activities: Meetings with the institution head, governing Board, and leadership team Interviews with 67 stakeholders representing board members, administration, teachers, parents, community and civic organization leaders. Artifact review Observations of board meeting broadcasts Team deliberations and report preparation The Monitoring Team used the findings from these activities and evidence reviewed to assess the progress the institution has made toward addressing the required actions made by the Special Review Team.

Findings
The Monitoring Teams findings are organized by each of the required actions made by the August 2-4, 2009 Special Review Team. For each required action, the Monitoring Team provides a progress status rating and a summary of findings.

Page 3 of 11

REQUIRED ACTION 1: The Burke County Board of Education must establish and implement a collaborative process to involve stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose to guide the continuous improvement process, allocation and alignment of resources, and daily actions of all members of the school community. Stakeholder groups must include school and district leadership, teachers, classified staff, parents, community and business leaders, students, civic and governmental leaders, ensuring representation of all demographic and geographical areas of Burke County. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: Stakeholders indicated widespread and active involvement of many groups in a wide array of school district activities, including: The revised vision and mission were developed using input from all stakeholders. The revised vision and mission are displayed throughout the school system, on e-mails, publications, stationery, and other correspondence. Stakeholder groups were involved in the decision making process and execution of a school consolidation plan. The 2010-11 budget process involved collaboration with staff and community. The superintendent invites feedback on day-to-day activities at every meeting of the district administrative team. Likewise, all employees receive e-mails from the superintendent periodically inviting feedback and these responses are posted on the website for additional feedback from stakeholders. The Burke County Chamber of Commerce initiated meetings between officers of the Chamber and School Board members in an effort to facilitate a working relationship between the two factions of the Board and between the Superintendent and the Board. Regularly scheduled meetings between county government and school district officials are ongoing. These meetings were established to try to resolve the hostile relationship between the two organizations. REQUIRED ACTION 2: The Burke County Board of Education must be able to validate that all actions and behaviors of board members are fully aligned with the official Board policies and all applicable AdvancED Accreditation Standards. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. X In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.

Page 4 of 11

Summary of Findings: Based on interviews with board members and stakeholder groups, as well as recently adopted policies and the multitude of artifacts and documentation provided, it is apparent that all actions and behavior of board members are not aligned with board policies and AdvancED Accreditation Standards. Specifically: Board member/superintendent roles regarding governance and management are not clearly defined or adhered to which perpetuates the continuation of the strained relationship between the Board and Superintendent and impedes their capacity to make decisions in the best interest of the students and staff. Select meetings of a three-member group of board members with the board attorney, without involvement of the full Board, were documented and such behavior is a clear violation of the Burke County Board Policy 2122. Civic leaders noted improvement in the Boards adherence to policies, but expressed a belief that there is still an issue of defining the roles of the Board and the Superintendent. Stakeholders expressed concern that board members were still involving themselves in the day-to-day operations of the schools. For example, board members requested staff personnel files for their own review and interjected themselves into the Superintendents function of supervising system level staff. These examples show a lack of understanding and regard for clearly defined roles. Interviews and documentation established that the Board does not fully grasp its responsibility for meeting the required actions as defined by AdvancED Accreditation Standards and has not demonstrated ownership of the governance issues and the required actions in the accreditation report. Board members continue to utilize blogs and e-mails to their followers to encourage feuding between and among other board members. This evidence also reinforces that the Board is not speaking with one voice and acting as a cohesive unit, but rather, board members continue to cater to their individual agendas and constituencies. Board accusations that the superintendent is not keeping them informed of issues, and thus creating surprises at meetings, as well as the superintendent accusing the Board of creating surprises at board meetings, still exist. According to stakeholders, favoritism by certain board members was expressed in making staff cuts with no justification for bringing Reduction In Force (RIF) personnel back to work. Even though the Board confirmed in the Institution Progress Report that it is slowly moving in a more productive direction, evidence, such as the Board getting involved in the directives of the Superintendent with the staff, establishes board engagement in management activities instead of governance. The Next Steps section of the Boards Progress Report to the Monitoring Team included a directive that the Board address alleged misbehaviors to reduce distractions. This demonstrates that the Board has not fully aligned its actions and behaviors with policies and Accreditation Standards. Interviews revealed that board members requested individual personnel files for their own personal review. Correspondence from the board chairman to the superintendent dated Sept. 28, 2010, cites the continued animosity between two factions on the Board, the disconnect of the Board with the required actions enumerated by the AdvancED Special Review Team, and the assumption that the costs being expended in the resolution of these required actions is misplaced and a misuse of funds. The chairman states in his correspondence that All is still not well within Burke County Public Schools and morale is in the ditch.

