Teachers who get results, on the other hand, can earn bonuses. One school that has made big strides, Park Road Elementary, reflects the demographic makeup of the Columbus district. About 58 percent of Park Road students are minorities, and about 60 percent receive free or reduced-price lunches. Their passing rate on the North Carolina tests soared from 48 percent a few years ago to 69 percent in 1999. Like many other Charlotte schools, Park Road is housed in a series of connected red-brick buildings.
Children eat well-balanced, hot lunches prepared in the school cafeteria.
The most important ingredients for educational success in an urban school, Park Road teachers say, are clear-cut goals and standards, coupled with effective teaching methods. It's been a lot of hard work, but kids are reading and thinking critically. Without a doubt, teachers and students are performing at a high level already at Barringer Academic Center, one of 45 magnet schools among 128 elementary, middle and high schools in Charlotte. Forty percent of the 500 students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and nearly half are minorities. And 100 percent passed the state math and reading tests last year.