Page 5 of 11

REQUIRED ACTION 3: The decorum of all board meetings must reflect the professionalism required of all those who are defining the quality of education for the community. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. X In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: While board meetings typically conform to expectations of common decency and appropriate decorum, incidents of inappropriate behavior and perceived favoritism continue and were frequently cited during interviews. Documentation from board meeting broadcasts and examples of factionalism based on sides that exist on the Board provide evidence that this required action is not yet being met. A number of stakeholders expressed the opinion that while board behavior is not rancorous, gossip, rumor, and suspicion characterize interpersonal relationships among members. A board member lashed out at a staff member and a community representative in an open session of a board meeting demanding to know who asked them to present to the Board about the American Productivity Quality Center (APQC) continuous improvement process and the reason they were presenting. Stakeholder groups repeatedly voiced that two factions remain on the Board. Although some characterized board behavior as in a state of repair, some interviewees described it as a tug of war that continues among board members. Stakeholders and board members confirmed that the Board continues to behave in a manner that perpetuates the majority/minority mindset rather than as a cohesive team. Relations between the Board and Superintendent are best described by stakeholders as fractured. The Institution Progress Report establishes that board members periodically go at one another citing old perceived injustices. REQUIRED ACTION 4: The Burke County Board of Education must develop and conduct an ongoing self-evaluation process using an approved, professionally developed instrument, to determine strengths and needs for growth of individual board members and the board as a body. Results are to be used to develop the professional development plan for the Board. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.

Page 6 of 11

Summary of Findings: The May 2010 Monitoring Team found that this required action had been met. REQUIRED ACTION 5: The Burke County Board of Education and district leadership must develop and implement a plan for the professional development of all board members to include a timeline for deliberate and extensive training in the roles and responsibilities of the board, ethics, orientation of new board members, AdvancED Standards, and parliamentary procedure. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: The Monitoring Team found that this required action had been met. Training was provided by both the North Carolina School Boards Association and the AdvancED/SACS CASI North Carolina office. REQUIRED ACTION 6: The Burke County Board of Education must develop and implement a comprehensive process and timeline for the revision and communication of school district policies to review and update needed policies, garner understanding of the policies, their procedures, and the impact for the Board and district leadership. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: The Board of Education had initiated an ambitious timeline for review and revision of the school district policy manual. Specifically: Over 100 policies have already been revised and adopted. A review of these newly adopted policies has already been initiated. The Board plans to continue to update additional policies, review these updates, and establish a new manual reflecting current practice and applicable state and federal laws. Revised policies are widely disseminated for review and comment before adoption. Interviews with staff revealed that they now have updated policies and guidelines. Staff and community indicate that the adopted policies are monitored and seem to be followed after approval; however, other evidence suggests that policies are not followed consistently by the school system leadership.
Page 7 of 11

REQUIRED ACTION 7: The Burke County Board of Education must develop, commit to, and individually sign an ethics policy and code of conduct that governs the actions, work, and behaviors of the Board and staff, as well as appropriate steps when said policy is violated. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: The May 2010 Monitoring Team Monitoring Team found that this required action had been met. REQUIRED ACTION 8: The Burke County Board of Education must engage in professional development for conflict resolution and team building communication skill development, engaging a professional mediator to establish productive communication and professional working relationships among board members, staff and community stakeholders. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: The May 2010 Monitoring Team found that this required action had been met. However, there is a lack of evidence to support that the board members are systematically and consistently using what they have learned in the training to change their behaviors. REQUIRED ACTION 9: The Burke County Board of Education must establish a written process and timeline to resolve issues and reestablish collaboration with governmental and civic entities in the county, i.e., law enforcement, the county commission, and chamber of commerce. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time.
Page 8 of 11

Summary of Findings: The May 2010 Monitoring Team found that this required action had been met. REQUIRED ACTION 10: The Burke County Board of Education must expand the search for a new superintendent to include a process to gather and utilize significant stakeholder input into desired qualities, characteristics, and qualifications for the new superintendent, extending the search process to ensure national publication of the vacancy and to ensure quality applicants. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: The May 2010 Monitoring Team found that this required action had been met. Although the board members completed this action, they did not follow the guidance of the Review Team to wait until after the Board of Education election in 2009 to conduct the search. This decision to move forward has resulted in a lack of trust among the newly elected board members toward the remaining board members and the Superintendent who was named. REQUIRED ACTION 11: The Burke County Board of Education must ensure that all conditions of the censure of board member Hairfield are concluded within 30 days of the receipt of this report by the district. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. X Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: The May 2010 Monitoring Team found that this required action had been met.

Page 9 of 11

REQUIRED ACTION 12: The Burke County Board of Education must develop a written plan including a timeline for the provision of training board members in effective boardmanship. Continue to review and educate themselves on the policy changes, particularly in the area of board and superintendent/management team relations; in conjunction with this, develop and employ a written communication plan, which includes an implementation timeline for educating themselves, staff, and the public. Progress Status: Please indicate the progress the institution has made toward addressing this required action. Completed - All necessary and appropriate actions have been taken and evaluated. The institution has documented evidence that supports fulfillment of the required action. X In Progress - The institution is currently engaged in actions and processes but has yet to fully implement steps necessary to address and/or complete the required action. Has Not Addressed - The institution has not taken any action at this time. Summary of Findings: The members of the Burke County Board of Education have participated in numerous, valuable board training activities provided by the North Carolina School Boards Association and the state office of AdvancED/SACS CASI. These sessions outlined the specific roles and responsibilities of the governance/leadership team practices to help the board govern and lead the district in the continuous school improvement process. During interviews, it became obvious that the principles covered during these sessions were not internalized and consistently demonstrated by all board members in their actions and deliberations. Board and Superintendent roles are still not clearly defined or adhered to and evidence shows Board members continue to be involved in management activities and day-to-day operations. Rather than speaking with a unified voice as a cohesive team, the Board continues to show evidence of factions. Stakeholders were hesitant to state that the behaviors of the Board had changed. A written timeline for communication to school personnel and the public was present. The Board reviewed, revised and communicated policies to school personnel and the public; however the Board did not have a specific training on its own policies.

Conclusion
The Monitoring Team was notified by the principals of Freedom High School and Jimmy Draughn High School that the AdvancED/SACS CASI five year reviews had been conducted since the Monitoring Teams last visit to Burke County. The principals shared information about their visits, and the reports show that both high schools were rated as Emerging on Standard 7: Continuous Improvement by the respective visiting teams. The Monitoring Team included this information when deliberating. The Monitoring Team members on the Burke County visiting team have at least 120 years of experience in public education across several southern states. Most of these years have been spent working directly with local boards of education. It is the professional judgment of this Monitoring Team, combined with the evidence gathered during the visit to the Burke County School System that the behavior of Burke County Board of Education members has been and continues to be a roadblock to the future growth and improvement of the Burke County Schools.

Page 10 of 11

When adults who are in leadership roles in a school system conduct themselves in an ineffective, unprofessional manner, students are impacted and their future progress is impaired. It is very apparent to the Team that staffing is not the issue with Burke County Schools; the problem rests with all the members of the Board of Education. Board members have failed to sustain any sense of working collaboratively as an effective team to improve the Burke County School System. The most recent example of this behavior was exhibited when the board chair, representing the majority faction of the Board, and the Superintendent changed the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of December 6, 2010 to the morning of December 8, 2010, even though all board members could not attend. Two board members who are part of the minority faction of the Board were not present, yet the Board proceeded to hold officer elections during this changed meeting, thus eliminating the opportunity for the absent members to vote. The Team strongly feels the evidence gathered during this December visit and previous visits places the blame for the tug of war in the Burke County Schools squarely on the shoulders of the entire Board and the Superintendent. Borrowing from the words of some board members and other stakeholders, the Team feels it is time for Burke County to get the right people in place to fix this problem and start over with a whole new team. Several of the Required Actions were noted by the May 2010 team to be completed, however the December 2010 team observed that there is a lack of sustainable action by the Board placing those Required Actions now in question. The Burke County Board of Education has clearly fallen backwards demonstrating a lack of sustainable effort to provide positive leadership to the schools in Burke County. The continuing issues with board governance and leadership will result in a long term affect on the success of the school system and its students. Based on an exhaustive review of all documentation provided, as well as review of materials and documents during the onsite review and information obtained through the interview process, the Monitoring Team finds that Burke County School System has failed to fully and substantially address the required actions and therefore the accreditation of the schools in Burke County will be dropped, effective, June 30, 2011. This decision is affirmed by the North Carolina Council and the AdvancED Accreditation Commission. If the Burke County Board of Education makes the commitment to resolve the current problems, provides evidence that the school system is meeting all the requirements for accreditation, and develops an effective systemic and sustainable process of continuous improvement, the Burke County School System, on behalf of the schools in its jurisdiction, can seek reinstatement prior to June 30, 2012. However, if this deadline for reinstatement is not met, the schools within the system will need to reapply for accreditation. Additionally, please note that the school system has the right to appeal the decision of the AdvancED Accreditation Commission. The Appeals Process can be accessed on-line at www.advanc-ed.org or by request.

Page 11 of 11